Monitoring device and method of operating a monitoring device to transmit data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10445692-B2
Application number	US-201715451036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2017
Priority date	Mar 6, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A monitoring device and a method of operating the monitoring device are disclosed. The monitoring device includes a first substrate adapted to be secured to a structure, a second substrate, and a third substrate disposed between the first and the second substrates. The monitoring device further includes an electronic circuit affixed to the third substrate, wherein the electronic circuit comprises at least one light emitting device and a processor, and the at least one light emitting device is positioned such that light emitted thereby is directed outwardly through the second substrate. The processor selects a plurality binary values to transmit, and in response, to operates the at least one light emitting device in one of an on state and off state in accordance with each binary value.

First claim

We claim:

1. A monitoring device, comprising:
a first substrate adapted to be secured to a structure;
a second substrate;
a third substrate disposed between the first and the second substrates; and
an electronic circuit affixed to the third substrate, wherein the electronic circuit comprises a first light emitting device, a second light emitting device, and a processor, and the first and second light emitting devices are positioned such that light emitted thereby is directed outwardly through the second substrate,
wherein the processor is adapted to select a plurality binary values to transmit, to operate the first light emitting device in one of an on state and an off state in accordance with each binary value, and to transition the second light emitting device between an on state and an off state to indicate that the state of the first light emitting device represents one of the plurality of binary values.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1 , further including means for securing the first and the second substrate to one another.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third substrates include first, second, and third perimeters, respectively, and the third perimeter does not extend beyond the first and the second perimeters.

4. The monitoring device of claim 3 , wherein the third substrate is enclosed between the first and the second substrates.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1 , further including a removable liner, wherein the first substrate includes an adhesive disposed on an outer surface thereof, the removable liner is secured to the adhesive, and removal of the liner enables the monitoring device to be attached to the structure.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit is affixed to only one surface of the third substrate.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the second substrate includes an orifice aligned with one of the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device such that light emitted by the one of the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device passes through the orifice.

8. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit includes a conductive trace, and the conductive trace is imprinted on the third substrate.

9. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the second substrate includes indicia printed on an outer surface thereof.

10. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit includes a sensor adapted to generate a signal in response to where the sensor is disposed, and the processor selects the binary value in response to the signal.

11. The monitoring device of claim 10 , wherein the processor selects the plurality of binary values in accordance with signal.

12. The monitoring device of claim 1 , in combination with a receiving device, wherein the processor synchronizes the operation of at least the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device with operation the receiving device.

13. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 12 , wherein the electronic circuit includes a sensor disposed on the electronic circuit, the receiving device is adapted to generate a signal, and the processor synchronizes operation of the at least the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device in accordance with detection of the signal by the sensor.

14. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a photo sensor, and the signal generated by the receiving device includes an emission of light.

15. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 12 , wherein the receiving device includes a light-sensor operating at a predetermined frame rate and a frequency of transitions of the second light emitting device is in accordance with the predetermined frame rate.

16. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 15 , wherein the receiving device is a smartphone having a digital camera, and the digital camera includes the light-sensor.

17. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 12 , wherein the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device are spatially separated on the electronic circuit, and the receiving device includes spatially separated first and second sensors such that when the first light emitting device and the first sensor are aligned, the second light emitting device and the second sensor are aligned.

18. A method of operating a monitoring device that includes an electronic circuit affixed to a substrate, wherein the electronic circuit comprises a first light emitting device, a second light emitting device, and a processor, comprising:
selecting a plurality of binary values to transmit;
operating the first light emitting device in one of an on state and an off state in accordance with each binary value; and
transitioning the second light emitting device between an on state and an off state to indicate that the state of the first light emitting device represents one of the plurality of binary values.

19. The method of claim 18 , further including securing the substrate to another substrate.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the substrate comprises a first substrate and the monitoring device comprises second and third substrates, further including enclosing the first substrate between the second and third substrates.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the monitoring device includes an adhesive disposed on an outer surface thereof and a removable liner secured to the adhesive, further including removing the removable liner to enable the monitoring device to be attached to a structure.

22. The method of claim 18 , further including aligning at least one of the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device with an orifice disposed on external surface of the monitoring device such that light emitted by the at least one of the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device passes through the orifice.

23. The method of claim 18 , further including synchronizing operation of the first and/or the second light emitting device(s) with operation a receiving device.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the monitoring device includes a sensor, further including detecting a signal by the sensor, and operating the first and/or second light emitting device(s) in accordance with detection of the signal.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the sensor is a photo sensor and the signal includes an emission of light.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein transitioning the second light emitting devices includes the step of transitioning the second light emitting device between an on state and an off state in accordance with a predetermined frequency.

Assignees

• Cryovac Llc

Inventors

• Cyman Jr Theodore F
• Palmer Eric V
• Cameron Ali K
• Renzo Iii Dave
• Murzynowski Alan R
• Kanfoush Daniel E

Classifications

• H04B10/1141

  One-way transmission · CPC title

• H04B10/502

  LED transmitters · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title