Capacitive coupling of an RFID tag with a touch screen device acting as an RFID reader, and methods to produce a capacitive coupling tag. A capacitive coupling tag, which communicates at near field distance with a host computing device by using the touch screen display of the host when the tag is placed on the touch screen or held in contact in close proximity to the touch screen by a person acting as a ground electrode and thereby causing a difference in electrical potential. A capacitive coupling tag which operates with or without a chip.

A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus. Touchscreens are common in devices such as game consoles, all-in-one computers, tablet computers, and smartphones. There are a variety of touchscreen technologies that have different methods of sensing touch, including resistive, surface acoustic wave (SAW), and capacitive.
A capacitive touchscreen panel may consist of an insulator such as glass, coated with a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide (ITO). As the human body is also an electrical conductor, touching the surface of the screen results in a distortion of the screeds electrostatic field, measurable as a change in capacitance. Different technologies may be used to determine the location of the touch. The location is then sent to the controller for processing. There are various capacitive touchscreen technologies, such as Projected Capacitive Touch (PCT), mutual capacitance, and variations thereof, that allow for multi-touch operation where multiple fingers, palms or styli can be accurately tracked at the same time. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of distinct capacitive events can theoretically simultaneously be detected in a touchscreen.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the use of a wireless non-contact system that uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data from a "tag" (or "transponder") attached to an object, for the purposes of automatic identification and tracking. Some tags require no battery and are powered by the electromagnetic fields used to read them. Others use a local power source and emit radio waves (electromagnetic radiation at radio frequencies). The tag contains electronically stored information which can be read with an external reader device. Smart cards and electronic passports utilize RFID technology to exchange information, primarily from the card or passport to the external reader. In some RFID applications, information may be provided by the reader to be stored in the tag.
Electrostatic or capacitive coupling is the passage of electrical energy through a dielectric. In practice it is an electric field gradient or differential capacitance between two or more insulated terminals, plates, electrodes, or nodes that are elevated over a conducting ground plane. The electric field is created by charging the plates with a high potential, high frequency alternating current power supply. The capacitance between two elevated terminals and a powered device form a voltage divider.
Radio is the transmission and reception of electromagnetic (EM) waves, usually in the far field where the wave is considered planar. In contrast therewith, capacitively coupled RF signals may use only the E-field in the near field.
As disclosed herein, an RFID tag having an RFID IC (integrated circuit) may be capacitively coupled with a touch screen display or interface device allowing the transmission of encrypted data to and from an RFID integrated circuit connected to capacitive plates. Capacitive plates are provided in the RFID tag, connected with the RFID IC.
The touch screen device may be used to energize the RFID IC to enable data exchange with the processing unit. In particular, a touch screen device hosting an application in its data-processor which triggers the touch screen display to act as a capacitive coupling RFID reader.
The invention also related to methods of producing capacitive coupling tags in particular the application of low resistance interconnections between the pads on an RFID integrated circuit to an interposer and the interconnections between said interposer and a capacitive coupling antenna or antennas. Further the invention encompasses the combination of inductive and capacitive coupling for two factor authentication.
The technology associated with capacitive coupling of an RFID tag with a touch screen device and the method of producing such a tag can be divided into four parts, namely (1) the technique of capacitive coupling with a reader; (2) the method of mounting an integrated circuit on a carrier to form an interposer; (3) the method of coating or metallizing a substrate to produce a conductive antenna plate or conductive antenna wings; and (4) the method of interconnecting the interposer or naked die to the coated or metallized substrate, and are described hereinafter.
Some Prior Art Related to Capacitive Coupling
All patents and publications referenced herein may be incorporated by reference herein.
EP 2 418 607 discloses a capacitive data carrier on which at least one electrical conductive Touch Structure is arranged on an electrical non-conducting substrate. Further a system and process for recording of data consisting of a capacitive information carrier, a capacitive surface sensor, a contact between both elements and an interaction, in which the Touch Structure of the information carrier allows for the surface sensor connected to a data processor to analyze, and with said information carrier triggering an associated event(s).                Claim 1: Capacitive information carrier (1), which comprises at least one electrical conductive layer as Touch Structure (3) arranged on an electrical non-conducting substrate (2).        Claim 2: Capacitive information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein on an electrical non-conducting substrate (2) is arranged at least one electrical conductive layer having a Touch Structure (3) designed on the form and/or features of a finger tip.
U.S. 2011/0253789 discloses an identification system, comprising an information carrier or a group of such information carriers, which allow a clear association of information. The invention further relates to the use of said information carriers, and to a device for reading said information carriers, wherein the information carriers are associated with a random action of a data processing system by way of the structured information layer thereof or can trigger such action. The invention furthermore relates to information carriers for access control systems, payment systems, ticket systems, and marketing application. According to the invention, overlaps of the information layer can be provided by applying additional layers, which achieve several advantages according to the invention, such as optically rendering the information layer unrecognizable, and resulting increased safety of the information carrier against manipulation. In addition, the information layers can be applied in an absolutely level and thin manner onto the carrier material, which enables unlimited further processing.                Claim 1: Information carrier wherein on the information carrier, which comprises an electrically non-conductive substrate with an electrically non-conductive adhesive layer applied to one or more areas of the substrate, on which is arranged an electrically conductive information layer, comprising of at least a single layer, at least one additional layer, covering at least the area of the substrate with the structured information layer is positioned, preferably a paper layer and/or a foil layer and/or a color layer and/or a lacquer layer or combinations thereof.        Claim 2: Information carrier according to claim 1, wherein a reading device can recognize and/or measure the information layer, which is applied to one or more areas, and the information content of the information carrier is thereby determined        Claim 3: Information carrier according to claim 1, wherein the information layer includes metals, graphite, soot and/or dielectric materials and the other layers include at least one adhesive layer and/or at least one paper layer and/or at least one color layer and/or a lacquer layer and/or a foil.        Claim 4: Information carrier according to claim 1, wherein the structured information layer comprises full surfaces defined by corners and/or curves, in particular by rectangles and/or circles, wherein the position, the form and/or the surface itself are determinable as components of the structured information layer via a reading device and they represent the information content of a specific number of data carriers.        Claim 5: Information carrier according to claim 1, wherein the information layers applied may be changed, area by area, in their structuring, via additive and/or subtractive processes, preferably by inkjet processes, and particularly preferably by laser processes.        Claim 6: Information carrier according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises paper, cardboard, derived timber products, composite materials, laminates and/or synthetic materials.        Claim 7: Information carrier according to claim 1, wherein additional optical, electrical, electronic, sensory and/or acoustic elements are applied on the information carrier.        Claim 8: Information carrier according to claim 1, wherein secondary information can be applied or contained on the information carrier, which, in particular, allow for determination of an orientation or speed of the information carrier relative to the reading device.        Claim 9: Information carrier, according to claim 1, wherein features and/or elements are applied or incorporated, which contain additional optical information, in particular printed values, symbols, signs, safety and authenticity features, particularly on playing cards and/or collectors' cards.        Claim 10: Group of information carriers, comprising several information carriers according to claim 1, wherein at least one color layer, adhesive layer, paper layer and/or foil is applied in each case at least as background, cover, number, letter, sign, graphic presentation and/or image presentation, or a combination thereof, wherein several information carriers have the same structure of the information layer and at least one identically designed color layer so that a closed group of information carriers that are the same in terms of information technology and optics is created, several information carriers have the same structure of the information layer and at least one differently designed color layer, so that a group of information carriers with the same information technology but different optics is created, several information carriers have an information layer with a different structure and at least one identically designed color layer, so that a group of information carriers, each with its own information technology but with the same optics, is created, several information carriers have information layers with different structures and at least one differently designed color layers, so that information carriers are created that are completely different from one another, with regard to both information technology and optics.        Claim 11: Identification system, wherein it comprises at least one information carrier according to claim 1 and at least one reading device, wherein the information carrier comprises an adhesive layer and an information layer, and the information layer is a layer applied via transfer method, preferably via transfer foil method, and particularly preferably via cold foil transfer method.        Claim 12: Identification system according to claim 11, wherein at least one reading device is interconnected with at least one additional data processing medium.        Claim 13: Identification system, according to claim 11, wherein the reading device has either a well, a slit and/or a surface to receive at least a part of the information carrier and that the information carrier is positioned in, at, or on the reading device in a predefined or random way.        Claim 14: A method comprising: providing an information carrier according to claim 1, a group of information carriers comprising several of said information carriers and/or an identification system comprising at least one of said information carriers, wherein the information carrier(s) determine(s) the interpretation of the information contained on the information carrier through its (their) structured information layer via a reading device, achieving this preferably by having the information layer divided into an area that describes the interpretation and an area that carries the information.        Claim 15: A method comprising: providing an information carrier according to claim 1, a group of information carriers comprising several of said information carriers and/or an identification system comprising at least one of said information carriers, wherein the structured information layer is via a reading device, the arrangement of whose electrodes is so designed and constructed that the number and/or size and/or form and/or position of the structured information layer(s) of the information carrier(s), recognized, acquired and further processed.        Claim 16: A method comprising: providing an information carrier according to claim 1, a group of information carriers comprising several of said information carriers and/or an identification system comprising at least one of said information carriers, wherein the information carrier(s), in connection with a reading device, is (are) assigned, through its or their structured information layer, to an action of a data processing system, or trigger(s) it, preferably this concerns actions on non-networked data processing systems, and particularly preferably on networked data processing systems.        Claim 17: A method comprising: providing an information carrier according to claim 1, a group of information carriers comprising several of said information carriers and/or an identification system comprising at least one of said information carriers, wherein it or they is or are assigned to a record in a data processing device, and the record remains constant or changes in the course of its use.        Claim 18: A method comprising: providing an information carrier according to claim 1, a group of information carriers comprising several of said information carriers and/or an identification system comprising at least one of said information carriers, wherein the information carrier(s) is (are) used for playing cards, collectors' cards, stamps, franking, postage, goods routing, goods tracking, admission, entry cards, access to closed areas, virtual contents, marketing applications, customer loyalty, lotteries and games of chance, member identification, time cards, payment applications, certificates of authenticity, certificates, forgery protection, copy protection, signatures, delivery certificates, objects involved in computer games, music/video/e-book downloads, bonus stamps/programs or gift cards.        Claim 19: A method comprising: providing an information carrier according to claim 2, a group of information carriers comprising several of said information carriers and/or an identification system comprising at least one of said information carriers, wherein the information content is completed and the assignment to another record released only in combination with at least one other information carrier.
