Visual identification tag deactivation

• US 7,327,261 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Weslake, Paul, O'Hagan, James, Hohberger, Clive
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/190,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340/10.1, 385/380, 385/383, 385/385, 385/492
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip

Abstract

A device for deactivating an RFID portion on an identification tag and indicating that the RFID portion is deactivated. The present invention addresses current privacy concerns regarding potential use of RFID technology after the point of sale. The device for deactivating the RFID portion of an identification tag provides visual indication that the RFID portion is deactivated. The visual indication occurs without the use of additional equipment or electronics. The visual indication component of the present invention is easy to interpret, so that a viewer will be able to quickly determine whether the RFID portion of the identification tag has been deactivated.

Claims

1. An identification tag for visually indicating deactivation, said identification tag comprising:

an electronic circuit portion for storing an identification associated with said tag; and

a deactivation indicating portion,

wherein said deactivation indicating portion is capable of visually indicating deactivation of at least a part of said electronic circuit portion, and wherein said visual indication of said deactivation indicating portion occurs under alternate lighting conditions.

2. An identification tag for visually indicating deactivation, said identification tag comprising:

a first layer;

a second layer;

an electronic circuit portion, wherein at least a part of said electronic circuit portion is located between said first layer and said second layer; and

a deactivation indicating portion,

wherein said deactivation indicating portion is capable of visually indicating deactivation of at least a part of said electronic circuit portion, and wherein said visual indication of said deactivation indicating portion occurs under alternate lighting conditions.

3. An identification tag for visually indicating deactivation, said identification tag comprising:

a first layer;

a second layer;

an electronic circuit portion, wherein at least a part of said electronic circuit portion is located between said first layer and said second layer; and

a deactivation indicating portion, wherein said deactivation indicating portion is capable of visually indicating deactivation of at least a part of said electronic circuit portion, and wherein said second layer is coated by an environmentally reactive dye that reacts when said environmentally reactive dye is exposed to an environmental stimulus.

4. The identification tag of claim 3, wherein said environmentally reactive dye produces a visual indicating color when said environmentally reactive dye is exposed to said environmental stimulus.

5. The identification tag of claim 3, wherein said environmentally reactive dye produces a visual indicating indicia when said environmentally reactive dye is exposed to said environmental stimulus.

6. An identification tag for visually indicating deactivation, said identification tag comprising:

an electronic circuit portion; and

a deactivation indicating portion comprising at least one indicating layer,

wherein said at least one indicating layer is capable of visually indicating deactivation of at least a part of said electronic circuit, and wherein said visual indication of said deactivation indicating portion occurs under alternate lighting conditions.

7. An identification tag for visually indicating deactivation, said identification tag comprising:

an electronic circuit portion; and

a deactivation indicating portion comprising at least one indicating layer,

wherein said at least one indicating layer is capable of visually indicating deactivation of at least a part of said electronic circuit, and wherein said at least one indicating layer is located adjacent to said electronic circuit portion, and said at least one indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface includes capsules containing an indicating ink, and a surrounding reactant coating that reacts when exposed to said indicating ink.

8. The identification tag of claim 7, wherein said at least one indicating layer is located adjacent to said electronic circuit portion, and said at least one indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface includes capsules containing an indicating ink, and a surrounding reactant coating that reacts when exposed to said indicating ink to create a visual indicating color.

9. The identification tag of claim 7, wherein said at least one indicating layer is located adjacent to said electronic circuit portion, and said at least one indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface includes capsules containing an indicating ink, and a surrounding reactant coating that reacts when exposed to said indicating ink to create an indicating indicia.

10. The identification tag of claim 7, further comprising a deactivation device, wherein when said deactivation device is removed from said identification tag, said deactivation device deactivates at least a part of said electronic circuit portion.

11. The identification tag of claim 10, wherein said deactivation device is a removable tape assembly, wherein at least a part of said tape assembly is attached to said electronic circuit portion such that when said tape assembly is removed, said tape assembly deactivates at least a part of said electronic circuit portion.

12. The identification tag of claim 11, wherein the removal of said tape assembly severs at least a part of said at least one indicating layer such that at least a part of said indicating ink is exposed to said reactant coating.

