Active wireless tagging system on peel and stick substrate

• US 7,603,144 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cymbet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cymbet Corporation
• Inventors: Sullivan, Jim, Jenson, Mark L., Klaassen, Jody J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/336,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20040131897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 455572-574, 455/522, 370/256, 429/7, 429/162, 429/322, 429/5, 429/127
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5066 Type recognition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RFID) device provided on a thin-film battery. A system includes the RFID device in communication with a remote radio frequency (RF) transmitter and/or receiver. In some embodiments, the RFID device of the system includes a flexible substrate, a thin-film battery deposited on the flexible substrate, an electronic circuit placed on the battery and coupled to the battery to provide power, and a Radio Frequency (RF) antenna connected to the electronic circuit. In some embodiments, the battery of the RFID device is a rechargeable battery, and the battery is recharged when energy is transmitted from the remote device. Another aspect of the invention provides a system for making an RFID device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a flexible peel-and-stick RFID device that includes a multi-bit identifier value, an RF-activated switch, and a thin-film battery deposited on a flexible substrate;

pressure-adhering the RFID device to an article;

receiving RF energy at the RFID device;

based on the reception of the RF energy, coupling battery power through the RF-activated switch to the RFID device to activate a circuit and initiate a task in the RFID device using the power from the battery, wherein the task includes transmitting an identifier (ID) value based on the multi-bit identifier of the RFID;

receiving an interrogation code into the RFID device from a remote RF transmitter device;

performing an analysis of the interrogation code;

transmitting the ID value from the RFID device to a remote RF receiver device based upon the analysis of the interrogation code;

storing a timestamp for an event based on receiving the interrogation code into the RFID device;

storing a first timestamp to mark a shipping event;

storing a second timestamp to mark a receiving event; and

comparing the first and second stored timestamps to determine the duration of shipping related events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery, and wherein the method further includes recharging the battery using the received RF energy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the task includes:

running a self-check in the RFID device; and

storing the result of the self-check.

4. A flexible peel-and-stick battery-operated device comprising:

a plurality of layers wherein the layers are held to one another as a single package, wherein the layers include;

a flexible substrate;

an electronic circuit and an RF-activated switch;

a thin-film battery deposited as a series of layers, the series of layers including a cathode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an anode layer, operatively coupled by the RF-activated switch upon receipt of RF energy to the electronic circuit to provide power;

a radio frequency (RF) antenna operatively coupled to the electronic circuit; and

a peel-and-stick adhesive layer configured to connect the battery-operated device to a surface, wherein the layers are stacked in the order comprising;

the adhesive layer wherein the adhesive layer is pressure sensitive and covered by a peel-able release layer;

the flexible substrate;

the thin-film battery deposited on the flexible substrate;

the wiring layer including an RF antenna deposited on the previous layers; and

the electronic circuit including an RF-enabled switch deposited on the wiring layer.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery, and wherein device is configured such that the battery is recharged when energy is transmitted from a remote device through the RF antenna and the electronic circuit.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic circuit includes the RF-activated switch.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the RF-activated switch includes a MEMS device.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the RF antenna is integrated into the substrate.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

10. A rolled release layer having releasably affixed thereon a plurality of the device according to claim 4.

11. The device of claim 4, further comprising:

a printed label on the device.

12. A system for making an RFID device, the system comprising:

one or more supply reels that feed one or more source substrates;

one or more supply reels that feed one or more electronic circuits, an RF-activated switch, and an RF antenna;

one or more deposition stations that deposit a series of layers onto the one or more substrates, wherein the series of layers include;

(i) layers to form a solid-state lithium-based battery, the battery layers including;

a) a cathode layer;

b) an electrolyte layer;

c) an anode layer;

(ii) a wiring layer to couple the battery to the electronic circuit layer, and to couple the RF antenna to the electronic circuit; and

a supply reel that feeds a peel-and-stick adhesive layer; and

a vacuum chamber that contains the supply reels and the deposition station, wherein the RF-activated switch is operable to connect electrical power and activate the one or more electronic circuits upon receipt of RF energy.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising one or more stations that deposit the one or more substrates onto a release layer with a single pressure-sensitive adhesive layer therebetween, wherein one face of the adhesive layer is attached to the substrate and an opposite face of the adhesive layer is attached to the release layer.