U.S. 2012/0125993 discloses a data carrier or a group of such data carriers which allow for accurate correlation of information, the use of these data carriers, as well as a reading device, by means of which a data carrier via its structured information layer is associated with an action of a data processing system or can trigger the said action. More particularly, the invention also relates to a game card system that learns the unique playing characteristics of players and allows the processing of other game-related data, whereby the system comprises the use of game cards and collector cards over the Internet (online) as well as via a local data processing system (offline), and where, accordingly, the invention relates to a particularly preferred embodiment, that is a combination of the traditional collector card game with computer and video games. More preferably, the invention also serves as an access system for cards and debit cards for payment systems using the data carrier with a unique code that is readable using a reading device.
The carrier has an adhesive layer and a single structured information layer, which are provided on an electrically non-conducting substrate. Another layer covers a region of the substrate with the structured information layer, where the information layer is an applied transfer layer. A region of the structured information layer is an encoder for a capacitive reader, and the information layer comprises metal, graphite, carbon black and/or dielectric material. The substrate comprises a paper, a cardboard, a wood material, a composite material, a laminate and/or plastic. An independent claim is also included for a data processing system comprising a reader and a data carrier.                Claim 1: Data carrier, comprising an at least sectionally applied adhesive layer is arranged on an electrically non-conductive substrate, an at least single-layered information layer congruently applied thereto, wherein the said adhesive layer and information layer are layers applied as coatings by a transfer process, preferably through a foil transfer method and more preferably through a cold foil transfer method and wherein at least a portion of the structured information layer serves at the same time as an encoder for a capacitive reading device.        Claim 2: Data carrier according to claim 1, wherein at least an area of the substrate covered by the structured information layer has another layer arranged over it that can be, for example, a paper layer and/or a foil layer and/or a paint layer and/or a lacquer layer or combinations thereof.        Claim 3: Data carrier according to claim 1 wherein the information layer comprises metals, graphite, carbon black and/or dielectric materials while the remaining layers comprise at least an adhesive layer and/or at least a paper layer and/or at least one paint layer and/or a lacquer layer and/or a foil.        Claim 4: Data carrier according to claim 1 wherein said structured information layer comprises fill areas delimited by corners and/or curves, particularly rectangles and/or circles, and wherein the position, shape and/or the area themselves serve as components of the structured information layer and can be detected via a reading device that can display the information content of a certain number of data carriers.        Claim 5: Group of data carriers comprising several data carriers according to claim 1, wherein at least one paint layer, adhesive layer, paper layer and/or foil is applied in each case at least as a background, coverage, number, letter, character, graphic representation and/or visual representation or a combination thereof, wherein several data carriers have the same structure of the information layer and at least one paint layer having the same design, so that a self-contained group of information-technologically and visually identical data carriers is obtained, several data carriers have the same structure of the information layer and at least one paint layer having a different design, so that a self-contained group of information-technologically identical and visually different data carriers is obtained, several data carriers have a different structure of the information layer and at least one paint layer having the same design, so that a group of information-technologically unique but visually identical data carriers is obtained, several data carriers have a different structure of the information layer and at least one paint layer having a different design, so that a completely, that is visually and information-technologically, unique data carrier is obtained.        Claim 6: Data carriers according to claim 1, wherein the structuring of the applied information layers is changed sectionally via additive and/or subtractive methods, preferably by inkjet methods and more preferably through modification by laser methods.        Claim 7: Data carriers according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises paper, cardboard, wood products, composites, laminates and/or plastic.        Claim 8: Data carriers according to claim 1, wherein other optical, electrical, electronic, sensory and/or acoustic elements are applied to the data carrier.        Claim 9: Data carriers according to claim 1, wherein secondary information can be applied onto or be contained by the data carrier, in particular to enable determining an orientation or speed of the data carrier relative to a reading device.        Claim 10: Data carriers according to claim 1, wherein features and/or elements are further attached that contain additional optical information, in particular printed values, symbols, signs, security and/or authenticity features, especially on game cards and/or collector cards.        Claim 11: Method of detecting, capturing and processing the structured information layer of the data carrier of claim 1, wherein the structured information layer is detected, captured, and data-technologically processed further via a reading device who electrode arrangement is so designed and arranged that the number and/or size and/or shape and/or position of the structured information layer of the data carrier.        Claim 12: Method comprising attributing to or triggering an action of a data processing system wherein the data carrier of claim 1 in conjunction with a reading device via its structured information layer is associated with or triggers said action wherein this preferably applies to actions on non-networked data processing systems, and more preferably on networked computer systems.        Claim 13: Method comprising associating the data carrier of claim 1 with a data set in a data processing device and the data carrier remains constant or changes during its use.        Claim 14: Method comprising: providing the data carrier of claim 1, wherein the data carrier is used for game cards, collector cards, stamps, franking, postage, goods logistics, goods tracking, admission, admission tickets, access to closed areas, virtual content, marketing applications, customer loyalty, lotteries and sweepstakes, membership cards, time cards, payment applications, authenticity certificates, forgery prevention, copy protection, signatures, delivery bulletins, items within a computer game, music/video/e-book downloads, bonus stamps/programs or gift cards.        Claim 15: Method comprising: providing the data carrier of claim 1 and completing an information content of said data carrier only in combination with at least one other data carrier and thus clearing an assignment to another data set.        Claim 16: Data processing system, comprising the data carrier of claim 1, wherein the reading device has either a recess, a slot and/or a support surface to accept at least a portion of the data carrier while the data carrier is presented or placed anywhere in, on, or at the reading device.
EP 2 432 074 discloses a component with at least one UHF dipole aerial produced by means of printing. The component has two distant dipole ends (3) and a transfer foil that is prepared on a roller, whereby the transfer foil has a carrier foil and an electrically conductive transfer layer. A non-conductive substrate and an adhesive are formed, whereby structured creation of the adhesive is carried out on a substrate (1). The structure of the adhesive is applied such that the maximum distance of the dipole ends lies transverse to revolution direction. An independent claim is also included for an ultra-high frequency dipole-antenna system, which has a Radio frequency identification transponder.
U.S. 2007/0230103 discloses a method and apparatus for integrating electronic components on conductor tracks as well as corresponding electronic components. With the invention, the electronic component can be applied with less precision on a printing material such as a substrate to be printed or a printed product. In a subsequent processing step, one or more printing units print conductor tracks. The conductor tracks are oriented through registration of the printing unit or the conveyor mechanism to the previously applied electronic component.
