Hybrid banknote with electronic indicia

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10150325-B2
Application number	US-201715433119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2017
Priority date	Feb 29, 2016
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A hybrid currency banknote includes a banknote having visible markings. One or more light-controlling elements and a controller are embedded in or on the banknote. The controller is electrically connected to the one or more light-controlling elements to control the one or more light-controlling elements. A power input connection is electrically connected to the controller, or one or more light-controlling elements, or both. A power source can be connected to the power input connection, for example a piezoelectric or photovoltaic power source. In response to applied power, the controller causes the one or more light-controlling elements to emit light. A value can be stored in a memory in the controller and displayed by the light-controlling elements. The value can be assigned or varied by a hybrid currency teller machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid currency banknote, comprising:
a flexible banknote having visible markings;
one or more relatively rigid inorganic light-emitting diodes embedded in or on the banknote;
a controller embedded in or on the banknote electrically connected to the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes for controlling the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes; and
a power input connection electrically connected to (i) the controller, or (ii) the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes, or (iii) both (i) and (ii); and
wherein the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes each comprises a fractured tether, the controller, or both the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes and the controller each comprises a fractured tether.

2. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , comprising a power source connected to the power input connection.

3. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 2 , wherein the power source is a piezoelectric power source or a photovoltaic power source.

4. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 2 , wherein the power source is indicated by the visible markings, the power source forms a part of the visible markings, or the power source is obscured by the visible markings.

5. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 2 , wherein the power source comprises a plurality of electrically connected individual power source components.

6. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , comprising a power convertor connected to the power input connection and the controller or the one or more tight-controlling elements inorganic light-emitting diodes to convert the power provided from the power input connection to a form that is used by the controller or the inorganic light-emitting diodes.

7. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the banknote is a government-issued banknote indicated by the visible markings.

8. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the banknote includes a flexible substrate that includes paper, plastic, or impregnated paper, and the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes and the controller are printed on the flexible substrate.

9. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the banknote includes a ribbon or thread woven into the banknote and the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes and the controller are printed on the ribbon or thread.

10. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 9 , wherein the ribbon or thread or portions of the ribbon or thread are at least partially electrically conductive or include conductive wires.

11. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes are disposed in a location corresponding to a portion of the visible markings to highlight or otherwise indicate the portion of the visible markings.

12. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , comprising one or more light pipes located in association with the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes to transmit light emitted by the inorganic light-emitting diode into the light pipe and emit the transmitted light from the opposite end of the light pipe.

13. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes to flash or flash sequentially.

14. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes forms a display or a two-dimensional array.

15. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes protective layers disposed over at least one or more portions of the controller.

16. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a circuit having a memory that stores a value and the circuit causes the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes to indicate the value or the memory stores an electronic serial number.

17. A method of making a hybrid currency banknote, comprising:
providing a flexible banknote having visible markings;
providing a light-emitting diode wafer having a plurality of relatively rigid micro-transfer printable inorganic light-emitting diodes connected by light-emitting diode tethers to the wafer;
providing a controller wafer having a plurality of controllers connected by controller tethers to the wafer;
micro-transfer printing at least one of the plurality of controllers and one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes from the controller wafer and the light-emitting diode wafer, respectively, with a stamp, thereby (i) fracturing each light-emitting diode tether that connected the one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes to the light-emitting diode wafer and each controller tether that connected the at least one of the plurality of controllers to the controller wafer and (ii) embedding the one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes and the at least one of the plurality of controllers in or on the banknote; and
electrically connecting the at least one of the plurality of controllers to the one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes and to a power input connection.

Assignees

• X Celeprint Ltd

Inventors

• Cok Ronald S
• Rotzoll Robert R
• Bower Christopher
• Willner Mark

Classifications

• G07D11/30

  Tracking or tracing valuable papers or cassettes · CPC title

• G07D11/24

  Managing the inventory of valuable papers · CPC title

• G07D11/16

  Handling of valuable papers (within containers G07D11/13) · CPC title

• B42D25/485

  by electronic processing means · CPC title

• B42D25/30

  Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery · CPC title