Transparent tags with encoded data

• US 9,355,345 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Powell, Karlton D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapel, Derek S
• Application Number:
  US13/555,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/22 Absorbing filters G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/26 Reflecting filters G02B5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/281 designed for the infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0614 the marking being selective to wavelength, e.g. color barcode or barcodes only visible under UV or IR methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers using a selected wavelength, see G06K7/12

Abstract

Transparent tags with encoded data include both a base mirror component and a matrix component, and may optionally include a filter component. These components are combined to achieve a system having a tag that absorbs infrared light in particular portions and reflects infrared light in other portions, presenting a pattern which encodes the data included in the tag to sensors of a display panel. This combination of components also reduces near infrared and/or red ambient light that can be sensed by the sensor in the display panel, reducing interference from such ambient light when identifying the pattern while enabling the tag to be substantially visibly transparent to a user.

Claims

1. A transparent tag comprising:

a first layer implementing a base mirror component that reflects at least infrared light wavelengths;

a second layer implementing a matrix component, the second layer being situated on one side of the first layer and having one or more portions that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light, the portions that absorb infrared wavelengths of light and other portions through which infrared wavelengths of light are reflected encoding data; and

a third layer implementing a filter component that absorbs one or more particular wavelengths of light, the third layer being situated on an additional side of the first layer that is opposite the one side.

2. A transparent tag as recited in claim 1, the transparent tag comprising a tag having no color visible to the human eye.

3. A transparent tag as recited in claim 1, the portions that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light comprising portions that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light received from a sensor-in-pixel display panel, and the base mirror component comprising a base mirror component that reflects back towards the sensor-in-pixel display panel at least infrared light wavelengths from the sensor-in-pixel panel.

4. A transparent tag as recited in claim 3, the one or more particular wavelengths of light comprising red light wavelengths, and the sensor-in-pixel implementing a filter that absorbs at least near infrared light wavelengths.

5. A transparent tag as recited in claim 1, the one or more particular wavelengths of light comprising red light wavelengths or near infrared light wavelengths.

6. A transparent tag as recited in claim 5, the one or more particular wavelengths of light further comprising both red light wavelengths and near infrared light wavelengths.

7. A transparent tag as recited in claim 6, the first layer comprising a dichroic coated substrate, and the third layer comprising a dye or ink on the one side or on the additional side of the first layer.

8. A transparent tag as recited in claim 6, the one or more particular wavelengths of light further comprising infrared light wavelengths.

9. A transparent tag as recited in claim 1, the first layer comprising a polymer substrate for a dielectric optical stack on one side of the polymer substrate, the polymer substrate including one or more dyes that absorb one or more wavelengths of light, and the portions of the second layer that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light comprising infrared light wavelength absorbing ink printed on an additional side of the polymer substrate that is opposite the dielectric optical stack.

10. A transparent tag as recited in claim 1, wherein the base mirror component reflects at least both infrared light wavelengths and near infrared light wavelengths, and the one or more particular wavelengths of light comprise red light wavelengths.

11. A transparent tag as recited in claim 1, wherein the base mirror component reflects at least infrared light wavelengths, near infrared light wavelengths, and red light wavelengths.

12. A transparent tag comprising:

a base mirror component implemented in a first layer that reflects at least infrared light wavelengths, the first layer comprising a polymer substrate for a dielectric optical stack on one side of the polymer substrate, and the polymer substrate including one or more dyes that absorb at least near infrared wavelengths of light and red wavelengths of light;

a matrix component implemented in a second layer, the second layer comprising ink printed on an additional side of the polymer substrate that is opposite the dielectric optical stack and having one or more portions that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light, the portions that absorb infrared wavelengths of light and other portions through which infrared wavelengths of light are reflected encoding data; and

a filter component implemented in the first layer or in a third layer that is situated on the one side of the polymer substrate, the filter component being a blanket filter that absorbs at least near infrared wavelengths of light.

13. A transparent tag comprising:

a first layer;

a second layer implementing a matrix component, the second layer being situated on one side of the first layer and having one or more portions that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light, the portions that absorb infrared wavelengths of light and other portions through which infrared wavelengths of light are reflected encoding data; and

a third layer implementing a filter component that absorbs one or more particular wavelengths of light, the third layer being situated on an additional side of the first layer that is opposite the one side.

14. A transparent tag as recited in claim 13, the transparent tag comprising a tag having no color visible to the human eye.

15. A transparent tag as recited in claim 13, the one or more particular wavelengths of light comprising red light wavelengths or near infrared light wavelengths.

16. A transparent tag as recited in claim 15, the one or more particular wavelengths of light further comprising both red light wavelengths and near infrared light wavelengths.

17. A transparent tag as recited in claim 16, the first layer comprising a dichroic coated substrate, and the third layer comprising a dye or ink on the one side or on the additional side of the first layer.

18. A transparent tag as recited in claim 16, the one or more particular wavelengths of light further comprising infrared light wavelengths.

19. A transparent tag as recited in claim 13, the first layer comprising a polymer substrate for a dielectric optical stack on one side of the polymer substrate, the polymer substrate including one or more dyes that absorb one or more wavelengths of light, and the portions of the second layer that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light comprising infrared light wavelength absorbing ink printed on an additional side of the polymer substrate that is opposite the dielectric optical stack.

20. A transparent tag as recited in claim 13, the portions that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light comprising portions that absorb at least infrared wavelengths of light received from a sensor-in-pixel display panel.