Energy efficient smart label with an electrically destructible fuse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12188786-B2
Application number	US-202017595880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	May 31, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

Smart labels, methods of operating smart labels, and associated contexts in which such smart labels may be used are disclosed. The smart label, for use in conjunction with consumer product packaging, comprises an energy harvester to capture ambient energy to provide a source of electrical energy and electronic circuitry powered by the electrical energy. A fuse provides an electrical connection between the energy harvester and the electronic circuitry and destruction of the fuse permanently disconnects the energy harvester from the electronic circuitry. Unnecessary continued operation of the electronic circuitry powered by the energy harvester can therefore be prevented, for example when the consumer product packaging is disposed of or recycled, which may be an undesirable heat source. Smart labelling, and a connected network of smart bins which can read the smart labelling, may also be used to promote consumer recycling of consumer product packaging.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use in conjunction with consumer product packaging comprising:
an energy harvester to capture ambient energy to provide a source of electrical energy;
electronic circuitry powered by the electrical energy, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a data processor; and
an electrically destroyable fuse providing an electrical connection between the energy harvester and the electronic circuitry,
wherein destruction of the electrically destroyable fuse permanently disconnects the energy harvester from the electronic circuitry, such that the electronic circuitry cannot operate, and
wherein the data processor is configured to break the electrical connection between the energy harvester and the electronic circuitry by generating an electrical trigger signal to cause said destruction of the electrically destroyable fuse.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection between the energy harvester and the electronic circuitry is arranged to be manually breakable to cause said destruction of the electrically destroyable fuse at a termination point in time chosen by a user.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises data storage circuitry, and further comprising at least one sensor to provide at least one sensor input to the data processor, wherein the data processor is arranged to generate the electrical trigger signal in dependence on the at least one sensor input.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising at least one analogue-to-digital convertor to convert an analogue output of the at least one sensor into at least one digital sensor input to the data processor.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor is arranged to provide information relating to content of the packaging.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one chemical sensor.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the content of the packaging comprises perishable goods and the information relating to the content of the packaging comprises a state of deterioration of the perishable goods.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one physical presence sensor.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the content of the packaging comprises consumable goods and the information relating to the content of the packaging comprises an extent of consumption of the consumable goods.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the data processor is arranged to generate the electrical trigger signal in dependence on an internal state of the data processor.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the data processor comprises a clock and the internal state of the data processor comprises a timing indication generated by the clock.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the data processor is arranged to generate the electrical trigger signal in dependence on an externally generated signal received by the data processor.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a radio receiver and wherein the externally generated signal is received by the data processor via the radio receiver and the radio receiver is configured to identify a radio frequency of the externally generated signal.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the radio receiver is arranged to operate at ultra-high radio frequencies or is near-field communication circuitry.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the externally generated signal is indicative of a location of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the location of the apparatus is indicative that the packaging has been disposed of.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is formed as at least one of:
a plastic-based electronic device;
an organic electronic device;
a biodegradable electronic device.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is formed as a silicon-based electronic device.

19. A method of operating an apparatus for attachment to consumer product packaging comprising:
capturing ambient energy using an energy harvester to provide a source of electrical energy;
operating electronic circuitry powered by the electrical energy, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a data processor, and wherein an electrical connection between the energy harvester and the electronic circuitry is provided by an electrically destroyable fuse;
breaking the electrical connection between the energy harvester and the electronic circuitry by generating an electrical trigger signal by the data processor to destroy the electrically destroyable fuse to permanently disconnect the energy harvester from the electronic circuitry, such that the electronic circuitry cannot operate.

Assignees

• Advanced Risc Mach Ltd

Inventors

• Özer Emre
• Savanth Parameshwarappa Anand Kumar
• Kufel Jedrzej

Classifications

• G01D9/007

  Data loggers attached to transport containers for perishable products, e.g. food or medicines · CPC title

• G09F2003/0272

  Labels for containers · CPC title

• G09F3/02

  Forms or constructions (layered products B32B) · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G06K19/0707 Primary

  the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation (G06K19/0702 takes precedence) · CPC title