NFC/RF mechanism with multiple valid states for detecting an open container, and methods of making and using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10115053-B2
Application number	US-201715826539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Oct 19, 2014
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A wireless (e.g., near field or RF) communication device, and methods of manufacturing and using the same are disclosed. The wireless communication device includes a receiver and/or transmitter, a substrate with an antenna thereon, an integrated circuit, and one or more protection lines. The antenna receives and/or transmits or broadcasts a wireless signal. The integrated circuit processes the wireless signal and/or information therefrom, and/or generates the wireless signal and/or information therefor. The integrated circuit has a first set of terminals electrically connected to the antenna. The protection line(s) are on a common or different substrate as the antenna. The protection line(s) sense or determine a continuity state of a package or container on which the communication device is placed or to which the communication device is fixed or adhered, and are electrically connected to a second set of terminals of the integrated circuit different from the first set of terminals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a) a receiver and a transmitter;
b) a substrate with an antenna thereon, the antenna receiving a first wireless signal and transmitting or broadcasting a second wireless signal;
c) an integrated circuit comprising (i) a continuity sensor and (ii) a memory, the integrated circuit being electrically connected to the antenna and configured to (i) process the first wireless signal and/or information therefrom, and (ii) generate the second wireless signal and/or information therefor; and
d) one or more protection lines on a common or different substrate, the protection line(s) being (i) configured to sense or determine a continuity state of a package or container on which the communication device is placed or to which the communication device is fixed or adhered, and (ii) electrically connected to the continuity sensor,
wherein:
the memory includes one or more bits storing a value corresponding to the continuity state of the container or package,
breaking at least one of the one or more protection lines causes at least one of the one or more bits to change,
the second wireless signal communicates the value corresponding to the continuity state of the container or package, and
the wireless communication device is configured such that it and/or a cloud system connected to it recognizes a change in the value of the continuity state and provides (i) a first consumer and/or user experience through the wireless communication device when the value of the continuity state of the container or package corresponds to a closed or sealed continuity state and (ii) a different consumer and/or user experience through the wireless communication device when the continuity state of the container or package corresponds to an opened continuity state.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more protection lines comprises a plurality of the protection lines.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises one or more printed layers and one or more thin films.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna and the one or more protection lines consist of a single common metal layer on a common substrate.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , comprising a near field communication (NFC) and/or radio frequency communication device.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 5 , configured to communicate with an NFC-capable reading device.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a plastic film or a plastic sheet that is scored to facilitate breaking the one or more protection lines when the container or package is opened.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit further comprises a threshold comparator configured to receive an output of the continuity sensor and having a comparator output that is stored in the memory.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , wherein the integrated circuit further comprises one or more bit lines for reading data from the memory, one or more sense amplifiers that convert signals on the one or more bit lines to digital signals, and one or more latches that temporarily store data from the one or more sense amplifiers.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises a first plurality of bits configured to store a unique identification code for the container or package, and a second plurality of bits configured to store overhead data.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the continuity state of the package or container is opened when at least one of the one or more protection lines is broken, the continuity state of the package or container is closed or sealed when each of the one or more protection lines is not broken, and the one or more bits storing the value corresponding to the continuity state of the container or package can be changed from a first value when the continuity state is closed or sealed to a second value when the continuity state is opened.

12. A package or container, comprising:
a) first and second separable parts with an interface therebetween; and
b) the wireless communication device of claim 1 , on the first and second separable parts of the package or container, and over the interface.

13. The package or container of claim 12 , wherein the integrated circuit and the antenna are on the first separable part of the package or container, and the one or more protection lines are on each of the first and second separable parts of the package or container.

14. A method of detecting an opened package or container, comprising:
a) placing the wireless communication device of claim 1 on the package or container such that at least one of the protection line(s) are over an interface between first and second separable parts of the package or container; and
b) using the integrated circuit, sensing a continuity state of the package or container.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the wireless communication device comprises a near field communication (NFC) device, and sensing the continuity state of the package or container comprises communicating with the wireless communication device using an NFC-capable reading device.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the integrated circuit and the antenna are on the first separable part of the package or container, and the one or more protection lines are on each of the first and second separable parts of the package or container.

17. A system, comprising:
a) a package or container having the wireless communication device of claim 1 thereon, such that at least one of the protection line(s) are over an interface between first and second separable parts of the package or container; and
b) a reader configured to transmit or broadcast the first wireless signal to the wireless communication device and receive the second wireless signal from the wireless communication device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the wireless communication device is an NFC device, and the reader comprises an NFC-capable reading device.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the first consumer and/or user experience relates to evaluation and/or purchase of a product in the package or container, and the different consumer and/or user experience provides information about how to properly use the product and/or an opportunity to reorder the product or to order related products.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the reader is connected to the cloud system and reads the value corresponding to the continuity state of the container or package from the wireless communication device, the cloud system serves the corresponding consumer and/or user experience to the reader based on the value corresponding to the continuity state of the container or package.

Assignees

• Thin Film Electronics Asa

Inventors

• Bright Matthew A

Classifications

• B65D27/30

  with special means for indicating unauthorised opening · CPC title

• B65D2203/10

  Transponders · CPC title

• G06Q30/0185 Primary

  Product, service or business identity fraud · CPC title

• G06K19/07798 Primary

  part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers (electronic seals G09F3/03) · CPC title

• A61J1/00

  Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes (capsules or the like for oral use A61J3/07; specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments A61B50/30; containers for radioactive substances G21F5/00) · CPC title