The following are also referenced, and may be incorporated by reference herein: DE 10 2005 002 149; DE 10 2006 013 070; DE 10 2006 038 362; DE 10 2007 029 384; DE 10 2007 030 308; DE 10 2007 041 269; DE 10 2007 041 270; DE 10 2008 015 342; EP 1 803 562; U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,019; U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,804; U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,410; and U.S. 2006/0118612.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,879,809 discloses a wireless electrostatic charging and communicating system which includes an electrostatic reader, an electrostatic charger and an electrostatic rechargeable device or electrostatic transceiver such as such as a smart card or radio frequency identification (RFID) card without requiring physical contact to electrodes. The electrostatic system is capacitance based and the charging and communicating occurs over capacitively coupled electrostatic electrodes or electrostatic electrodes. The electrostatic rechargeable device or transceiver includes a charge receiver and an energy storage means, for being charged or communicated with in the electrostatic system. The energy storage means may be any energy storage device including a rechargeable battery or capacitor. In a second embodiment, the electrostatic rechargeable device or transceiver includes an electrostatic charge receiver and an electromagnetic charge receiver with the energy storage means so that it may be alternatively charged or communicated with in an electrostatic system or an electromagnetic system for compatibility in either system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,199 discloses a portable communication device uses a first electrostatic antenna element and a second electrostatic antenna element and circuitry which is coupled to the first antenna element and to the second antenna element and which derives operating power from an electrostatic field in the vicinity of the first and second antenna elements. The electrostatic field may be provided by an array of exciter elements containing both horizontal and vertical exciter elements so that at some point as a communication device is moved across the exciter antenna array, the device will have sufficient power coupled to it to power up and become operational.                Claim 40: A capacitively coupled system comprising: an exciter device comprising: an exciter circuit coupled to an external ground potential; an exciter antenna element coupled to the exciter circuit; a receiver circuit coupled to the external ground potential; a receiver antenna element coupled to the receiver circuit; and a remotely powered device comprising: a device antenna element capacitively coupled to the exciter antenna element and the receiver antenna element; and a circuit couples to the device antenna element and to the external ground potential.        Claim 45: The system of claim 40 wherein the external ground potential is an earth ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,977 discloses a radio frequency identification device (100, 200, 300, 350, 400, 500, 700) includes a substrate member (110) having a first surface (109) and a second surface (111). Disposed on the first surface of the substrate member are a first antenna element (112) and a second antenna element (114). The first and second antenna elements are electrically isolated from each other and are coupled to two separate pads on an integrated circuit (116, 116′). The integrated circuit includes a power circuit (814) that produces a supply voltage for electronics on the integrated circuit in response to voltages coupled over the air to the pads on the integrated circuit via the first and second antenna element. Adhesive (118) is applied on the first surface of the substrate, the first and second antenna elements and the integrated circuit for securing the tag to a person or thing.                FIG. 11 is an alternate preferred embodiment of the invention showing a back plan view of a tag 700. Tag 700 has antenna elements 712, 714 disposed on substrate 710. Integrated circuit 116 is disposed on and coupled to antenna elements 712, 714. Tag 700 corresponds in its components to tag 100, except that the arrangement of the antenna elements 712, 714 is different from the arrangement of antenna elements 112, 114. More specifically, antenna elements 112, 114 form a "bow tie" pattern and antenna elements 712, 714 form a "checker board" pattern. Tag 700 is preferred in an application where tag 700 is likely to be oriented with respect to ground 720 as shown in FIG. 11. In this orientation, one of the antenna elements, in this case, antenna element 712, is closer to ground than the other antenna element, in this case, antenna element 714. The checkerboard pattern advantageously maintains the relative relationships between the antenna elements and ground throughout rotations of tag 700. It should be noted that the arrangement of the antenna elements, however, can have a variety of forms and shapes, including, but not limited to, symmetrical patterns, non-symmetrical patterns, and/or unequal patterns.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,508 discloses a radio frequency identification tag system (10) utilizes a radio frequency identification tag (16) that includes stored tag information. The tag includes an antenna element (30) and a common electrode (28). The antenna element electrostatically receives an exciter signal (34) from a proximately-located electrostatic exciter (12). Upon receiving the exciter signal, the tag becomes energized, thereby causing it to generate a read signal (36) based on the stored tag information. The antenna element then electrostatically sends the read signal to a proximately-located reader (14), which detects the stored tag information. In addition, exactly one of the tag common electrode and the tag antenna element is arranged to magnetically store tag state information. The tag state information represents exactly one state of two possible states and is read by a proximately-located magnetic reader (18).                With reference to FIG. 8, an alternate preferred embodiment radio frequency identification tag 800 shown. Radio frequency identification tag 800 is arranged for use in, for example, radio frequency identification tag system 40. Radio frequency identification tag 800 includes tag common electrode 802, first tag antenna element 804 and second tag antenna element 806 coupled to tag circuit 808. Tag common electrode 802 is arranged to couple to ground. In a preferred embodiment (not shown), tag common electrode 802 may be arranged to couple to a person or an animal. In this manner, tag common electrode 802 is coupled to ground by means of the person or animal. Tag common electrode 802 may also be arranged to couple to an article (not shown). In this manner, tag common electrode 802 is coupled to ground by means of the article. In preferred applications, the article may be a loaned, leased or rented article such as, for example, a video medium, an audio medium, a computer program, a computer game, a video game or a book. The article may also be a retail sales article. First tag antenna element 804 is arranged for electrostatically coupling exciter signal 34. Second tag antenna element 806 is arranged for electrostatically sending read signal 210. In a read/write embodiment, tag circuit 808 is preferably constructed from a derivative of the aforementioned TEMIC e5550 circuit chip, while in a read-only application, tag circuit 808 is preferably constructed from the Motorola Indala I341 circuit chip.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,773 discloses a radio frequency identification tag system (10) utilizes a radio frequency identification tag (16) that includes stored tag information. The tag includes an antenna element (30) and a common electrode (28). The antenna element electrostatically receives an exciter signal (34) from a proximately-located electrostatic exciter (12). Upon receiving the exciter signal, the tag becomes energized, thereby causing it to generate a read signal (36) based on the stored tag information. The antenna element then electrostatically sends the read signal to a proximately-located reader (14), which detects the stored tag information. In addition, exactly one of the tag common electrode and the tag antenna element is arranged to magnetically store tag state information. The tag state information represents exactly one state of two possible states and is read by a proximately-located magnetic reader (18).                Referring to FIG. 6, in a read/write embodiment of the present invention radio frequency identification tag 200 is advantageously constructed from a derivative of the aforementioned TEMIC e5550 circuit chip. In this regard, and with reference to FIG. 6, tag circuit 208 includes operatively coupled: 1) a rectifier and tag power circuit 250, 2) a clock circuit 252, 3) a write decoder circuit 254, 4) a memory 256, 5) a carrier signal and/or modulator circuit 258 and 6) a controller 260. More particularly, first tag antenna element 204 is coupled to rectifier and tag power circuit 250, and carrier signal and/or modulator circuit 258 is coupled to second tag antenna element 206. Upon becoming energized by exciter signal 34, rectifier and tag power circuit 250 provides a direct current (dc) power supply 251. Exciter signal 34 is further coupled from first tag antenna element 204 via rectifier and tag power circuit 250 to write decoder circuit 254 and clock circuit 252. Clock circuit 252 provides a clock signal to each of write decoder circuit 254, carrier signal and/or modulator circuit 258 and controller 260. Memory 256 retains the stored tag information and is accessed by controller 260 and carrier signal and/or modulator circuit 258. Upon excitation, carrier signal and/or modulator circuit 258 generates a read signal 210 with an appropriate modulation and couples it to second tag antenna element 206. Preferably read signal 210 is a transmitted signal modulated by means of at least one of an amplitude modulation, a frequency modulation or a phase modulation based upon the stored tag information. Read signal 210 is electrostatically coupled from second tag antenna element 206 to reader antenna element 26. In an alternate, read-only embodiment, the aforementioned Motorola Indala 1341 circuit chip may be used. It will be appreciated that in this embodiment write decoder circuit 254 is not included.
Tag common electrode 202 is arranged to couple to ground. In a preferred embodiment (not shown), tag common electrode 202 may be arranged to couple to a person or an animal. In this manner, tag common electrode 202 is coupled to ground by means of the person or animal. Tag common electrode 202 may also be arranged to couple to an article (not shown). In this manner, tag common electrode 202 is coupled to ground by means of the article. In preferred applications, the article may be a loaned, leased or rented article, such as, for example, a video medium, an audio medium, a computer program, a computer game, a video game or a book. The article may also be a retail sales article.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, exactly one of tag common electrode 202, first tag antenna element 204 and second tag antenna element 206 is arranged for magnetically storing tag state information. The tag state information is representative of exactly one state of two possible states. In this regard, the exactly one of tag common electrode 202, first tag antenna element 204 and second tag antenna element 206 is formed from a magnetic strip. The magnetic strip is preferably a single bit EAS magnetic strip—a suitable magnetic strip material being the aforementioned 3M magnetic strip sold under the product name Tattle Tape. The magnetic strip is arranged as a single bit EAS strip for storing the magnetically programmable tag state information. The magnetic strip is further arranged, as appropriate, as an effective tag common electrode 202, a first tag antenna element 204 or second tag antenna element 206 for operation as described.
1. Capacitive Coupling
The operation of the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,199 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,299 works on a capacitive coupling principle. Electric fields ("E-fields") are capacitively coupled to and from a reader and tag.
As in an inductive system, the capacitive coupling reader/writer generates an excitation field which serves as both the tag's source of power and its master clock. The tag cyclically modulates its data contents and transmits them to the reader's receiver circuit. The reader demodulates and decodes the data signal and provides a formatted data packet to a host computer for further processing.
Unlike conventional inductive systems, the capacitive coupling technique provides a simple and cost effective tag design, suitable for high volume or disposable applications. Capacitive coupling enables the elimination of inductive coils, capacitors, leadframes, low resistance interconnects and inflexible substrates.
Capacitive coupling tags may comprise a silicon chip attached to printed carbon ink electrodes on the back side of a paper label.
Unlike conventional inductive products, capacitive coupling tags enables the use of relatively high resistance interconnects. The RFID silicon (chip) is simply attached to the printed substrate. The tag to chip interconnect is facilitated by either direct chip attachment or by using an "interposer".
