CONTROLLABLE READ BLOCKING BASED RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION
In some examples, a controllable read blocking based radio-frequency identification (RFID) device may include a substrate layer, and a trace formed of a conductive material and disposed on, partially within, or fully within the substrate layer. The controllable read blocking based RFID device may further include a controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace and including a fluid disposed in the controllable read blocking layer to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of a RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
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Radio-frequency identification (RFID) may use electromagnetic fields to identify and track tags attached to objects. The tags may include electronically stored information. Examples of tags include passive tags that collect energy from a nearby RFID reader's interrogating radio waves, and active tags that include a local power source such as a battery. RFID tags may be used in many industries, such as automotive, pharmaceutical, farming, etc.
Features of the present disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limited in the following figure(s), in which like numerals indicate like elements, in which:
For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the present disclosure is described by referring mainly to examples. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It will be readily apparent however, that the present disclosure may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, some methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.
Throughout the present disclosure, the terms “a” and “an” are intended to denote at least one of a particular element. As used herein, the term “includes” means includes but not limited to, the term “including” means including but not limited to. The term “based on” means based at least in part on.
A controllable read blocking based RFID device, and a method for forming a controllable read blocking based RFID device are disclosed herein. According to an example, the disclosed RFID device may include a substrate layer, and a trace formed of a conductive material. The trace may be disposed on, partially within, or fully within the substrate layer. Further, a controllable read blocking layer may be disposed on the substrate layer and the trace, and include a fluid disposed in the controllable read blocking layer to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of a RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device. The fluid may include, for example, a salt water solution to inhibit communication of a RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device. According to an example, the fluid may be mechanically removed from the RFID device, for example, via a valve so that once the fluid is removed, the RFID device is no longer shielded (i.e., a RFID reading device may communicate with the controllable read blocking based RFID device). According to another example, two fluids may be disposed in sealed reservoirs in the controllable read blocking layer so that once the contents of the sealed reservoirs are mixed, the RFID device is no longer shielded. In this case, mixing of the two fluids may cause a conductive fluid, which provides for shielding against electromagnetic waves, to lose its conductivity. In another example, mixing of the two fluids may cause conductive particles to solidify. According to a further example, two fluids including different weights may be disposed in reservoirs in the controllable read blocking layer so that rotation of the RFID device between shielding and non-shielding positions (i.e., first and second configurations as disclosed herein) causes one fluid to rise and another to fall to inhibit or allow passage of electromagnetic waves.
The controllable read blocking RFID device may be used, for example, to provide privacy over the unauthorized reading of RFID devices. In this regard, unauthorized readers may potentially use RFID information to identify or track packages, consumers, carriers, or the contents of a package. The controllable read blocking RFID device may address such RFID security concerns with respect to the illicit tracking of RFID devices. Further, the controllable read blocking RFID device may be used to minimize risks associated with personal location privacy and/or corporate/military security by selectively blocking or allowing passage of electromagnetic waves to respectively inhibit or allow communication of a RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
Referring to
The device 100 may further include a trace 106 formed of a conductive material that is disposed substantially within the channel 104. Alternatively, for a device 100 that does not include the channel 104, the trace 106 may be formed of a conductive material deposited or otherwise disposed on, partially within, or fully within the substrate layer 102.
In the example of
Referring to
According to an example, the substrate layer 102, the trace 106, and/or the controllable read blocking layer 108 may be formed of a transparent material.
The fluid 110 may include a conductive liquid to block electromagnetic waves. For example, with respect to blockage of electromagnetic waves at ultra high frequencies (e.g., in the range of 860 MHz to 960 MHz), the fluid 110 may include aqueous based solvents (e.g., water, low molecular weight alcohol, salt solutions, etc.), where the molecular interaction of the electromagnetic waves may result in blockage of the electromagnetic waves. With respect to blockage of lower frequencies (e.g., frequencies in the range of 125 kHz to 134 kHz), as well as other frequencies, the fluid 110 may similarly include aqueous based solvents (e.g., water, low molecular weight alcohol, salt solutions, etc.), where the interaction of the electromagnetic waves with the aqueous based solvents may result in blockage of the electromagnetic waves. The dissolved species (ions in solution) may interact with the lower frequency electromagnetic energy being set at the device 100. This aspect may decrease the signal strength enough to prevent the device 100 from either gaining enough energy to turn off or send a strong enough response for a reader to read.
