Microelectronic device with integrated energy source

• US 8,373,559 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David R. Hofman
• Original Assignee: Joseph H. Mccain
• Inventors: McCain, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): POTTER, ROY KARL
• Application Number:
  US13/180,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20120025982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/993, 340/933, 455/67.11, 257/678
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49593 Battery in combination with a leadframe
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/04 adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices testing thereof during manufacture H01L22/00; testing thereof after manufacture H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/60 OLEDs integrated with inorganic light-sensitive elements, e.g. with inorganic solar cells or inorganic photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

An apparatus including an electronic device having a plurality of substantially collocated components, the plurality of components including an antenna, an energy supply and an integrated circuit chip. The integrated circuit chip is electrically coupled to the antenna and the energy supply. A material substantially encloses the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method executed by a first electronic device, comprising:

(a) receiving a first type of signal from a second electronic device, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices is a wireless electronic device comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery;

(b) determining a characteristic of the second electronic device based on information received in the first type of signal; and

(c) transmitting a second type of signal to the second electronic device based on the determined characteristic;

wherein the first and second electronic devices are each independently mobile.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a third type of signal that is configured to be utilized to determine a characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment, wherein the characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment comprises at least one of:

a location within the environment;

an orientation within the environment;

a composition of the environment;

a temperature of the environment;

a pressure of the environment;

a voltage of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a current of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a resistance of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a concentration of the environment;

a viscosity of the environment; and

a biometric characteristic of a living animal proximate the second electronic device.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second electronic devices are each wireless electronic devices each comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery.

2. A method executed by a first electronic device, comprising:

(a) receiving a first type of signal from a second electronic device, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices is a wireless electronic device comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery;

(b) determining a characteristic of the second electronic device based on information received in the first type of signal; and

(c) transmitting a second type of signal to the second electronic device based on the determined characteristic;

wherein the first and second electronic devices are each wireless electronic devices each comprising at least one of an energy harvester, an energy generator, and/or a multi-layer battery.

19. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving a third type of signal that is configured to be utilized to determine a characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment, wherein the characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment comprises at least one of:

a location within the environment;

an orientation within the environment;

a composition of the environment;

a temperature of the environment;

a pressure of the environment;

a voltage of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a current of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a resistance of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a concentration of the environment;

a viscosity of the environment; and

a biometric characteristic of a living animal proximate the second electronic device.

20. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second electronic devices are each wireless electronic devices each comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery.

3. A method executed by a first electronic device, comprising:

(a) receiving a first type of signal from a second electronic device, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices is a wireless electronic device comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery;

(b) determining a characteristic of the second electronic device based on information received in the first type of signal; and

(c) transmitting a second type of signal to the second electronic device based on the determined characteristic;

wherein the first type of signal comprises information based on a presence of one of the first and second electronic devices proximate the other of the first and second electronic devices.

21. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving a third type of signal that is configured to be utilized to determine a characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment, wherein the characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment comprises at least one of:

a location within the environment;

an orientation within the environment;

a composition of the environment;

a temperature of the environment;

a pressure of the environment;

a voltage of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a current of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a resistance of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a concentration of the environment;

a viscosity of the environment; and

a biometric characteristic of a living animal proximate the second electronic device.

22. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and second electronic devices are each wireless electronic devices each comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery.

4. A method executed by a first electronic device, comprising:

(a) receiving a first type of signal from a second electronic device, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices is a wireless electronic device comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery;

(b) determining a characteristic of the second electronic device based on information received in the first type of signal; and

(c) transmitting a second type of signal to the second electronic device based on the determined characteristic;

wherein the second type of signal acknowledges a presence of one of the first and second electronic devices proximate the other of the first and second electronic devices.

23. The method of claim 4 further comprising receiving a third type of signal that is configured to be utilized to determine a characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment, wherein the characteristic of the second electronic device'"'"'s environment comprises at least one of:

a location within the environment;

an orientation within the environment;

a composition of the environment;

a temperature of the environment;

a pressure of the environment;

a voltage of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a current of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a resistance of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a concentration of the environment;

a viscosity of the environment; and

a biometric characteristic of a living animal proximate the second electronic device.

24. The method of claim 4 wherein the first and second electronic devices are each wireless electronic devices each comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery.

6. A method executed by a first electronic device, comprising:

(a) receiving a first type of signal from a second electronic device, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices is a wireless electronic device comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery;

(b) determining a characteristic of the second electronic device based on information received in the first type of signal;

(c) transmitting a second type of signal to the second electronic device based on the determined characteristic; and

(d) transmitting a third type of signal to a third electronic device based on the determined characteristic.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the third type of signal is configured to cause the third electronic device to automatically perform an action.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the third type of signal is configured to cause the third electronic device to automatically display a predetermined message that is based on the determined characteristic.

9. A method executed by a first electronic device, comprising the ordered steps of:

(a) executing a waiting interval of a predetermined time, and then determining whether the first electronic device has received a first signal from a second electronic device during the waiting interval, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices is a wireless electronic device comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery;

(b) if the first electronic device has not received a first type of signal from a second electronic device during the waiting interval, transmitting a second type of signal from the first electronic device and then returning to step (a);

(c) if the first electronic device has received a first signal from a second electronic device during the waiting interval, then delivering a third type of signal to an actuator of the first electronic device, wherein the third type of signal corresponds to information received in the first type of signal; and

(d) operating the actuator based on information in the third type of signal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) comprises:

if the first electronic device has not received a first type of signal from a second electronic device during the waiting interval, transmitting the second type of signal to a second electronic device and then returning to step (a).

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second type of signal comprises information based on a characteristic of the first electronic device'"'"'s environment, wherein the characteristic of the first electronic device'"'"'s environment comprises at least one of:

a location within the environment;

an orientation within the environment;

a composition of the environment;

a temperature of the environment;

a pressure of the environment;

a voltage of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a current of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a resistance of an electrical feature associated with the environment;

a concentration of the environment;

a viscosity of the environment; and

a biometric characteristic of a living animal proximate the second electronic device.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting a fourth type of signal if the first type of signal received by the first electronic device is not one of a plurality of expected signals.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting a fourth type of signal to a third electronic device if the first type of signal received by the first electronic device is not one of a plurality of expected signals.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein one of the first and second electronic devices is mobile and the other of the first and second electronic devices is not mobile.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein neither of the first and second electronic devices is mobile.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second electronic devices are each independently mobile.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second electronic devices are each wireless electronic devices each comprising at least one of an energy source and/or a multi-layer battery.