Using an RFID antenna design to indicate tamper indicator seal

• US 20080157975A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Tran, Hai, White, Joseph, Sloan, Michael, Shanks, Wayne E., Heineman, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,714,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/02 Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure B65D41/32 takes precedence; protective covers for bottles B65D23/08; protective cap-like outer covers for bottle or jar closures B65D41/62; pressure-applying means B65D45/00; closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal of closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0739 the incapacitated circuit being part of an antenna

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for assembling and implementing tamper indicating RFID devices are presented. An RFID device includes a substrate, an electrically conductive pattern formed on the substrate configured to operate as an antenna by separating a portion of a first device section from a second device section, and an electrical circuit mounted on the substrate that is electrically coupled to the antenna. The electrical circuit stores an identification code.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

a substrate;

an electrically conductive pattern having an electrically conductive first portion and an electrically conductive second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled together; and

an electrical circuit on the substrate electrically coupled to the first portion, wherein the electrical circuit stores a first identification code;

wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to be separable along a boundary to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises:

a first electrical conductor; and

a second electrical conductor, wherein the first electrical conductor is shorted to the second conductor through the second portion, wherein the short is configured to be opened by separating the first portion from the second portion to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive pattern comprises an electrically conductive ring, wherein the boundary crosses the ring such that the ring is separable to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured as a seal for an item.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the seal is configured such that interaction with the item separates the first portion from the second portion to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a second electrically conductive pattern formed on the substrate that is configured to operate as a second antenna; and

a second electrical circuit on the substrate electrically coupled to the second electrically conductive pattern that stores a second identification code.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the second electrically conductive pattern is configured to become disabled from operation as the second antenna by separating the first portion from the second portion.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the first and second electrically conductive patterns comprise at least one of copper or aluminum.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the second electrically conductive pattern is configured to operate as a dipole antenna, dual dipole antenna, or loop antenna.

10. The device of claim 6, further comprising at least one resistive load coupled to the second electrically conductive pattern.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first portion is configured to operate as a dipole antenna, dual dipole antenna, or loop antenna when separated from the second portion.

12. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

a substrate;

an electrically conductive pattern having a first portion and a second portion formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the first portion is an antenna made inoperative by being coupled to the second portion, wherein the antenna is configured to become operative by separating the second portion from the first portion; and

an electrical circuit electrically coupled to the antenna.

13. A method for assembling an RFID device comprising:

forming on a surface of a substrate an electrically conductive pattern having an electrically conductive first portion and an electrically conductive second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled together; and

mounting an electrical circuit on to the substrate, wherein the electrical circuit is electrically coupled to the antenna;

wherein said forming step comprises;

forming the first portion to be capable of operating as an antenna when separated from the second portion.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

separating the first portion from the second portion along a boundary to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first portion comprises a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor that are shorted wherein the separating step comprises:

opening the short to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive pattern further comprises an electrically conductive ring, wherein the separating step comprises:

separating the ring to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forming a second electrically conductive pattern on the substrate configured to operate as a second antenna; and

mounting a second electrical circuit to the substrate, wherein the second electrical circuit is coupled to the second electrically conductive pattern, wherein the second electrical circuit stores a second identification code.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of forming the second electrically conductive pattern further comprises:

forming the second electrically conductive pattern on a surface of the substrate to be disableable from operating as the second antenna by separating the first portion from the second portion.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the device is configured as a seal, further comprising:

configuring the device on an item such that interaction with the item separates the first portion from the second portion.

20. A method for tamper-proofing an item, comprising:

attaching an RFID device onto the item, wherein an electrically conductive pattern of the device is configured to operate as an antenna by interacting with the item.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the attaching step further comprises:

positioning the device such that interacting with the item separates an electrically conductive first portion of the electrically conductive pattern from an electrically conductive second portion of the electrically conductive pattern to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna

22. The method of claim 21, wherein positioning further comprises:

positioning the device on a seam of the item such that separating the seam separates the first portion from the second portion to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein interacting with the item comprises opening the item.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the positioning step further comprises:

positioning the device such that interacting with the device separates the first portion from the second portion whereby a second electrically conductive pattern of the device is disabled from operating as a second antenna.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the device is configured as a seal for the item.

26. A method for communicating with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device attached to an item, comprising:

transmitting an RFID interrogation signal to be received by an electrically conductive pattern of the RFID device, wherein the electrically conductive pattern comprises an electrically conductive first portion and an electrically conductive second portion;

interacting with the item such that the first portion is separated from the second portion to enable the first portion to operate as an antenna;

transmitting a second RFID interrogation signal to be received by the electrically conductive pattern of the device; and

receiving a response to the second RFID interrogation signal from the device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting a third RFID interrogation signal to be received by a second electrically conductive pattern of the device, wherein the second electrically conductive pattern is configured to operate as an antenna.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a response signal in response to the third transmitted RFID interrogation signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the response to the third transmitted RFID interrogation signal indicates that the item has not been interacted with.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein separating the first portion from the second portion disables the second electrically conductive portion from operating as an antenna, further comprising:

transmitting a fourth RFID interrogation signal to be received by the second electrically conductive pattern, wherein a response signal-to the forth transmitted RFID interrogation signal is not received.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the response to the second transmitted RF signal provides an identification code that identifies the device.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the response to the third transmitted RFID interrogation signal provides a second identification code that identifies the device.