13. The identification tag of claim 12, wherein said electronic circuit portion comprises at least an antenna and a circuit chip, and wherein said tape assembly is adhered to at least a part of said circuit chip such that at least a part of said circuit chip is separated from said antenna when said tape assembly is removed from said identification tag.

14. The identification tag of claim 12, wherein said electronic circuit portion comprises at least an antenna and a circuit chip, and wherein said tape assembly is adhered to at least a part of said antenna such that at least a part of said antenna is severed when said tape assembly is removed from said identification tag.

15. The identification tag of claim 11, wherein when said tape assembly is removed, said tape assembly severs at least a part of said at least one indicating layer such that at least a part of said indicating ink is exposed to said reactant coating to create a visual indicating color.

16. The identification tag of claim 11, wherein when said tape assembly is removed, said tape assembly severs at least a part of said at least one indicating layer such that at least a part of said indicating ink is exposed to said reactant coating to create a visual indicating indicia.

17. An identification tag for visually indicating electronic circuit deactivation, said identification tag comprising:

an electronic circuit portion; and

a deactivation indicating portion comprising a top indicating layer and a bottom indicating layer,

wherein said at least one indicating layer is capable of visually indicating deactivation of at least a part of said electronic circuit, and wherein at least one of said top indicating layer and said bottom indicating layer includes capsules, said capsules containing indicating ink, and at least one of said top indicating layer and said bottom indicating layer includes a reactant coating that reacts when exposed to said indicating ink.

18. The identification tag of claim 17, wherein said electronic circuit portion is an RFID tag comprising at least a memory and an antenna.

19. An identification tag for visually indicating electronic circuit deactivation, said identification tag comprising:

an electronic circuit portion; and

a deactivation indicating portion comprising a top indicating layer and a bottom indicating layer,

wherein said at least one indicating layer is capable of visually indicating deactivation of at least a part of said electronic circuit, and wherein said top indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said bottom surface of said top indicating layer includes capsules, said capsules containing an indicating ink, and wherein said bottom indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface of said bottom indicating layer includes a reactant coating that reacts when exposed to said indicating ink.

20. The identification tag of claim 19, wherein said top indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said bottom surface of said top indicating layer includes capsules, said capsules containing an indicating ink, and wherein said bottom indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface of said bottom indicating layer includes a reactant coating that reacts when exposed to said indicating ink to create a visual indicating color.

21. The identification tag of claim 19, wherein said top indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said bottom surface of said top indicating layer includes capsules, said capsules containing an indicating ink, and wherein said bottom indicating layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface of said bottom indicating layer includes a reactant coating that reacts when exposed to said indicating ink to create a visual indicating indicia.

22. The identification tag of claim 19, further comprising a removable tape assembly, wherein at least a part of said tape assembly is attached to said electronic circuit portion such that when said tape assembly is removed from said identification tag, said tape assembly deactivates at least a part of said electronic circuit portion.

23. The identification tag of claim 22, wherein the removal of said tape assembly severs at least a part of said at least one indicating layer such that at least a part of said indicating ink is exposed to said reactant coating.

24. The identification tag of claim 22, wherein the removal of said tape assembly severs at least a part of said at least one indicating layer such that at least a part of said indicating ink is exposed to said reactant coating to create a visual indicating color.

25. The identification tag of claim 22, wherein the removal of said tape assembly severs at least a part of said at least one indicating layer such that at least a part of said indicating ink is exposed to said reactant to create a visual indicating indicia.

26. The identification tag of claim 22, wherein said electronic circuit portion comprises at least an antenna and a circuit chip, and wherein at least a part of said tape assembly is adhered to at least a part of said circuit chip such that said circuit chip remains attached to said tape portion when said tape assembly is removed from said identification tag.

27. The identification tag of claim 22, wherein said electronic circuit portion comprises at least an antenna and a circuit chip, and wherein at least a part of said tape assembly is adhered to at least a part of said antenna such that at least a part of said antenna remains attached to said tape assembly when said tape assembly is separated from said second portion.