Electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag/device with coplanar and/or multiple coil circuits, an EAS tag/device with two or more memory bits, and methods for tuning the resonant frequency of an RLC EAS tag/device

• US 7,498,948 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ensurge Micropower ASA
• Original Assignee: Kovio Incorporated (Ensurge Micropower ASA)
• Inventors: Arreola, Jose, Cleeves, J. Montague, Gudeman, Christopher, MacKenzie, J. Devin
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/900,365
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.8, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 235/492, 257/679
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2414 using inductive tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag

Abstract

An EAS device, and methods for making the device for tuning the resonant frequency of the same is disclosed. The EAS device includes: an outer inductor having one end coupled to a linear or nonlinear capacitor plate; an inner inductor having one end coupled to the other type of capacitor; a first dielectric film on the outer and inner inductors and the capacitor plates coupled thereto, having openings exposing other ends of the outer and inner inductors; a second linear capacitor plate on the dielectric film; a second nonlinear capacitor plate on the dielectric film; a second dielectric film containing holes for the second linear and nonlinear capacitor plates, and exposing the other ends of the first and second inductors; and first and second conducting straps on the second dielectric film, configured to electrically connect one of the exposed inductor ends to a corresponding second capacitor plate.

Claims

1. A surveillance and/or identification device, comprising:

a) an outer inductor having a first end coupled to a first plate of a first capacitor;

b) an inner inductor having a first end coupled to a first plate of a second capacitor;

c) a dielectric film on said outer inductor, said inner inductor, said first plate of said first capacitor and said first plate of said second capacitor, the first dielectric film having openings therein exposing second ends of each of the outer and inner inductors;

d) a second plate of the first capacitor on the dielectric film, capacitively coupled to the first plate of the first capacitor;

e) a second plate of the second capacitor on the dielectric film, capacitively coupled to the first plate of the second capacitor;

f) a first conducting strap, configured to electrically connect a second end of the outer inductor to the second plate of the first capacitor; and

g) a second conducting strap, configured to electrically connect a second end of the inner inductor to the second plate of the second capacitor.

2. The surveillance and/or identification device of claim 1, wherein one of said second capacitor plates comprises a semiconductor component on said dielectric film.

3. The surveillance and/or identification device of claim 2, wherein said second capacitor plate of the second capacitor comprises said semiconductor component.

4. The surveillance and/or identification device of claim 1, wherein said outer inductor and said inner inductor are coplanar.

5. The surveillance and/or identification device of claim 1, wherein said outer inductor and said inner inductor are concentric.

6. The surveillance and/or identification device of claim 1, further comprising a second inner inductor having a first end coupled to a first plate of a third capacitor and a second end coupled to a third conducting strap, said third conducting strap being coupled to a second plate of said third capacitor, said second plate of said third capacitor being on said first dielectric film.

7. The surveillance and/or identification device of claim 2, wherein said semiconductor component comprises silicon and/or germanium.

8. The surveillance and/or identification device of claim 1, wherein said outer inductor, said inner inductor, and each of said first capacitor plates comprise a first metal, and said dielectric film comprises a corresponding oxide of said first metal.

17. A method of detecting an item, comprising the steps of:

a) attaching, affixing or including the surveillance and/or identification device of claim 1 on or in said item;

b) causing or inducing a current in the surveillance and/or identification device sufficient for the device to radiate detectable electromagnetic radiation;

c) detecting said detectable electromagnetic radiation; and

d) optionally, selectively deactivating said device.