An interposer is an intermediate attachment mechanism. It is a small (typically ½″ by ½″ square), self-adhering, paper label with printed ink electrode "stems" connected to the RFID silicon. Supplied in roll-form, interposers allow simple in-line integration with existing high speed label manufacturing processes with minimal impact to existing equipment. Interposers enable label manufacturers to print larger tag electrode "extensions" without concern about intricate chip attachment.
The capacitive coupling readers have two configurations: monopole and dipole.
A monopole reader has a single radiating antenna that emits (radiates) an excitation signal. When the tag enters the signal field, the tag electrode closest to the emanating signal directs the current through the chip to the remaining tag electrode which is coupled to ground. The ground connection can be completed by a person holding a card to be read. Monopole readers offer the benefit of tag orientation flexibility.
In a dipole system, the reader has a set of two antennas that are set up to radiate and receive the excitation current. The tag must be presented to the reader such that both tag antennas "see" or couple to corresponding antennas connected to the reader to provide an operating voltage potential to the tag. Data is then transmitted from either of the tags' electrodes to a receiving antenna on the reader.
Some Prior Art Related to Capacitive Coupling
U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,199 discloses a portable communication device uses a first electrostatic antenna element and a second electrostatic antenna element and circuitry which is coupled to the first antenna element and to the second antenna element and which derives operating power from an electrostatic field in the vicinity of the first and second antenna elements. The electrostatic field may be provided by an array of exciter elements containing both horizontal and vertical exciter elements so that at some point as a communication device is moved across the exciter antenna array, the device will have sufficient power coupled to it to power up and become operational.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,299 discloses a radio frequency identification tag (14) which includes a radio frequency identification tag circuit chip (12) coupled to an antenna (10) including a conductive pattern (22) printed onto a substrate (16). The substrate may form a portion of an article, a package, a package container, a ticket, a waybill, a label and/or an identification badge. The conductive pattern includes a first coupling region (28) and a second coupling region (30) arranged for coupling to the radio frequency identification tag circuit chip. The first coupling region and the second coupling region are precisely located and isolated from one another via an aperture (31) formed in the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,773 discloses a radio frequency identification tag system (10) which utilizes a radio frequency identification tag (16) that includes stored tag information. The tag includes an antenna element (30) and a common electrode (28). The antenna element electrostatically receives an exciter signal (34) from a proximately-located electrostatic exciter (12). Upon receiving the exciter signal, the tag becomes energized, thereby causing it to generate a read signal (36) based on the stored tag information. The antenna element then electrostatically sends the read signal to a proximately-located reader (14), which detects the stored tag information. In addition, exactly one of the tag's common electrode and the tag antenna element is arranged to magnetically store tag state information. The tag state information represents exactly one state of two possible states and is read by a proximately-located magnetic reader (18).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,138 discloses an integrated circuit assembly (12) such as used on a radio frequency identification tag, or other device, which includes an integrated circuit (14) coupled to first and second printed conductors (16a) and (16b), such as tag electrodes, on a flexible substrate (18). The printed conductors (16a and 16b) may be conductors in the form of printed ink electrostatic antennas. The integrated circuit (14), is disposed in a generally co-planar arrangement with the flexible substrate (18). That is, the integrated circuit (14) is positioned in-line with the flexible substrate (18).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,920 discloses a radio frequency identification tag (14) which utilizes an antenna (22) formed in association with, and thus integral to, an article, package, package container, label and/or identification badge (10). In a preferred embodiment, a radio frequency identification tag circuit chip assembly (12) is secured to the article (10) and is electrically coupled to the antenna (22) formed on the article (10). Printing a conductive pattern on the article using conductive ink forms a preferred antenna.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,613 discloses a radio frequency identification stamp (10) which includes a substrate (24) with a first surface (12) and a second surface (18). The first surface (12) is printed with indicia indicating at least a postage value. An antenna (16) is formed on the second surface (18) and a radio frequency identification circuit chip (20) is secured to the second surface (18) and coupled to the antenna (16). A layer (22) of adhesive is also disposed on the second surface (18). A mailing label (600) includes indicia (614) printed on a first surface, and an antenna (616) coupled to a radio frequency identification circuit chip (620) on a second surface (618). A layer (622) of adhesive covers the second surface. The layer bonds the circuit chip (620) to the second surface and couples the circuit chip (620) to the antenna (616). The circuit chip (620) may retain a tracking number, and more preferably, retains sender information (601), recipient information (602), service type information (603) and billing instructions (604).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,605 discloses a radio frequency identification tag (100) which includes a first antenna element (112), a second antenna element (114) and a radio frequency identification circuit (116). The first antenna element (112) is electrically isolated from the second antenna element (114). The radio frequency identification circuit has a first pad (230) and a second pad (232). The first and second pads of the radio frequency identification circuit are coupled, respectively, to the first and second antenna elements. The radio frequency identification circuit includes a load modulation circuit (222) coupled to at least one of the first or second pads to produce a load modulated signal on at least one of the first or second pads that varies from a first amplitude to a second amplitude. The load modulation circuit has a modulation impedance and a predetermined voltage threshold that an input signal must exceed before the modulated signal is produced. The first and second pads of the integrated circuit have an input capacitance as measured between them. The modulation impedance, voltage threshold, and pad capacitance are optimized for electrostatic radio frequency identification applications. Alternatively, a modulation circuit is not coupled to the first and second antenna elements and is instead coupled through a third pad with a third electrostatic antenna element for data transmission. Also, electronic article surveillance (EAS) is alternatively provided with the radio frequency identification circuit and is alternatively, selectively defeated.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,508 discloses a radio frequency identification tag system (10) which utilizes a radio frequency identification tag (16) that includes stored tag information. The tag includes an antenna element (30) and a common electrode (28). The antenna element electrostatically receives an exciter signal (34) from a proximately-located electrostatic exciter (12). Upon receiving the exciter signal, the tag becomes energized, thereby causing it to generate a read signal (36) based on the stored tag information. The antenna element then electrostatically sends the read signal to a proximately-located reader (14), which detects the stored tag information. In addition, exactly one of the tag common electrode and the tag antenna element is arranged to magnetically store tag state information. The tag state information represents exactly one state of two possible states and is read by a proximately-located magnetic reader (18).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,977 discloses a radio frequency identification device (100, 200, 300, 350, 400, 500, 700) which includes a substrate member (110) having a first surface (109) and a second surface (111). Disposed on the first surface of the substrate member are a first antenna element (112) and a second antenna element (114). The first and second antenna elements are electrically isolated from each other and are coupled to two separate pads on an integrated circuit (116, 116′). The integrated circuit includes a power circuit (814) that produces a supply voltage for electronics on the integrated circuit in response to voltages coupled over the air to the pads on the integrated circuit via the first and second antenna element. Adhesive (118) is applied on the first surface of the substrate, the first and second antenna elements and the integrated circuit for securing the tag to a person or thing.
WO 2008/043794 discloses a system and a method for storing and reading information with a data storage medium for storing a piece of information and a reading unit for reading the information stored in the data storage medium, where the data storage medium has a dielectric and the information is formed by the presence or absence of at least one storage electrode in the data storage medium, and the reading unit has at least one input electrode and at least one reading electrode, the information being able to be read by coupling the data storage medium and the reading unit to one another such that the input electrode and the storage electrode form a first capacitor and the reading electrode and the storage electrode form a second capacitor. In addition, the reading unit has means for producing a digital voltage step on the input electrode and means for comparing the voltage step produced on the reading electrode with a reference voltage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,040 discloses a data storage and retrieval system which includes an interface module and a data card. Both the interface module and card include a plurality of primary and secondary electrodes having the same pattern. The data card further includes a plurality of fuses extending between each of the primary and secondary electrodes. When the fuse is intact, it will conduct current. When the fuse is blown, the resistance will substantially increase. The state of the resistance of the fuse is used to represent bits of data. In operation, the card is juxtaposed with respect to the interface module so that the respective electrodes can be capacitively coupled. In order to read the data on the card, an output having a predetermined voltage and frequency is applied to the electrodes. The level of AC current passing through the fuse is measured and the result is used to derive the state of the fuse. When information is to be written onto the card, the voltage level and the oscillating frequency are increased causing the current flow in the electrodes to increase thereby blowing the fuse. The hardware is low in cost, requires low power to operate and provides a write once/read many-memory (WORM) in the form of a disposable data card.
WO 2005/122068 discloses a process of marking and to a method and a system for detection of the marking. The marking consists of electrically conductive and non-conductive areas formed on paper or cardboard by using a conductive polymer. The detection of the marking is based on a capacitive coupling between the marking (13, 23, 35) and at least one first (12, 22, 34) electrode coupling an excitation signal to the marking and at least one receiving second electrode (16, 26, 43). The information relating to this coupling is derived from the signal, which is obtained by means of the said electrodes, in such a way that the electrodes (12, 22, 34, 16, 26, 43) and the marking move relative to each other. With the aid of the invention, information can be advantageously stored in products.