Further examples of the fluid 110 may include fluids such as Potassium chloride (KCI) solution (0.1 n) including a conductivity of approximately 1.05 siemens per meter (S/m), Sodium Chloride (NaCl) solution (saturated) including a conductivity of approximately 20.14 S/m, Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution (saturated) including a conductivity of approximately 41.2 S/m, Hydrogen chloride (HCl) (saturated) including a conductivity of approximately 852000 S/m, Ethyl alcohol including a conductivity of approximately 3.3×10−4 S/m, deionized (DI) water including a conductivity of approximately 2×10−4 S/m, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PDOT:PSS) including a conductivity of approximately 4.6×105 S/m, and other such conductive fluids.
The fluid 110 that is selected for the device 100 may be selected to specifically tune the device 100 to block or allow specific electromagnetic waves. For example, as disclosed herein, with respect to blockage of electromagnetic waves at ultra high frequencies (e.g., in the range of 860 MHz to 960 MHz), the fluid 110 may include aqueous based solvents (e.g., water, low molecular weight alcohol, salt solutions, etc.), where the molecular interaction of the electromagnetic waves may result in blockage of the electromagnetic waves.
The device 100 may be configured for one-time usage (e.g., from blocking to allowing passage of electromagnetic waves). However, with respect to the discussion herein, it will be appreciated that various combinations of the device 100 as disclosed herein with reference to
Referring to
According to another example, the fluid 110 may be removed from the controllable read blocking layer 108 by punching (or otherwise piercing) the sealed reservoir 112 which includes the fluid 110. For example, the sealed reservoir 112 may be formed of a material that is pierceable to release the fluid 110 from the sealed reservoir 112 to allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace 106 to allow communication of the RFID reading device 302 with the device 100.
Referring again to
With respect to the device 100 illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
With respect to the device 100 configured for one-time usage, for the example of the fluid 110 disposed in the sealed reservoir 502, and the other fluid 500 disposed in another sealed reservoir 504, when the valve 506 associated with the sealed reservoirs 502 and 504 is opened, the fluid 110 may mix with the other fluid 500 so that conductive solvents (e.g., ionic material) in the fluid 110 are, for example, solidified based on precipitation of the conductive solutes. The fluid 110 may include dissolved salts near the solubility limits of the solvent, and when the fluid 500 is introduced to the fluid 110, the secondary solvent destabilizes the ions in solution causing the ions to precipitate out. This precipitation lessens the capability of the fluid 110 to block the electromagnetic frequencies that the device 100 operates at. In this manner, the fluid 110 may be rendered neutral. Once the fluid 110 is rendered neutral, the controllable read blocking layer 108 allows for passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace 106 to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the device 100.
The device 100 which includes the fluid 110 provided for a one-time usage may be used in environments such as shops where associated goods may not need to be identified until the device 100 is configured for identification, during transportation of goods where identification of goods may need to be concealed to prevent theft, for privacy purposes where identification of goods by an unauthorized entity may need to be concealed, for privacy purposes where identification of the device 100 by an unauthorized entity may need to be concealed, to prevent cross-device interference where a RFID reading device may inadvertently identify another RFID device similar to the device 100, etc.
The device 100 may be configured for switchable usage between blocking and allowing passage of electromagnetic waves.
