US-20260127400-A1 - ACTIVATABLE RF TAGS WITH VARIABLE READ RANGE

Abstract

Activatable RF tags with variable read range are disclosed herein. An example activatable RF tag with variable read range includes an RF tag, including an integrated circuit, an antenna, having a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion, the first antenna portion electrically connected in a closed circuit with the integrated circuit, and an activatable environmental exposure indicator having a conductive state and a nonconductive state, the second antenna portion in the closed circuit with the integrated circuit when the activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the conductive state and second antenna portion in an open circuit when the activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the nonconductive state.

Inventors

• Eric W. Liberato
• Mohannad Abdo

Assignees

• ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20260105

Claims (2)

1. 1 . An RF tag, comprising: an integrated circuit; an antenna, having a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion; wherein the first antenna portion is electrically connected in a closed circuit with the integrated circuit, and an activatable environmental exposure indicator having a conductive state and a nonconductive state, wherein the second antenna portion is in the closed circuit with the integrated circuit when the activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the conductive state and second antenna portion is in an open circuit when the activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the nonconductive state, wherein the activatable environmental exposure indicator includes a plurality of microcapsules, each microcapsule having a nonconductive frangible shell containing a payload including a conductive material and a liquefiable material, wherein the liquefiable material is configured to liquefy responsive to a predetermined environmental exposure, wherein each frangible shell is configured to continue to contain a respective payload when the liquefiable material is liquefied, and wherein each frangible shell is configured to rupture in response to an application of an activation action exceeding a predetermined activation threshold, releasing the respective payload, wherein, after the frangible shells are ruptured responsive to the activation action, and responsive to the liquefiable material being liquified, the activatable environmental exposure indicator transitions to the conductive state, thus establishing the closed circuit between the second antenna portion and the integrated circuit.
2. 2 .- 28 . (canceled)

Description

BACKGROUND Environmental indicators may be configured to indicate the occurrence of an environmental exposure to a host product. Prior to the association between the host product and the indicator, the same level of care must often be paid to the indicator to prevent an exposure to the environmental condition which the indicator is configured to indicate, so that the indicator is not triggered prematurely and rendered unusable for use with the host product. For example, high temperature exposure indicators may need to be kept in deep freeze or refrigerated conditions, complicating the component supply chains for the products they are used with. Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tags are commonly used to track products throughout their lifecycle. Combinations of environmental indicators with RF tags have been previously proposed. SUMMARY In a first embodiment, the technology of the present disclosure is provided by an RF tag, including an integrated circuit, an antenna, having a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion, the first antenna portion electrically connected in a closed circuit with the integrated circuit, and an activatable environmental exposure indicator having a conductive state and a nonconductive state, the second antenna portion in the closed circuit with the integrated circuit when the activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the conductive state and second antenna portion in an open circuit when the activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the nonconductive state. The activatable environmental exposure indicator includes a plurality of microcapsules, each microcapsule having a nonconductive frangible shell containing a payload including a conductive material and a liquefiable material. The liquefiable material is configured to liquefy responsive to a predetermined environmental exposure. Each frangible shell is configured to continue to contain a respective payload when the liquefiable material is liquefied. Each frangible shell is configured to rupture in response to an application of an activation action exceeding a predetermined activation threshold, releasing the respective payload. After the frangible shells are ruptured responsive to the activation action, and responsive to the liquefiable material being liquified, the activatable environmental exposure indicator transitions to the conductive state, thus establishing the closed circuit between the second antenna portion and the integrated circuit. In a second embodiment, the technology of the present disclosure is provided by an RF tag, including an integrated circuit, an antenna, having a plurality of antenna portions, wherein a first antenna portion of the plurality of antenna portions is electrically connected in a closed circuit with the integrated circuit, and a first activatable environmental exposure indicator and a second activatable environmental exposure indicator, each having a conductive state and a nonconductive state. When the first activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the conductive state, a second antenna portion of the plurality of antenna portions is in the closed circuit with the first antenna portion and the integrated circuit and, when the first activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the nonconductive state, the second antenna portion is in an open circuit. When the first activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the conductive state and the second activatable environmental exposure indicator is in the conductive state, a third antenna portion of the plurality of antenna portions is in the closed circuit with the first antenna portion, the second antenna portion and the integrated circuit and, when at least one of the first activatable environmental exposure indicator and the second activatable environmental exposure indicator are in the nonconductive state, the third antenna portion is in an open circuit. The first activatable environmental exposure indicator includes a first plurality of microcapsules, each microcapsule including a frangible shell containing a first payload, the first payload including a first conductive material and a first liquefiable material. The first liquefiable material is configured to liquefy responsive to a first predetermined environmental exposure. The frangible shells of the first plurality of microcapsules are configured to contain the first payload when the first liquefiable material is liquefied. The second activatable environmental exposure indicator includes a second plurality of microcapsules, each microcapsule including a frangible shell containing a second payload, the second payload including a second conductive material and a second liquefiable material. The second liquefiable material is configured to liquefy responsive to a second predetermined environmental exposure. The frangible shells of the second plurality of microcapsules are configured to contain the second payload when the second liquefiable material is l