2. Interposers
An interposer is an electrical interface routing between one socket or connection to another. The purpose of an interposer is to spread a connection to a wider pitch or to reroute a connection to a different connection.    Flip chip also known as Controlled Collapse Chip Connection or its acronym, C4, is a method for interconnecting semiconductor devices, such as IC chips and Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), to external circuitry with solder bumps that have been deposited onto the chip pads. The solder bumps are deposited on the chip pads on the top side of the wafer during the final wafer processing step. In order to mount the chip to external circuitry (e.g., a circuit board or another chip or wafer), it is flipped over so that its top side faces down, and aligned so that its pads align with matching pads on the external circuit, and then the solder is flowed to complete the interconnect. This is in contrast to wire bonding, in which the chip is mounted upright and wires are used to interconnect the chip pads to external circuitry.Some Prior Art Related to Interposers
DE 10 2004 045 896 ("Muehlbauer") discloses a flipped-over (face down) flip chip module 2 with its two bump connection elements (both labeled "3") disposed on the front surface (bottom, as viewed) of the chip module, for subsequent connection to connection portions (such as ends) of an antenna wire. The challenge (problem) being illustrated is the difficulty of bonding each of the bump connection elements 3, 3 to a corresponding one of the connection portions 1a and 1b of the antenna wire (12). Muehlbauer shows the flip chip module 13 (compare 2) with two bump connection elements 14a, 14b (compare elements 3 of FIG. 1) on its front surface positioned facing a top surface of a transponder substrate 15. The transponder substrate 15 comprises a substrate (Brückensubstrat) 10 and contact surfaces (Kontaktflächen) 11a and 11b disposed on the substrate 10. The contact surfaces 11a and 11b may comprise an adhesive film (selbstklebenden Film). To form the transponder, an antenna wire 12 is mounted on the top surface of the substrate 10 (15) in a distinctive coil pattern, having two free end/connection portions 12a, 12b (Antennendrahtenden) extending over outer portions of the Kontaktflächen 11a and 11b 11a and 11b. The chip module 13 is installed between the Antennendrahtenden, with its bumps ("Anschlusselementen") 14a and 14b contacting inner portions of the Kontaktflächen 11a and 11b. Both the chip module and antenna wire are connected to the top surface of the Kontaktflächen 11a and 11b. A sort of "space transformation" is effected by this connection bridge ("Verbindungsbrücke") to connect the Antennendrahtenden a large pitch (spacing) with the Anschlusselementen of the chip module which are at a finer (smaller) pitch. Viewed from another perspective, Muehlbauer facilitates positioning the Antennendrahtenden adjacent the terminals of the chip, rather than directly over the terminal areas of the chip module as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,818.
Modifications to the Chip to Facilitate Interconnection
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,855 discloses a method and apparatus for facilitating interconnection of lead wires to an integrated circuit including the provision of an additional protective layer of insulation to the top of an integrated circuit chip or die and the provision of enlarged plated electrodes to the surface of the additional insulation to form enhanced bonding pads, such pads being electrically connected through the protective layers to the normal bonding pads of the integrated circuit device. The enhanced bonding pads are made of a soft conductive metal such that external wires to be attached thereto can be bonded to the pads using a thermal compression bonding technique.
3. Conductive Coating/Metallization
The printing of conductive inks consisting of dispersed metal nanoparticles in a liquid medium onto low temperature substrates is gaining attention in the radio frequency identification (RFID) industry, especially in the manufacture of passive ultra high frequency (UHF) tags for item-level tracking of consumer goods, an electronic replacement for the ubiquitous barcode.
Application of this technology includes patterning of antenna structures on paper and synthetic films, generating bumps on flip chips and creating traces or lines for interconnection straps and jumpers.
The nanometal particles or powders in liquid synthesizing conductive ink are gold, silver and copper. Cu particles are difficult to fabricate since they oxidate (oxidize) or aggregate easily. The ink contains dispersants to prevent nanoparticle aggregation and modifiers to control viscosity and surface tension. The size of the particles range from 2 nm to 50 nm, and the lowest temperature of annealing to make the particles sufficiently conductive is determined by how easily the carrier fluid can be removed.
Printing on flexible substrates such as polycarbonate with a low temperature softening point below 150° C. is a challenge, limiting the sintering process temperature of the nanoparticles. However, polymeric films with a high glass transition temperature, such as polyimide, allow a sintering temperature of 240° C. which greatly improves the resistivity of the conductor traces.    Sintering a method for making objects from powder, by heating the material in a sintering furnace below its melting point (solid state sintering) until its particles adhere to each other. Sintering is traditionally used for manufacturing ceramic objects, and has also found uses in such fields as powder metallurgy.
To increase the thickness of the metal traces or lines for antennas targeted for low and high frequency transponders operating respectively at 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz, the printing and sintering process can be repeated several times to obtain a low enough series resistance. Alternatively, an electroless plating process can supplement the printing of the nanoparticle seed layer to realize a lower resistance.
Some of the obstacles to overcome in manufacturing conductive antennas and traces on substrates are processing inks with metal nanoparticles of specific size, depositing high resolution patterns, heating and fusing the nanoparticles into a metallic conductor without damaging the underlying substrate, preventing oxidation pre and post heat treatment, achieving acceptable conductivity and having strong mechanical adhesion of the metallic conductor with the substrate.
Metallization by Laser Sintering
The laser-based curing of printed nanoparticle ink to fabricate low resistance conductors on sensitive polymeric substrates and interconnections on semiconductor devices is a need-driven trend in the RFID industry.
Pulsed laser based curing of printed (Drop on Demand) gold nanoparticle ink combined with controlled substrate heating has been investigated and shown to produce highly conductive microstructures without damaging the polymeric substrate. Post laser treatment has been used to define small features on the pre-printed substrate by ablation. Investigations have also shown that the microstructures as well as electrical and mechanical properties are affected by the laser power and the laser scanning velocity.
Other experimental works have reported that the physical morphology of laser annealed silver based ink using a DPSS laser was determined by a number of parameters including laser fluence, the spot size of the focused laser output, working speed of the galvo minors and the repetition rate of the laser firing. It was found that a laser wavelength which is more weakly absorbed by the nanoparticles could produce a more stable and homogeneous curing condition.
Currently, photonic curing is being developed to fuse nano-scale metallic ink particles into conductive traces on low-temperature substrates by exposing them to a brief, intense pulse of light from a xenon flash lamp, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,820,097 ('097 patent).
For interconnection purposes, high speed drop on demand laser plating on a Cu leadframe using Ag nanoparticles to form wire-bonding pads have been investigated, confirming that the quality of the sintered Ag pad and wire bondability are almost the same as those of an electroplated Ag film.
A flip-chip bonding technique with laser assist to connect semiconductor devices to piezoelectric substrates using 50 μm diameter Ag paste bumps has been reported, using the laser to locally cure the paste bump.
Silver Nanowires
Silver nanowires are printable on flexible polymeric films and are potentially a replacement for metallic particles or flakes in producing conductive tracks with low loss signal loss at UHF.
Inkjet Printed Graphene
Graphene based ink has been used to produce thin-film transistors as well as transparent and conductive patterns on arbitrary substrates.
Some Prior Art Related to Conductive Coating
U.S. Pat. No. 7,820,097 ('097 patent), incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, discloses a nanomaterial composition and the systems in which they are used, and more particularly to nanomaterial compositions generally comprising carbon and a metal, which composition can be exposed to pulsed emissions to react, activate, combine, or sinter the nanomaterial composition. The nanomaterial compositions can alternatively be utilized at ambient temperature or under other means to cause such reaction, activation, combination, or sintering to occur. As discussed therein:                In the field of material processing, materials are often heated to cause a particular change in material morphology, a particular reaction to occur, or to cause a phase change. For example, in the area of conductive patterning, formulations or inks containing silver flakes or powder are laid down on a substrate and then heated to cause the particles to fuse and form a conductive line. In such case, the formulation is required to be fluid and often is nonconductive in order to print the pattern while at the end of the processing it must be solid and highly conductive. The heat changes the morphology of the silver to give the desired results. For silver inks, the temperature that the ink and substrate must be heated to in order to cure the ink is a function of the sintering temperature of the silver. For silver, the melting temperature is approximately 960-C. and the sintering temperature is approximately 800-C. This high temperature limits the substrates to materials that are unaffected by the high temperature. Many of the lower cost or flexible substrates such as cellulose (paper), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyester and many other plastics cannot withstand these temperatures. Similarly, other components on the substrate, such as organic semiconductors may also decompose at elevated temperatures.        Nanomaterials have begun to be used in these applications, because of their high reactivity and lower reaction temperatures. However, they still must operate at temperatures typically above the lower cost substrate's operating temperatures.        Therefore, in the field there exists a need to process materials at lower temperatures to allow more economical substrates to be used. More specifically, there is a need in the conductive patterning market to produce high conductivity patterns on low temperature substrates.