With respect to the device 100 which includes switchable usage,
Referring to
The first fluid 110 disposed in the first sealed reservoir 600 may be in controllable communication with a second fluid 602 disposed in a second sealed reservoir 604. For example, a valve 606 may provide for controllable communication of the first fluid 110 in the first sealed reservoir 600 with the second fluid 602 disposed in the second sealed reservoir 604. The controllable communication may thus allow or prevent mixing of the first and second fluids 110 and 602.
As shown in
The first fluid 110 may include a heavier weight compared to the second fluid 602 so that when the fluids 110 and 602 mix, the fluid 110 sinks below the second fluid 602 (e.g., in a similar manner as water sinks below oil), in the orientation of
Examples of the first fluid 110 may include fluids with aqueous based solvents (e.g., water, low molecular weight alcohol, salt solutions, etc.), and examples of the second fluid 602 may include fluids with non-aqueous based solvents (e.g., organic based solvents, longer carbon chain liquids, oils, etc.).
When the device 100 is oriented in a first configuration such that the heavier weight first fluid 110 is positioned along a plane where the device 100 may receive electromagnetic waves from a RFID reading device (e.g., assuming that the electromagnetic waves are above the device 100 in the orientation of
With respect to the device 100 which includes switchable usage between blocking and allowing passage of electromagnetic waves, for the example including the first fluid 110 which includes a heavier weight compared to the second fluid 602, the device 100 may remain in a blocking state where the heavier weight fluid 110 is positioned along a plane where the device 100 may receive electromagnetic waves from a RFID reading device, until the valve 606 is opened. For example, the valve 606 may be opened by breaking a seal between the first sealed reservoir 600 and the second sealed reservoir 604, or otherwise opening the valve 606 between the first sealed reservoir 600 and the second sealed reservoir 604. In this manner, once the valve 606 is opened, when the device 100 is oriented in a first configuration such that the heavier weight fluid 110 is positioned along a plane where the device 100 may receive electromagnetic waves from a RFID reading device, the electromagnetic waves are blocked. When the device 100 is rotated (e.g., 180° in the orientation of
Referring again to
Referring to
Referring to
With respect to the roll to roll manufacturing techniques of
Referring to
At block 1004, the method may include placing the fluid 110 in the controllable read blocking layer 108 disposed on the substrate layer 102 and the trace 106 to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace 106 to respectively inhibit or allow communication of a RFID reading device with the device 100.
According to an example, for the method 1000, placing the fluid 110 in the controllable read blocking layer 108 disposed on the substrate layer 102 and the trace 106 to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace 106 to respectively inhibit or allow communication of the RFID reading device with the device 100 may further include placing the fluid 110 in the controllable read blocking layer 108 disposed on the substrate layer 102 and the trace 106 to allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace 106 to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the device 100 upon opening of a valve (e.g., see
According to an example, for the method 1000, the controllable read blocking layer may include a permeable material to provide for passage of the fluid 110 upon release of the fluid 110 from a sealed reservoir in the controllable read blocking layer 108 and/or a desiccating material to provide for desiccation of the fluid 110 upon release of the fluid 110 from the sealed reservoir (e.g., see discussion with respect to
What has been described and illustrated herein is an example along with some of its variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the subject matter, which is intended to be defined by the following claims—and their equivalents—in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated.
Claims
1. A controllable read blocking based radio-frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:
- a substrate layer;
- a trace formed of a conductive material and disposed on, partially within, or fully within the substrate layer; and
- a controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace and including a fluid disposed in the controllable read blocking layer to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of a RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
2. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 1, wherein the controllable read blocking layer includes a sealed reservoir including the fluid, further comprising:
- a valve operably connected to the sealed reservoir to release the fluid from the sealed reservoir upon actuation of the valve to allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
3. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 1, wherein
- the controllable read blocking layer includes a sealed reservoir including the fluid, and
- the sealed reservoir is formed of a material that is pierceable to release the fluid from the sealed reservoir to allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
4. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 1, wherein
- the controllable read blocking layer includes a sealed reservoir including the fluid,
- the controllable read blocking layer includes a permeable material to provide for passage of the fluid upon release of the fluid from the sealed reservoir, and
- the controllable read blocking layer allows for passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device upon release of the fluid from the sealed reservoir.
5. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 1, wherein
- the controllable read blocking layer includes a sealed reservoir including the fluid,
- the controllable read blocking layer includes a desiccating material to provide for desiccation of the fluid upon release of the fluid from the sealed reservoir, and
- the controllable read blocking layer allows for passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device upon release of the fluid from the sealed reservoir.
6. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 1, wherein
- the controllable read blocking layer includes a sealed reservoir including the fluid and a further sealed reservoir including a further fluid, and
- upon mixing of the fluid in the sealed reservoir with the further fluid in the further sealed reservoir, the fluid in the sealed reservoir is rendered neutral and the controllable read blocking layer allows for passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
7. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 1, wherein
- the controllable read blocking layer includes a sealed reservoir including the fluid and a further sealed reservoir including a further fluid, and
- upon mixing of the fluid in the sealed reservoir with the further fluid in the further sealed reservoir, conductive solvents in the fluid in the sealed reservoir are solidified to render the fluid in the sealed reservoir neutral and the controllable read blocking layer allows for passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
8. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid includes aqueous based solvents.
9. A controllable read blocking based radio-frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:
- a substrate layer;
- a trace formed of a conductive material and disposed on, partially within, or fully within the substrate layer; and
- a controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace and including a first fluid disposed in a first sealed reservoir in the controllable read blocking layer to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of a RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device, wherein the first fluid disposed in the first sealed reservoir is in controllable communication with a second fluid disposed in a second sealed reservoir, and the controllable communication allows or prevents mixing of the first and second fluids.
10. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 9, wherein
- the first sealed reservoir is disposed on a first side of the controllable read blocking based RFID device,
- the second sealed reservoir is disposed on a second side of the controllable read blocking based RFID device that is different than the first side,
- orientation of the controllable read blocking based RFID device in a first configuration blocks passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to inhibit communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device, and
- orientation of the controllable read blocking based RFID device in a second configuration that is different than the first configuration allows passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
11. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 9, wherein the first fluid disposed in the first sealed reservoir includes a heavier weight compared to the second fluid disposed in the second sealed reservoir.
12. The controllable read blocking based RFID device according to claim 9, wherein the first fluid disposed in the first sealed reservoir interacts with the second fluid disposed in the second sealed reservoir when a valve associated with at least one of the first and second sealed reservoirs is opened for the controllable communication to allow mixing of the first and second fluids.
13. A method for forming a controllable read blocking based radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, the method comprising:
- forming a trace that includes a conductive material, wherein the trace is disposed on, partially within, or fully within a substrate layer; and
- placing a fluid in a controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of a RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein placing the fluid in the controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device further comprises:
- placing the fluid in the controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace to allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device upon opening of a valve connected to a sealed reservoir that includes the fluid to release the fluid from the sealed reservoir.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein placing the fluid in the controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device further comprises:
- placing the fluid in the controllable read blocking layer disposed on the substrate layer and the trace to selectively block or allow passage of electromagnetic waves to the trace to respectively inhibit or allow communication of the RFID reading device with the controllable read blocking based RFID device, wherein the controllable read blocking layer includes at least one of a permeable material to provide for passage of the fluid upon release of the fluid from a sealed reservoir in the controllable read blocking layer and a desiccating material to provide for desiccation of the fluid upon release of the fluid from the sealed reservoir.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 22, 2017
Publication Date: Dec 12, 2019
Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (Spring, TX)
Inventors: Ning Ge (Palo Alto, CA), Jarrid Wittkopf (Palo Alto, CA), Robert Ionescu (Palo Alto, CA), Helen A. Holder (Palo Alto, CA), Paul Howard Mazurkiewicz (Ft. Collins, CO)
Application Number: 16/463,525