Wirelessly powered flexible tag

• US 7,998,546 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Jiang, Peng, Potyrailo, Radislav Alexandrovich, Peters, Andrea, Wisnudel, Marc Brian, Frey, Richard Louis, Patel, Ben Purushotam, Litz, Kyle Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nordmeyer; Patricia L
• Application Number:
  US11/538,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20070114621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 428/40.1, 428/40.2, 428/41.6, 428/41.9, 428/42.1, 428/343, 428/354, 428914-916, 283/72, 283/81, 283/100, 283/101, 283/107
• US Class Current: 428/40.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0291 Labels or tickets undergoing a change under particular conditions, e.g. heat, radiation, passage of time
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/282 Limited play
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/914 Transfer or decalcomania
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/915 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer

Abstract

A wirelessly powered flexible tag configured to be in contact with a substrate is provided. The tag includes a coupling layer configured to couple the tag to the substrate. An electrical circuit disposed on the coupling layer and configured to interact wirelessly with an external stimulus. The tag further includes at least one electrode or at least one heating element in operative association with the electrical circuit, and configured to generate electrical energy or thermal energy, respectively. Upon wireless interaction with the external stimulus the tag is configured to induce an electrical response, a thermal response, or a combination of both in the substrate.

Claims

1. A wirelessly powered flexible tag configured to be in contact with a substrate, comprising:

a coupling layer configured to couple said tag to said substrate;

an electrical circuit disposed on said coupling layer and configured to interact wirelessly with an external stimulus;

at least one electrode in operative association with said electrical circuit, wherein the electrode is disposed in the coupling layer, and configured to generate electrical energy or thermal energy, respectively, wherein the electrode and a surface of the coupling layer to be coupled to the substrate are substantially coplanar, and

at least one recess formed in the coupling layer, wherein the at least one electrode is disposed in the recess;

wherein upon wireless interaction with the external stimulus said tag is configured to induce an electrical response, a thermal response, or a combination of both in said substrate.

2. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 1, wherein said coupling layer is coupled to said substrate via an electrostatic attraction mechanism, a chemical mechanism, an electrochemical mechanism, a thermal mechanism, a physical mechanism, a cross linking mechanism, an adhesive mechanism or any combination thereof.

3. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 2, wherein said tag is removably coupled to said substrate.

4. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 2, wherein said coupling layer is irremovably coupled to said substrate.

5. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 2, wherein said coupling layer comprises an adhesive component.

6. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 5, wherein said adhesive component comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a water soluble adhesive, an acrylate-based adhesive, a silicone-based adhesive, an elastomer-based adhesive, an epoxy-based adhesive, a thermoset adhesive, or any combination thereof.

7. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 1, wherein said coupling layer comprises a plurality of sub-layers.

8. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 1, wherein said coupling layer comprises a patterned surface.

9. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 1, wherein said electrical circuit comprises radio frequency circuitry.

10. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 9, wherein said electrical circuitry further comprises a thermocouple, a light-emitting diode, a strain gauge, a sound producing element, an acoustic sensor, a diode, an antenna, a dipole, an electrical receiver, a photocell, a resistor, a capacitor, a rectifier, an integrated circuit, a surface mount resistor, a chip resistor, an electrode, a heating element, or any combination thereof.

11. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 10, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to produce at least one output selected from the group consisting of a DC electrical output, an AC electrical output, a DC pulsed electrical output, or an AC pulsed electrical output.

12. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 1, wherein the electrode is made from a material comprising a conjugated polymer, carbon, silver, copper, gold, aluminum, platinum, lead dioxide, stainless steel, indium tin oxide or any combinations or alloys thereof.

13. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 1, further comprising a backing layer.

14. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 13, wherein said backing layer comprises a flexible plastic material, a flexible thin metal foil material, or a combination thereof.

15. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 13, wherein the backing material comprises polycarbonates, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyesters, polyimides, polysulfones, polyethylene terapthalates, polyamides, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyesters, synthetic rubbers, styrene-butadiene random and block copolymers, natural rubbers, isoprene, silicone materials, cross linked silicone materials, EPDM materials, and any copolymers or combinations thereof.

16. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 13, wherein said backing layer comprises a plurality of sub-layers.

17. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 13, wherein said electrical circuit is disposed on said backing layer.

18. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 16, wherein said electrical circuit is disposed on one of the said sub-layers.

19. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 13, wherein said electrical circuit is disposed between said coupling layer and said backing layer.

20. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a plastic substrate, a metal substrate, a glass substrate, a wood substrate, a paper substrate, a coated substrate, a mineral substrate, a ceramic substrate, a thermochromic material, electrochromic material, a photochromic material or any combinations thereof.

21. The tag of claim 1, wherein said external stimulus comprises a laser energy, a thermal energy, infrared rays, X-rays, gamma rays, microwaves, visible light, ultraviolet light, ultrasound waves, radio frequency waves, electrical energy, chemical energy, magnetic energy, mechanical energy, or combinations thereof.

22. A wirelessly powered flexible tag configured to be in contact with a substrate, comprising:

a patterned coupling layer configured to couple said tag to said substrate;

radio frequency circuitry disposed on said coupling layer and configured to interact

wirelessly with an external stimulus; and

at least one electrode or at least one heating element in operative association with said radio frequency circuitry, and configured to generate electrical energy or thermal energy, respectively, wherein the electrode or the heating element and a surface of the coupling layer to be coupled to the substrate are substantially coplanar;

at least one recess formed in the coupling layer, wherein the at least one electrode or at least one heating element are disposed in the recess; and

a backing layer coupled to said radio frequency circuitry or said patterned coupling layer;

wherein upon wireless interaction with said external stimulus said tag is configured to induce an electrical response, a thermal response, or a combination of both in said substrate.

23. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 22, wherein the heating element is made from a material comprising titanium, copper, nickel, gold, tantalumnitride, aluminum, molybdenum, titanium-tungsten, chrome, platinum, nichrome, indium tin oxide and any combinations or alloys thereof.

24. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 22, further comprising an RFID tag.

25. The wirelessly powered flexible tag of claim 22, further comprising a logic chip that renders the tag active upon external authentication.

26. A method for using a wirelessly powered flexible tag, comprising:

coupling the tag to a substrate, the tag comprising;

a coupling layer configured to couple the tag to the substrate;

an electrical circuit disposed on the coupling layer and configured to interact wirelessly with an external stimulus; and

at least one electrode or a at least one heating element in operative association with the electrical circuit, and configured to generate electrical energy or thermal energy, respectively;

wherein the at least one electrode or at least one heating element are disposed in at least one recess formed in the coupling layer

interacting the tag with the external stimulus to induce an electrical response, a thermal response, or a combination of both in the substrate.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein an antenna of the tag is configured to interact with a reader disposed outside the tag, and wherein the interaction between the antenna and the reader facilitates interaction of the tag with the external stimulus.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the substrate comprises an antitheft feature, and wherein the anti-theft feature is configured to alter from a pre-activated state to an activated state upon interaction with the electrical or thermal energy to change the functionality of the substrate.