The '097 patent relates generally to uses of novel nanomaterials composites comprised of relatively unaggregated metals particles. The processes described in the PCT 05/027711 Application produce the new materials in which some of the composites are composed of carbon and a metal while others are composed of an oxide and a metal. These materials, while being unique and novel unto themselves, can be used in unique and novel applications. Additionally, some of the uses have been shown to work with other nanomaterials. The new uses are accomplished by exploiting the unique material properties that exist in nanomaterials. Specifically, it has been observed that nanomaterials have a unique combination of attributes and properties that allow them to be used for electrical and catalytic applications.
The '097 patent discloses exploiting these properties and reveals novel uses in the area of conductive patterning. For example, the '097 patent can relate to creating conductive patterns using nanometals at room or relatively low temperatures, using a photonic curing process in conjunction with nanometals to create highly conductive patterns and using nanometals in conjunction with xerographic printing techniques.
One embodiment of the '097 patent uses the carbon/metal composite to create conductive patterns at room temperature. This is accomplished by either a simple dispersion of the material in water and then printing the dispersion on a paper substrate. Forming conductive patterns on other substrates at room temperature has also been accomplished using other dispersion techniques.
Another embodiment of the '097 patent relates generally to a novel method for reacting, activating or sintering nanomaterials and combinations thereof. For example, the '097 patent can relate to the processing of nanometal powders, such as nanometals. Metals, such as, but not limited to, silver, copper, gold, platinum, palladium, tin, antimony, indium and lead are examples of materials that may be used. In the '097 patent, nano refers to at least one aspect of the material having dimensions less than about 1 micron. Generally, this dimension is less than about 500 nm, and even more so less than about 100 nm.
It has been observed that some nanoparticles, including most metal nanoparticles, are generally very absorbent of photonic radiation, i.e., the particles behave as good blackbodies and have high absorptivity of electro-magnetic radiation. Additionally, nanoparticles tend to have lower reflectivity and poorer thermal conductivity as compared to the bulk materials. Nanoparticles also have a much larger surface area to mass ratio and have a low thermal mass individually than micron or larger sized particles. These qualities suggest irradiation of the nanoparticles with a pulsed photonic source, more specifically a broadcast photonic source, could momentarily heat the particles to a very high temperature. (A "photonic source" is a radiation source in the electromagnetic spectrum including, but not limited, to gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwaves, radio waves, or combinations thereof.) This effect is very advantageous, as noted in several examples listed below.
The '097 patent addresses the limitations described in the prior art by providing a novel method and system for processing nanomaterial. The '097 patent uses a high powered, pulsed photonic source to process the nanoparticles while minimally affecting the substrate. By such process, this overcomes limitations of the prior art. In the '097 patent, a film or pattern containing nanomaterial is fabricated on a surface. Such film or pattern may be fabricated using techniques such as inkjet, screen-printing, gravure printing, xerography, stamping, flexography, offset printing, painting, airbrushing, etc. Once the film or pattern has dried on the substrate, the pattern is subjected to a high-powered, pulsed photonic emission source. The high absorptivity of the nanomaterials and low thermal mass of particles causes them to be rapidly heated while the poor thermal conductivity and short pulse length retards the nanoparticles ability to transfer heat to their surroundings. The result is that the particle temperature is increased quickly to temperatures that cause them to fuse. The poor conductivity, low absorptivity and high thermal mass of the substrate insures that much of the energy from the photonic pulse goes into heating up the particles and minimal energy is transferred to the substrate or surrounding components.                By using a method and system that focuses the energy delivery on the film or pattern, the '097 patent purports to overcome the limitations of the prior art.        In yet another embodiment, the nanometal is used in conjunction with a photonic source for catalytic applications. Specifically, this can be accomplished at much lower temperatures than current technologies.        One use that is particularly enabled by the carbon/metal nanocomposite material is electroless deposition/plating/printing. In an embodiment of the '097 patent, a conductive ink has been made with the silver/carbon nanocomposite material that will cure and possess metallic conduction without requiring a thermal cure (i.e. ambient room temperature). Such ink can be used for producing metal patterns.        In one embodiment, the silver/carbon composite is combined with de-ionized water and then mixed using zirconia beads in a gyroscopic mixer. The dispersion or ink is then printed on a paper substrate. As the dispersion dries, the material will turn from black to silver in color. Additionally, the resistivity will go from infinite down to approximately 5 times bulk silver. Once dried, the pattern has good adhesion and long-term conductivity.        It is hypothesized that the unique combination of carbon, silver and paper enable the highly conductive pattern to be produced. It is believed that the wicking of the water into the paper creates high hydrostatic pressure gradients that force the particles into intimate contact. Additionally, the carbon which keeps the silver particles apart appears to be more dispersible in the water and tends to wick out with the water leaving the bare silver particles in contact with the paper fibers. When in contact with one another, the bare silver nanoparticles will reduce their surface energy by fusing and thus form a highly conductive pattern that is bonded to the paper fibers. The following example illustrates an embodiment of the '097 patent.        Another embodiment of the '097 patent includes a method and system for processing nanomaterials to create conductive patterns. The method and system of processing the nanomaterials takes advantage of the unique properties of nanoparticles, as compared to micron or the bulk material. For example, nanoparticles tend to have low reflectivity, high absorptivity, reduced sintering temperatures, higher reactivity and poor thermal conductivity, as compared to the bulk material property. The '097 patent uses a high-powered, pulsed, broadcast photonic source to process the nanoparticles while minimally affecting the substrate, thus overcoming the limitations of the prior art.        In the '097 patent, a film or pattern containing nanomaterial was fabricated on a surface. Such film or pattern may be fabricated using techniques such as inkjet, screen-printing, gravure printing, xerography, stamping, flexography, offset printing, painting, airbrushing, etc. Once the film or pattern had dried on the substrate, the pattern was subjected to a high-powered, pulsed photonic emission source. The high absorptivity of the nanomaterials and low thermal mass of particles causes them to be rapidly heated while the poor conductivity and short pulse length retards the nanoparticles ability to transfer heat to their surroundings. The result was that the particles' temperature is increased quickly to temperatures enabling them to fuse. The poor conductivity, low absorptivity and high thermal mass of the substrate insured that much of the energy from the photonic pulse went into heating up the particles and minimal energy was transferred to the substrate or surrounding components. In summary, the energy delivered to the particles happened so quickly that the particles fused before they have time to transfer their heat to the substrate. This natural discrimination capability of the nanoparticles allows a pulsed, broadcast emission to cure a large complex printed pattern in a single flash without damaging the substrate. Typically, this technique deposits of order 1 J/cm^2 on the substrate. This is generally below the damage level for the substrate at the pulse lengths used. For systems which use a continuous laser to sinter metal nanoparticle films of order 100 J/cm^2 is needed. Since this involves depositing a much higher areal energy density, the laser generally needs to be focused only on the printed pattern of the substrate adjacent to the pattern or the substrate will be damaged. Furthermore, the laser curing is a serial process and requires expensive equipment and critically aligned optics. It is possible to use a pulsed laser to accomplish the above as the required areal energy density would be low, and such a technique may even be preferable when curing a small area in a repetitive fashion. A pulsed laser system is less desirable as the area to be cured becomes larger. In this case the pulsed emission from a gas discharge, such as a xenon flash lamp, becomes more desirable. A reason for this is largely economic, as the hardware for gas discharge lamp system is cheap and has a high electrical to light conversion efficiency. This is demonstrated by the fact that a flash lamp is often used to optically pump a laser system. Furthermore, a gas discharge lamp system does not require complex optics and critical alignment as a laser-based system does. Still, pulsed solid-state and other pulsed emission sources are continually becoming more and more economical. Multiple emission sources could be used in parallel to achieve a broadcast effect. Since this curing technology does not place a significant thermal load on the substrate or surrounding components, multi-layer circuits, even with embedded devices, are more practical on thermally fragile substrates such as paper or plastic.        A method of an embodiment of the '097 patent is to expose the nanoparticles to a pulsed emission source, so as to cause their morphology or phase to change and/or cause the material to react without substantially affecting the substrate that they are contained within or reside on. Several tests were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of curing nanoparticle formulations for conductive inks. In the tests, formulations were prepared by mixing different nanomaterials with various solvents, surfactants and dispersants and producing films or patterns with the formulations. The films and patterns were applied to substrates, subjected to the pulsed emission source and the conductivity, adhesion, surface morphology and curing depth were measured. The conductivity was determined using a four-point probe and thickness gauge. In some cases, the films or patterns were allowed to dry prior to being subjected to the pulsed emission source.        When the film or pattern was subjected to the pulsed emission source, the particles heated-up and sintered. When this happens, it was found that the absorptivity of that portion of the pattern decreased and its reflectivity and thermal conductivity increased. Hence the process was self-limiting. This may imply, in some cases, that it was better to apply a single intense pulse rather than multiple lower intensity pulses. In developing the '097 patent, the effects of pulse duration and pulse energy were investigated. The total power delivered to the pattern was a function of the pulse energy, pulse duration and optical footprint area. Tests were performed with pulse lengths from 0.7 microseconds-100 milliseconds using xenon flash lamps.        In development, a mixture of approximately 30% mass of Nanotechnologies, Inc. 30 nm silver, 60% mass isoproponal and 10% mass hydrochloric acid was used as the formulation to produce a conductive film on PET. As the pattern dries its conductivity increases to about 1/20.sup.th of bulk silver. The films were applied to a 3.5 mil matte PET substrate with a "2.5" wire wound draw down bar and allowed to dry. In some cases, multiple passes were made. Typically, three passes yielded a 2-3 micron thick dried film. After subjecting the film to the pulse, in all cases the conductivity increased. Increases in conductivity to approximately 1/10 and in some cases ⅓ to ½ the conductivity of silver was observed. In testing, it was generally found that for a given total energy, the patterns processed using a higher power and a shorter pulse length gave better conductivity. Testing also showed that there was a threshold areal energy density, which if exceeded, blows the film off of the PET surface. Tests performed at a given energy above the threshold showed that the samples processed with a long pulse length had substantial thermal damage to the substrate, whereas the samples subjected to the shorter pulse lengths showed minimal or even undetectable thermal damage to the substrate. In this series of tests, the samples subjected to the shorter pulse lengths showed visibly cured silver around the edges of the blown off pattern, whereas the longer pulse length samples did not.        This evidence suggested that the shorter pulse lengths worked better. This information has far reaching implications. For short pulse lengths, it is possible to fully cure a sample without causing significant damage to the substrate. This can remove the thermal limitations of the substrate and allows a wide range of new substrates to be used such as PET, polyester, plastics, polymers, resins, fabrics, non-woven fabrics, paper products and organic compounds. While this process works for low temperature substrates, it is also applicable to high temperature substrates such as ceramics, composites, laminates, glass, silicon and most materials currently being used in the conductive patterning market. One aspect of the substrate that should be reviewed is its absorptivity in the wavelength of the flash emission. Generally, the substrate should not have a high absorptivity in the wavelength range of the flash because if it absorbs the energy of the flash it maybe damaged. If needed, filters can be used to remove the undesirable emission bands. One method to test whether the substrate is affected by the emission is to subject it to the cure conditions without any pattern. The substrate can then be inspected to determine if it has been adversely affected.4. Interconnections
There are several conventional methods of interconnecting a die with an interposer or an interposer with a conductive or metallized substrate. The techniques for connecting a die to a substrate include wire bonding, flip chip bonding, thermo compression bonding, adhesive bonding, welding or soldering, using ultrasonic energy, conductive adhesive, temperature and pressure, laser light or heat to create the electrical bond. The techniques for interconnecting an interposer with a conductive coated substrate include crimping, laser welding, soldering and applying an isotropic conductive film to produce the interconnect.

