Embedded high frequency RFID

• US 9,092,712 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Kroener, Helmut, Sartorius, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US14/065,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20140124582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/492, 726/34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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: H05K 1/0266 Marks, test patterns or identification means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/183 Components mounted in and supported by recessed areas of the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

An embedded high frequency RFID system, method and device comprises a PCB having a non-conductive substrate and conductive traces on the substrate. The non-conductive substrate mechanically supports the PCB and the conductive traces electrically couple electronic components (e.g. microchips, resistors, capacitors) on the board together such that the PCB is able to operate. Additionally, the PCB beneficially comprises a high frequency RFID tag that is embedded within the PCB itself and locked in place by a non-conductive adhesive. As a result, the embedded high frequency RFID system, method and device enables each PCB to store data which gives each PCB sold to a customer a unique ID, which can be read over the life of the product.

Claims

1. An RFID-embedded printed circuit board comprising:

a board having a non-conductive substrate and one or more conductive traces;

one or more electronic components coupled to the board, wherein the non-conductive substrate mechanically supports and the conductive traces electrically couple to the one or more electronic components; and

a high frequency RFID tag embedded within a cavity of the non-conductive substrate of the board, wherein the tag comprises a first antenna and a second antenna formed on opposite sides of a flexible tag substrate and electrically coupled together through the flexible tag substrate by a via.

2. The circuit board of claim 1, wherein the tag is affixed within the cavity with a cavity adhesive that couples the tag to the board.

3. The circuit board of claim 2, wherein the cavity adhesive surrounds at least the top of the tag to protect the tag and seal the tag within the cavity.

4. The circuit board of claim 1, wherein the tag comprises a RFID chip electrically coupled to the first and second antennas and the flexible tag substrate by a conductive adhesive.

5. The circuit board of claim 4, wherein the first and second antennas are uncoated on the flexible tag substrate such that the cavity adhesive is directly contacts the antennas.

6. The circuit board of claim 5, wherein the tag is a passive tag such that the tag is solely powered by incoming electromagnetic signals received by one or more of the antennas.

7. The circuit board of claim 6, wherein the cavity has a depth between 200 and 300 micrometers and the first and second antennas have a thickness between 5 and 10 micrometers.

8. The circuit board of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the cavity of the non-conductive substrate comprises one or more through holes that each create conduits from the cavity through the non-conductive substrate to the opposite side of the non-conductive substrate.

9. The circuit board of claim 1, wherein the tag stores an identifier that uniquely identifies the printed circuit board.

10. A method of manufacturing an embedded RFID printed circuit board, the method comprising:

providing a board comprising a non-conductive substrate and one or more conductive traces;

coupling one or more electronic components coupled to the board, wherein the non-conductive substrate mechanically supports and the conductive traces electrically couple to the one or more electronic components;

producing a cavity within the non-conductive substrate of the board; and

embedding a high frequency RFID tag within the cavity of the non-conductive substrate of the board, wherein the tag comprises a first antenna and a second antenna formed on opposite sides of a flexible tag substrate and electrically coupled together through the flexible tag substrate by a via.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising affixing the tag within the cavity with a cavity adhesive that couples the tag to the board.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the tag comprises a RFID chip electrically coupled to the first and second antennas and the flexible tag substrate by a conductive adhesive.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second antennas are uncoated on the flexible tag substrate such that the cavity adhesive is directly contacts the antennas.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the tag is a passive tag such that the tag is solely powered by incoming electromagnetic signals received by one or more of the antennas.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cavity has a depth between 200 and 300 micrometers and the first and second antennas have a thickness between 5 and 10 micrometers.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming one or more through holes in the bottom of the cavity of the non-conductive substrate that each form conduits from the cavity through the non-conductive substrate to the opposite side of the non-conductive substrate.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the cavity adhesive surrounds at least the top of the tag to protect the tag and seal the tag within the cavity.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the tag stores an identifier that uniquely identifies the printed circuit board.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising testing the board, the electronic components and the tag for defects before coupling the embedding the tag within the board.

20. An RFID system comprising:

a board having a non-conductive substrate and one or more conductive traces;

one or more electronic components coupled to the board, wherein the non-conductive substrate mechanically supports and the conductive traces electrically couple to the one or more electronic components;

a high frequency RFID tag embedded within a cavity of the non-conductive substrate of the board and storing data, wherein the tag comprises a first antenna and a second antenna formed on opposite sides of a flexible tag substrate and electrically coupled together through the flexible tag substrate by a via; and

a tag reader that is able to read the data stored on the high frequency RFID tag.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the tag is affixed within the cavity with a cavity adhesive that couples the tag to the board.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the tag comprises a RFID chip electrically coupled to the first and second antennas and the flexible tag substrate by a conductive adhesive.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first and second antennas are uncoated on the flexible tag substrate such that the cavity adhesive is directly contacts the antennas.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the tag is a passive tag such that the tag is solely powered by incoming electromagnetic signals received by one or more of the antennas.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the cavity has a depth between 200 and 300 micrometers and the first and second antennas have a thickness between 5 and 10 micrometers.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the bottom of the cavity of the non-conductive substrate comprises one or more through holes that each create conduits from the cavity through the non-conductive substrate to the opposite side of the non-conductive substrate.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the cavity adhesive surrounds at least the top of the tag to protect the tag and seal the tag within the cavity.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the data comprises an identifier that uniquely identifies the printed circuit board.

29. An RFID-embedded printed circuit board comprising:

a board having a non-conductive substrate and one or more conductive traces;

one or more electronic components coupled to the board, wherein the non-conductive substrate mechanically supports and the conductive traces electrically couple to the one or more electronic components; and

a high frequency RFID tag embedded within a cavity of the non-conductive substrate of the board, wherein a bottom of the cavity of the non-conductive substrate comprises one or more through holes that each create conduits from the cavity through the non-conductive substrate to the opposite side of the non-conductive substrate.

30. A method of manufacturing an embedded RFID printed circuit board, the method comprising:

providing a board comprising a non-conductive substrate and one or more conductive traces;

coupling one or more electronic components coupled to the board, wherein the non-conductive substrate mechanically supports and the conductive traces electrically couple to the one or more electronic components;

producing a cavity within the non-conductive substrate of the board;

forming one or more through holes in a bottom of the cavity of the non-conductive substrate that each form conduits from the cavity through the non-conductive substrate to the opposite side of the non-conductive substrate; and

embedding a high frequency RFID tag within the cavity of the non-conductive substrate of the board.

31. An RFID system comprising:

a board having a non-conductive substrate and one or more conductive traces;

one or more electronic components coupled to the board, wherein the non-conductive substrate mechanically supports and the conductive traces electrically couple to the one or more electronic components;

a high frequency RFID tag embedded within a cavity of the non-conductive substrate of the board and storing data, wherein a bottom of the cavity of the non-conductive substrate comprises one or more through holes that each create conduits from the cavity through the non-conductive substrate to the opposite side of the non-conductive substrate; and

a tag reader that is able to read the data stored on the high frequency RFID tag.