Rotation-activated electronic component

• US 8,436,717 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Maetz, Yves, Eluard, Marc, Stahl, Niclas
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US12/797,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20100315922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/10.5, 340/572.1, 340/3.1, 340/12.32, 340/573.1, 340/10.2, 340/572.3, 235/375, 235/437, 235/492, 235/380, 235/454, 235/487, 235/488, 235/441, 235/440, 369/100, 369/103, 369/106, 369/52.1, 369/273, 455/412.1, 455/67.11, 455/557
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/16 by using centrifugal forces of solid masses governors G05D13/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• 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: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• 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: 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 20/00275 the key being stored on a chip attached to the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/0042 with provision for auxiliary features sensing such features G11B17/00, G11B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/284 on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 29/26 with level of surface of contact liquid displaced by centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/10 Centrifugal switches level of mercury displaced by centrifugal action H01H29/26

Abstract

A rotation-activated electronic component, preferably a RFID tag mounted on or incorporated in a support that is rotated when read, e.g. a CD or DVD. The RFID tag comprises an antenna, a rotational switch and a component, advantageously a processor. The antenna is adapted to transform received RFID signals to electric energy that powers the component. In a preferred embodiment, the rotational switch is adapted to cut the circuit unless the support does not rotate at or above a certain rotational speed. Supports equipped with the RFID tag of the invention will thus respond only if they rotate sufficiently. This can avoid collisions in case more than one such RFID tag is within communication range of an antenna of a reader. In a preferred embodiment, the information returned by the component is needed for full use of the content on the support.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

communication means adapted to interact with an external device;

a power source;

a component adapted to process first information received from the communication means and to send second information to the communication means, the second information being intended for the external device; and

a switch adapted to enable communication via the communication means whenever it is subjected to predetermined rotational speed and disable communication via the communication means whenever it is not subjected to predetermined rotational speed.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the switch enables communication when the rotational speed is above a threshold value.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a processor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the communication means is an antenna.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the electronic component is a Radio Frequency Identification tag.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the antenna is further adapted to function as the power source by transforming Radio Frequency signals to electric energy.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

8. An information medium adapted to store content and comprising an electronic device according to claim 1.

9. The information medium of claim 8, wherein access to content stored on the information medium is enhanced or enabled by information accessible from the electronic device.

10. The information medium of claim 8, wherein the information medium is an optical disc.