Capacitive coupling of an RFID tag with a touch screen device acting as a reader

Lower Churchfield, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo


An optical scanning device includes: a light source that emits a laser beam modulated and driven according to an image forming signal; a scanning optical system that includes a polygon mirror to scan a surface of a photoconductor with the laser beam from the light source; a surface identifying unit that associates a sub-scanning position by the polygon mirror with each surface of the polygon mirror; and a light-amount adjusting unit that adjusts a light amount of the light source according to the sub-scanning position, for each surface of the polygon mirror.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical scanning device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In color image forming apparatuses such as color laser printers, different color information is written with scanning beams of laser beams by multiple optical scanning units (optical scanning device) with scanning-image-forming optical systems independently to multiple photoconductors that are rotated by a driving mechanism, respectively. A tandem color image forming apparatus has been available in which by such writing with scanning beams, electrostatic latent images are formed, and these electrostatic latent images are visualized by multiple visualizing units into visible images in different colors, respectively, and then transferred onto a transfer material overlapped with each other, thereby obtaining a color image.
The respective optical scanning units described above emit laser beams from a laser constituted of a semiconductor that is driven and controlled according to a read image information signal of each color. The laser beam is concentrated on a surface of the photoconductor that is uniformed charged through optical parts, such as a polygon mirror and a lens, and scanned in a main scanning direction. On the surface of the rotating photoconductor, an image signal corresponding to multiple scanning beams are written as scanning beams at predetermined intervals, and an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon.
In such an image forming apparatus, by misregistration in a sub-scanning direction on a surface of the photoconductor caused by vibration of the optical scanning device from inclination of the surface of a polygon mirror and rotation of the polygon mirror, banding (density unevenness in the sub-scanning direction, horizontal strips) in a small pitch of about 1 millimeter (mm) to several mm in a cycle of a single rotation component of the polygon mirror occurs.
For the banding described above that is one of the points focused on in image quality, various techniques to suppress this phenomenon have been studied.
Particularly, as for the surface inclination of polygon mirrors, the precision in processing mirrors have almost reached the limit, and countermeasures other than that in the polygon processing have been demanded.
Near the surface of the respective photoconductors, a non-contact displacement meter to detect a displacement amount relative to an X-axis direction, and a non-contact displacement meter to detect a displacement amount relative to a Z-axis direction are arranged.
To each cylindrical lens in the optical scanning device, a piezoelectric element to shift in the Z-axis direction is mounted. Each optical detector sensor outputs a synchronization detecting signal, a light-amount monitor signal, and a sub-scanning displacement signal for a corresponding photoconductor drum.
A scanning control device controls the piezoelectric element for each photoconductor drum, based on a result of combining the output of the non-contact displacement meters and the sub-scanning displacement signal.
With the above configuration, a sub-scanning displacement is variably adjusted by minutely shifting the cylindrical lens in the Z-axis direction according to banding, and banding can be thereby suppressed.
However, in the above method, a structure to make a sub-scanning position variable by causing mechanical vibration to a cylindrical lens of by a piezoelectric element is required. Therefore, there is a scope for improvement in size and cost for a high-voltage power-supply circuit for piezoelectric driving and an optical housing.
In view of the above, there is a need to provide an optical scanning device that enables banding (density unevenness in a sub-scanning direction) to be suppressed by adjusting a laser beam position in the sub-scanning direction, and that achieves a high image quality and stabilizes an image quality at low cost.

Optical scanning device, method of adjusting optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus


A dual image bus image reproduction apparatus is disclosed, which comprises an image memory capable of storing at least one frame of an image signal, a reproduction processor for performing reproduction processing of the input image signal and a controller for controlling the reproduction processor for a predetermined period of time beginning with the connection of the power source to allow a predetermined signal be provided from the reproduction processor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing still images and, more particularly, to an apparatus for duplicatingly reproducing still images from a signal received from a broadcasting system, for instance.
2. Related Background Art
Recently proposed broadcast television systems intended for practical use, aside from the conventional NTSC system with an aspect ratio of 3:4 and a scanning for instance a HDTV system with an aspect ratio of 9:16 and a scanning line number of 1,125. The HDTV system can deal with about 5 times the image data quantity compared to the NTSC system and also uses a wide screen. Thus, it permits enjoyment of images which are dense and rich in the on-the-spot sense.
However, data quantity has been increased to such an extent that it can not be directly transmitted to each home due to limitations imposed on the broadcast waves and communication capacity. Therefore, bandwidth compression is adopted for transmission on the basis of commonly termed distribution quality, which is slightly inferior to the intrinsic image quality obtained in studio. Table 1 shows an example of specifications concerning the in-studio quality and distribution quality in the HDTV system.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ In-studio Distribution quality quality ______________________________________ Scanning line number 1,125 1,125 Brightness bandwidth 30 MHz 20 MHz (Y) Brightness sampling 74.25 MHz 48.6 MHz frequency Chromatic difference 15 MHz 7 MHz Bandwidth Chromatic difference 37.125 MHz 16.2 MHz sampling frequency ______________________________________
It is thus inevitable to provide distribution quality for home enjoyment of HDTV system image as motion image.
In the mean time, with the HDTV system the scanning line number is large, and image is dense and less subject to flickering. For this reason, the HDTV system image is enjoyable as still image rather than motion image, and utilization of the HDTV system in the fields of art, culture, education and animation has been expected. In the case of still image, the observer looks at one frame of image thoroughly for several seconds. For this reason, in-studio quality is required as the image quality.
Accordingly, a HDTV still image reproduction apparatus permitting enjoyment of in-studio quality is proposed separately from the HDTV motion image reproduction apparatus. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a prior art example of the structure. Reference numeral 10 designates an antenna for intercepting waves transmitted from a broadcasting satellite, 12 a HDTV still image reproduction apparatus, 14 a HDTV color monitor for displaying images with 1,125 scanning lines. In the still image reproduction apparatus, reference numeral 6 designates a tuner for converting waves received by antenna 10 into still image digital compression data, 18 a decoder for decoding still image digital compression data obtained by, for instance, bandwidth compression in a DPCM process, into original image data, 20 an image frame memory for storing one frame of decoded image data from decoder 18, and 22 a D/A converter for converting image data read out from image frame memory 20 into analog signal.
As to the transmission rate, since one still image frame is observed for at least in several seconds, it is usually about 2 Mbps for saving for transmission bandwidth (here bit rate of transmission).
In the prior art system, image data is transmitted unilaterally from the transmission side (for instance from a broadcast satellite). When connecting the power source of the still image reproduction apparatus, an indefinite pattern is displayed on monitor 14 until complete image data of the first frame is stored in image frame memory 20. The indefinite pattern is uncomfortable and is continued for at least several seconds.

