Radio frequency identification device with visual indicator

• US 20060145865A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.800
• 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 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0335 using RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0341 having label sealing means

Abstract

An RFID device includes a chip, an antenna operatively coupled to the chip, and a visual indicator operatively coupled to the chip. The visual indicator provides a visual indication of an operative state of the device. The visual indication may be human readable and/or machine readable, and may provide visual indication that is dependent on a change in an operative state of the device. The operative state that triggers the visual indication may include a state in which the chip has temporarily or permanently been rendered inoperative or disabled, that is, in which the chip no longer responds to, or otherwise interacts with, ordinary incoming RF signals such as from a device reader. The visual indicator may be included in a display that functions by any of a variety of suitable mechanisms, such as by use of electrochromic materials, thermochromic materials, liquid crystals, or chemically-reactive materials.

Claims

1. An RFID device comprising:

a chip;

an antenna operatively coupled to the chip; and

a display operatively coupled to the chip;

wherein the antenna is configured for receiving energy to power the chip;

wherein the antenna is configured to receive information signals to be passed on to the chip; and

wherein the display includes a visual indicator that provides a visual indication of an operative state of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the display includes an electrochromic display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the display includes a thermochromic display.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the display includes a liquid crystal display.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is operatively coupled to an energy storage device that provides power for actuating the display.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the energy storage device is operatively coupled to the antenna such that part of the energy received by the antenna may be stored in the energy storage device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the chip is configured to actuate the display when operation of the chip is disabled.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the display permanently displays the visual indicator when power is supplied to the display.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the display transiently displays the visual indicator when power is supplied to the display.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator includes multiple, separately-actuatable visual elements.

11. The device of claim 1,

wherein the chip includes a memory location and a switch;

wherein the switch is selectively closed when a predetermined value is written to the memory location; and

wherein the switch is operatively coupled to the display such that power is provided to the display when the switch is closed.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator selectively displays or obscures underlying printed material.

13. An RFID device comprising:

a chip;

an antenna operatively coupled to the chip; and

a display operatively coupled to the chip;

wherein the antenna is configured to receive information signals to be passed on to the chip; and

wherein the display includes a visual indicator that provides a visual indication that normal operation of the device is disabled.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the display includes an electrochromic display.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the display includes a thermochromic display.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the display includes a liquid crystal display.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the device is a passive device.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the device is a semi-passive device.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the device is an active device.

20. A method of using a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, the method comprising:

disabling normal operation of the device, thereby placing the device in a disabled state; and

displaying a visual indication on a display of the device, wherein the visual indication indicates the disabled state.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the disabling includes sending a signal to the device that instructs a chip of the device into the disabled state.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the displaying includes activating the display, to display the visual indication, upon receipt by the chip of the signal that also causes the chip to activate the display.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the activating includes applying high voltage to a contact of the chip that is electrically connected to the display.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the disabling includes permanently putting the device into the disabled state.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the disabling includes temporarily putting the device into the disabled state.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying includes permanently displaying the visual indicator, such that the visual indicator is displayed even after the device no longer powers the display.