Smart power source

• US 9,189,667 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duracell U.S. Operations, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Coronado, Sergio, Stefanov, Konstantin Dimitrov, Ayoz, Suat, Bourilkov, Jordan Todorov, Specht, Steven Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhter, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US13/721,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 106, 340/571, 3405721-5729
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/84 Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/424 having an electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8473 for diagnostic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8479 including electric or magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8482 including numeric control, e.g. using computer
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/14 giving a distribution function of a value, i.e. number of times the value comes within specified ranges of amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/305 Panel mounting of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/007 Data loggers attached to transport containers for perishable products, e.g. food or medicines
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/126 comprising organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48792 Data management, e.g. communication with processing unit for in vivo diagnostics A61B5/0002; transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• 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 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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 19/077 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: G06K 19/07773 : Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 : General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 : sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 : including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 : the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 : Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 : used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 : Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 : with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

An article having a conductive body, a magnetic diverter, and a communication device is described. The magnetic diverter is positioned on an outer surface of the conductive body. The magnetic diverter covers a substantial portion of the outer surface of the conductive body. A communication device is positioned on the outer surface of the diverter or may be recessed therein. The communication device is capable of signal coupling with a reader.

Claims

1. An object having a signal communication device, the object having an outer surface, the object further comprising:

an RFID tag positioned on the outer surface of the object, the RFID tag having a resonant frequency and an antenna; and

at least one passive repeater having a resonant frequency which is the same as that of the RFID tag, the at least one passive repeater being positioned on the outer surface of the object adjacent to the RFID tag such that signal coupling between the RFID tag and a reader is increased by greater than about 10 percent;

wherein the RFID tag extends over greater than about 10 percent of the periphery of the object in cross section.

2. The object of claim 1, wherein the at least one passive repeater does not physically contact the antenna.

3. The object of claim 1, wherein the outer surface is cylindrical and the RFID tag conforms to the outer surface.

4. The object of claim 3, wherein the at least one passive repeater conforms to the outer surface of the object.

5. The object of claim 3, wherein the at least one passive repeater is a second RFID tag.

6. The object of claim 1, further comprising a second passive repeater.

7. The object of claim 6, wherein the second passive repeater is an RFID tag.

8. The object of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of RFID tags and a plurality of passive repeaters.

9. The object of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of passive repeaters.

10. The object of claim 1, further comprising a spaced passive repeater disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the object.

11. The object of claim 10, wherein the spaced passive repeater is an RFID tag.

12. The object of claim 1, wherein a gap exists between the at least one passive repeater and the RFID tag.

13. The object of claim 12, wherein the gap is between about 1 mm to about 75 mm.

14. The object of claim 12, wherein the gap is between about 10 mm to about 50 mm.

15. The object of claim 12, wherein the gap is between about 30 mm to about 50 mm.

16. The object of claim 1, wherein the at least one passive repeater increases signal coupling by between about 20 percent to about 100 percent.

17. The object of claim 1, wherein the at least one passive repeater increases signal coupling by between about 30 percent and about 90 percent.

18. The object of claim 1, wherein the at least one passive repeater increases signal coupling by between about 40 percent to about 80 percent.

19. The object of claim 1, wherein the at least one passive repeater increases signal coupling by greater than about 80 percent.

20. The object of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag extends over between about 10 percent to about 80 percent of the periphery of the object in cross section.

21. The object of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag extends over between about 20 percent to about 60 percent of the periphery of the object in cross section.

22. The object of claim 1, wherein the at least one passive repeater extends over between about 10 percent to about 80 percent of the periphery of the object in cross section.

23. The object of claim 1, wherein the object is a disposable or a rechargeable battery.

24. The object of claim 23, wherein the RFID tag provides data to the reader regarding remaining power level in the battery.

25. The object of claim 23, wherein the RFID tag provides data regarding the history of the battery.