ARTICLES CONTAINING CHIPLESS RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION ELEMENTS

• US 20090160654A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Yang, Tahua
• Granted Patent: US 8,120,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.900
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 9/12 characterised by structure or composition
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0013 using fillers dispersed in the moulding material, e.g. metal particles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0052 Tracing elements, e.g. to detect the origin of articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/203 Magnetic parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0207 characterised by material, e.g. composition, physical features
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders

Abstract

A container comprising a body having embedded therein a plurality of chipless radio frequency identification elements. The chipless radio frequency identification elements comprises a plurality of categories of resonant elements. The resonant elements can be utilized in a system having a binary code feature. The combination of different resonant elements can be read and translated to identify the features of a particular product. The container can be prepared by compounding moldable compositions with the resonant elements and molding the moldable compositions containing the resonant elements into the final product. The invention also provides a system and a method for reading the binary code provided by the chipless radio frequency identification elements.

Claims

1. A container comprising a body having embedded therein a plurality of chipless radio frequency identification elements.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the body is molded from a polymeric composition.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the chipless radio frequency identification elements comprise a plurality of categories of resonant elements.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the resonant elements are selected from the group consisting of ferroelectric materials and conductive materials.

5. A method for preparing the container of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a polymeric composition that is capable of being molded into the form of a container;

(b) introducing a plurality of categories of resonant elements into said polymeric composition to form a polymeric composition containing resonant elements; and

(c) molding said polymeric composition containing resonant elements into a container

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the resonant elements and the polymeric composition are pore-compounded prior to the final compounding of the resonant elements and the polymeric composition.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a radio frequency response code is defined.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the radio frequency response code is provided to a database.

9. A system for employing radio frequency signals to identify a container and the contents thereof, said system comprising:

(a) a transmitter for sending signals from the system to the container of claim 1;

(b) a reader for receiving responses from the container of claim 1;

(c) a microprocessor for implementing protocol of the radio frequency identification reader to communicate with the container of claim 1;

(d) a memory for storing configuration parameters of the reader and a list of signal reads for the reader;

(e) input/output channels for controlling devices external to the radio frequency identification reader; and

(f) a power source for supplying power to the system.

10. The system of claim 9, further including a database.

11. The system of claim 9, further including at least one device external to the system.

12. A method for verifying information relating to the contents of a container, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least one container of claim 1;

(b) reading the chipless radio frequency identification elements;

(c) identifying the at least one container of claim 1 by means of the reading in step (b);

(d) verifying at least one parameter of the contents of the at least one container of claim 1;

(e) if the at least one parameter is verified, then the next step is carried out, but if the least one parameter is not verified, the method is stopped; and

(f) performing laboratory tests with the contents of the container.

13. The method of claim 12, further including the step of logging the results of the various steps of the method.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of (a) identification of the reagent in the container;

(b) the expiration date of the reagent in the container;

(c) the active shelf life of the reagent in the container;

(d) the volume of the reagent in the container;

(e) an identification of the origin of the reagent in the container; and

(f) the maximum storage temperature of the reagent in the container.