Dynamic electronic communication device

• US 8,836,533 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Soligie, Inc. (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Timm, Matthew P., Griffin, Jeffrey T., Heitzinger, John M., Sime, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US13/216,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/005 using electronic timing, e.g. counting means pulse time delay arrangements H03K5/13; modifications of electronic switches for introducing a time delay before switching H03K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An dynamic electronic communication device. The tag according to embodiments of the invention is designed or set to discount, promote, incentivize, or apply information at certain states or within a certain timeframe at initial deployment, the tags themselves being capable of handling the logic. The tag generally includes a circuit, such as a silicon chip, that controls a flexible printed display, which displays the information when applied. The tag is optionally encapsulated in a plastic or glass case. The tag is made of a suitably small size such that the tag can easily be placed on individual items, and can be secured to other objects via an adhesive backing, sewn in, pinned on, and the like.

Claims

1. A dynamic electronic communication device for generating and displaying or indicating time sensitive information to a viewer, the device comprising components including:

a display adapted to display the time sensitive information;

a control means for controlling at least one of generation of the time sensitive information and the display, wherein the control means comprises analog electronics adapted to provide a variable electrical response depending on a status or time;

a power source adapted to power at least one of the display and the control means; and

an initialization means for at least one of initializing, resetting, and powering-up the device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a stand-alone device and can generate and display information without use of communication with an external control means.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means is an integrated circuit (IC) selected from the group including a silicon-based IC, a compound semiconductor-based IC, an organic materials-based IC, a flexible IC, a printed IC, or combinations thereof.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is selected from the group including an electrochromic display, an electrophoretic display, and electrowetting display, a thermochromic display, an LCD, a flexible LCD, an LED based display, an OLED based display, and combinations thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source is selected from the group including a battery, a photovoltaic cell, a capacitor, a fuel cell, an energy harvesting means, and combinations thereof.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a communication module adapted to at least one of receive and send information to a central hub.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the communication module comprises a connecting device based on a wireless local area network protocol.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the connecting device is selected from the group including a BLUETOOTH transceiver, a radio frequency device, a ZIGBEE-based device, an ultra-wideband device, a WiFi device, and combinations thereof.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a thickness of between 20 microns and 3000 microns.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device comprises a thickness of between 20 microns and 500 microns.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the device comprises a thickness of between 50 microns and 150 microns.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is assembled on a flexible substrate selected from the group including plastics, fiberglass, stainless steel metal foil, aluminum foil, paper, woven web, non-woven webs, and combinations thereof.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means includes a counter circuit such that the time sensitive information is displayed on the display when the counter reaches a predetermined state.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the analog electronics are selected from the group including an electrochemical switch, a chemical switch, and combinations thereof.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means further comprises digital components in combination with the analog electronics.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is fabricated using additive processes selected from the group including printing, coating, spraying, vapor deposition, and combinations thereof using functional materials to create the device.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the device is fabricated using an additive process on a flexible substrate, and at least another component of the device is secured to the flexible substrate using a non-additive process.

18. A dynamic electronic communication device for generating and displaying or indicating time sensitive information to a viewer, the device comprising components including:

a display adapted to display the time sensitive information;

a control means for controlling at least one of generation of the time sensitive information and the display, wherein the control means comprises a combination of digital and analog components;

a power source adapted to power at least one of the display and the control means; and

an initialization means for at least one of initializing, resetting, and powering-up the device.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein at least some of the combination of digital and analog components comprise electronics adapted to provide a variable electrical response depending on a status or time.

20. A dynamic electronic communication device for generating and displaying or indicating time sensitive information to a viewer, the device comprising components including:

a display adapted to display the time sensitive information;

a control means for controlling at least one of generation of the time sensitive information and the display;

a power source adapted to power at least one of the display and the control means; and

an initialization means for at least one of initializing, resetting, and powering-up the device,

wherein the device is fabricated using additive processes selected from the group including printing, coating, spraying, vapor deposition, and combinations thereof using functional materials to create the device.

21. A dynamic electronic communication device for generating and displaying or indicating time sensitive information to a viewer, the device comprising components including:

a display adapted to display the time sensitive information;

a control means for controlling at least one of generation of the time sensitive information and the display;

a power source adapted to power at least one of the display and the control means; and

an initialization means for at least one of initializing, resetting, and powering-up the device,

wherein at least one component of the device is fabricated using an additive process on a flexible substrate, and at least another component of the device is secured to the flexible substrate using a non-additive process.