9. A method for making a surveillance and/or identification device, comprising the steps of:

a) forming a semiconductor component on a first dielectric film, said first dielectric film being on an electrically functional substrate;

b) forming a second dielectric film on the first dielectric film and the semiconducting component, the second dielectric film having holes therein to facilitate electrical connection to the semiconductor component and the substrate;

c) forming a plurality of conductive structures, a first one of which is at least partly on said semiconductor component and which comprises a first electrically conducting strap configured to provide electrical communication between said semiconductor component and said electrically functional substrate, and a second one of which comprises a second electrically conducting strap configured to provide electrical communication between a linear capacitor plate and the electrically functional substrate; and

d) etching said electrically functional substrate to form an inner inductor and an outer inductor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said etching further forms a plurality of capacitor plates, each coupled at one end of a respective inductor.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said etching forms a plurality of inner inductors.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said semiconductor component comprises silicon and/or germanium.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the semiconductor component comprises printing a liquid-phase silicon and/or germanium precursor ink on said dielectric film, drying the ink, and converting the silicon and/or germanium precursor to the semiconductor component.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said electrically functional substrate comprises a stainless steel sheet or foil.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of forming said plurality of conductive structures comprises printing a conductor ink onto said second dielectric film and said semiconductor component.

22. A method of tuning an electronic article surveillance device, comprising:

a) the method of claim 9; and

b) locating said inner inductor such that a resonant frequency of the outer inductor increases by a predetermined and/or desired amount, relative to locating said inner inductor in the geometric center of the outer inductor.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the outer inductor has first substantially linear portions along a first axis and second substantially linear portions along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, and the resonant frequency of the outer inductor increases by (i) a first predetermined amount when the inner inductor is located closer to one of the first or second substantially linear portions along an axis parallel to one of the first and second axes and by (ii) a second predetermined amount when the inner inductor is located closer to both of the first and second substantially linear portions along axes parallel to both of the first and second axes, the second predetermined amount being greater than the first predetermined amount.

16. A method for making a surveillance and/or identification device from an electrically functional substrate having a first dielectric film thereon, comprising the steps of:

a) forming a second dielectric film on the first dielectric film, the second dielectric film having holes therein to facilitate formation of structures electrically connected and/or capacitively coupled to the electrically functional substrate;

b) forming a semiconductor component in at least one of said holes;

c) forming a plurality of conductive structures, a first one of which is at least partly on said semiconductor component and which comprises a first electrically conducting strap configured to provide electrical communication between said semiconductor component and said electrically functional substrate, and a second one of which comprises a second electrically conducting strap configured to provide electrical communication between a linear capacitor plate and the electrically functional substrate; and

d) etching said electrically functional substrate to form an inner inductor and an outer inductor.

24. A method of tuning an electronic article surveillance device, comprising:

a) the method of claim 16; and

b) locating said inner inductor such that a resonant frequency of the outer inductor increases by a predetermined and/or desired amount, relative to locating said inner inductor in the geometric center of the outer inductor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the outer inductor has first substantially linear portions along a first axis and second substantially linear portions along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, and the resonant frequency of the outer inductor increases by (i) a first predetermined amount when the inner inductor is located closer to one of the first or second substantially linear portions along an axis parallel to one of the first and second axes and by (ii) a second predetermined amount when the inner inductor is located closer to both of the first and second substantially linear portions along axes parallel to both of the first and second axes, the second predetermined amount being greater than the first predetermined amount.

18. An electronic article surveillance device, comprising:

a) a first inner circuit having a first inductor coupled to a first capacitor, said first inner circuit being configured to resonate at a first frequency, said first inner circuit configured to be deactivated at an integer multiple of said first frequency;

b) a second inner circuit having a second inductor coupled to a second capacitor, said second inner circuit being configured to resonate at a second frequency, said second inner circuit configured to be deactivated at an integer multiple of said second resonant frequency; and

c) an outer circuit having a third inductor coupled to a third capacitor, said third inductor surrounding and substantially coplanar with said first and second circuits.

19. The electronic article surveillance device of claim 18, wherein said first and second capacitors are nonlinear capacitors and said third capacitor is a linear capacitor.

20. The electronic article surveillance device of claim 18, wherein said outer circuit is tuned to a third resonant frequency.

21. A method of tuning an electronic article surveillance device, comprising:

a) forming a conductive structure configured to provide electrical communication between a capacitor plate of said device and an electrically functional substrate; and

b) etching said electrically functional substrate to form an inductor and an electromagnetically active inner plug or ring, said inner plug or ring having dimensions and/or a location sufficient to shift a resonant frequency of the inductor relative to locating said inner plug or ring in the geometric center of the outer inductor.