Apparatus for still image reproduction which includes plural image busses


A semiconductor device includes a resin case, a plurality of external connection terminals fixedly provided on the resin case, and at least one semiconductor element provided in the resin case. At least one terminal block has at least one wiring terminal for electrically connecting the semiconductor element and the external connection terminals.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device. Particularly, it relates to a semiconductor device including semiconductor elements housed in a resin case.
In an apparatus such as an inverter apparatus, an uninterruptible power supply, a machine tool or an industrial robot, a semiconductor device (general purpose module) including power semiconductor elements mounted therein is used independently of a body of the apparatus. Such a semiconductor device has a structure in which power semiconductor elements are sealed (housed) in a resin case (e.g. see Patent Documents 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-6-045518, and Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2002-368192).
Wiring terminals (lead frames) are generally used for internally wiring such a semiconductor device (e.g. see Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2005-064441).
For example, FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing main part of a semiconductor device including a power semiconductor element housed in a resin case. FIG. 11 shows an example of the semiconductor device which is internally wired by use of a wiring terminal.
As shown in FIG. 11, the semiconductor device includes an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) element 100 disposed in a resin case 400. The IGBT element 100 mentioned herein is a vertical power semiconductor element which has an emitter electrode disposed in its upper surface, and a collector electrode disposed in its lower surface. The emitter electrode of the IGBT element 100 and a wiring substrate 200 are conductively connected to each other through a wiring terminal 600. The collector electrode of the IGBT element 100 is conductively connected to the wiring substrate 200 directly.
The emitter electrode and the wiring substrate 200 are generally joined to each other through the wiring terminal 600, for example, by soldering, ultrasonic bonding, laser welding or the like.
In the aforementioned semiconductor device, there was however a problem that it was impossible to change the layout of the wiring terminal 600 easily.
The invention has been developed in consideration of the aforementioned problem.
An object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor device which includes semiconductor elements housed in a resin case and in which it is possible to change the layout of at least one wiring terminal easily.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


A constant velocity counter track joint having an outer joint part (12) and an inner joint part forming first and second pairs of tracks (22, 23; 24, 25) each accommodating a torque transmitting ball (14), and a ball cage (15) with windows (18) each receiving at least one of the balls (14). When the joint is aligned, the opening angle (α) of the first pairs of tracks (22, 23) opens from the aperture end to the attaching end, and the opening angle (β) of the second pairs of tracks (24, 25) opens from the attaching end to the aperture end. The first pairs of tracks (22, 23) are designed in such a way that, when the joint is articulated, the opening angle (α) of the first pairs of tracks (22, 23), at a ball (14) entering the outer joint part (12) via the central plane (EM), initially becomes zero and then opens towards the aperture end.

Counter track joints are described in DE 100 60 119 A1, for example. Counter track joints typically comprise an outer joint part which includes a first longitudinal axis (La), an attaching end and an aperture end which are positioned axially opposite one another, as well as first outer ball tracks and second outer ball tracks. The outer joint part works with an inner joint part which comprises a second longitudinal axis (Li) and an attaching mechanism for a shaft pointing towards the aperture end of the outer joint part, as well as first inner ball tracks and second inner ball tracks. The first outer ball tracks and the first inner ball tracks form first pairs of tracks with one another. The second outer ball tracks and the second inner ball tracks form second pairs of tracks with one another. The pairs of tracks each accommodate a torque transmitting ball. A ball cage is positioned between the outer joint part and the inner joint part and comprises circumferentially distributed cage windows which each receive at least one of the torque transmitting balls. The centers (K) of the balls are held by the cage in a central ball plane (EK). The travel of the centers (K) of the balls in the ball tracks is defined as the center line (M) of the respective ball tracks. In a longitudinal section, the tangents at the balls in the points of contact with the ball tracks form opening angles relative to one another in the ball tracks. When the joint is in the aligned condition, the opening angle (α) of the first pairs of tracks opens from the aperture end to the attaching end. When the joint is in the aligned condition, the opening angle (β) of the second pairs of tracks opens from the attaching end to the aperture end.
Neglecting for a moment the necessary play for the balls, the center lines of the first and second pairs of tracks in an aligned joint are substantially mirror-symmetrical relative to one another with reference to the central plane (EM) of the joint; and when the joint is articulated, they are mirror-symmetric relative to one another with reference to the angle-bisecting plane. The "opening angles" are the angles between tangents at a ball in its points of contact with the track base lines and, respectively, between tangents at the track base lines in points of their greatest proximity to a ball. "Control angle" refers to the spatial angles between tangential planes at a ball in their points of contact with the track flanks under torque. Both angles can change when the joint is articulated and, in a qualitative sense, follow the same course. The angle-bisecting plane of these angles determines the direction of the forces acting from the pair of tracks on to a ball.
The terms "aperture end" and "attaching end" do not exclude the possibility that the counter track joint can be designed in the form of a disc joint which includes an aperture at the attaching end, too. In all cases, the aperture end is the end pointing to the entrance of the shaft into the inner joint part. To characterise the axial directions, the terms "attaching end" and "aperture end" are also used, and remain unchanged, with reference to the inner joint part.
In counter track joints as described in DE 100 60 119 A1, the forces acting on the balls in the first and second pairs of tracks point in opposite directions. The forces are supported by the cage which is thus subjected to a resultant axial force becoming zero. In consequence, the cage is supported in the outer joint part in a way which is substantially free from axial forces, so that the joint is characterised by low friction and thus by ease of operation and a high degree of efficiency.
From DE 100 60 220 A1, there are known counter track joints wherein the first pairs of tracks whose control angles open from the aperture end to the attaching end are widened at the aperture end, taking an S-shaped course. This means that the track center lines of the first outer ball tracks of the first pairs of tracks are curved outwardly towards the aperture end and that the track center lines of the first inner ball tracks are curved outwardly towards the attaching end. This S-shaped course taken by the ball tracks permits an increased joint articulation angle because when the joint is articulated, the balls which move towards the joint aperture are moved across a larger articulation range when still in the ball tracks and are able to contribute to the transmission of torque.
It has already been mentioned in the above publication that the second pairs of tracks of counter track joints of this type can be provided with a design as known from UF (undercut-free) joints or Rzeppa joints, i.e. that the center lines of the outer ball tracks and inner ball tracks consist of circular tracks whose centers are mutually axially offset relative to the central plane of the joint, or they are composed of such circular arches with tangential straight lines adjoining same in opposite directions.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,1331, it is known, even with genuine UF (undercut-free) joints or Rzeppa joints which comprise only pairs of tracks of the type mentioned last, to increase the possible angle of articulation by widening the ball tracks at the aperture end in the outer joint part, and in this case, too, it is possible to achieve a certain advantage in respect of ball guidance and torque transmission by the balls when the joint is articulated at the balls moving in the outer joint part towards the aperture.
The disadvantage of counter track joints, more particularly those wherein the track center lines of the first pairs of tracks are S-shaped, arises in the case of large articulation angles, where there occur positions in which the cage is no longer torque-balanced around the articulation axis. This leads to a deterioration in the joint control and can lead to jamming in the joint.

Counter track joint with control angle reversal


A quantity of a harvested product supplied by an elevator of a harvester from a lower side to an upper side is determined by measuring an elevator when it is located with the harvested product with consideration of weight of the empty elevator.

The present invention relates to a method of measuring a harvested product quantity, which is supplied to an elevator of an agricultural machine from below and which is transported upwardly by the elevator in a transporting direction, and then at the upper side is thrown from the elevator and/or stored in it.
During harvesting with harvesters of the above mentioned type, for example harvester threshers, an exact control of each instantaneously harvested harvesting product quantity is needed in order to guarantee an efficient use of the harvester and to timely take into consideration corresponding disturbances. Moreover, it is necessary to determine the received harvested product in a time interval, for example a day or an operational hour, for example in order to provide computations of dependent on the quantity during the labor work. Furthermore, it is possible to produce an accurate harvesting cadastre.
The German patent document DE 31 24 35 A1 discloses an agricultural harvester, in particular a harvester thresher, in which the harvested product is loaded from a co-movable container over an elevator or a conveyor in an available motor vehicle or a trailer. During the loading process the weight or the harvested product quantity is weighed by a continuous scales at the harvested product inlet and at the outlet of the elevator. Alternatively, it is proposed to count the revolutions of a filled emptying screw and in this manner to determine the loaded harvested product quantity.
For continuous measurement of the harvested product during the harvesting it is known to determine the harvested product quantity capacitatively during its passage through a capacitor arrangement located for example behind the elevator outlet. The disadvantage of this measuring method is that the different moisture in the measuring chamber falsifies the measuring results, so that a continuous calibration is necessary. Furthermore, the electrodes in the measuring chambers are damaged by the passing harvested product, so that these measuring devices are very maintenance-intensive.
In addition to the above mentioned problems, these methods involve very high measuring-, compensation- and computing expenses.

Method of measuring harvested product quantity in elevator of harvester