HK1053525B - Electronic label - Google Patents

Description

Electronic label

The invention relates to an electronic tag, in particular to a flexible electronic tag.

In the case of electronic tags, assemblies comprising at least one flexible support, an antenna and an electronic chip are known. The assembly may include several antennas or several chips, as desired. The electronic tags are in the form of keys, smart cards and even luggage tags. They can communicate with a remote reader via an antenna. The antenna is not only used as a communication device, but also for generating the energy necessary for the electronic chip.

According to an embodiment, the antenna is attached to the flexible support or directly inscribed or embedded on the flexible support.

There are various chips with different functions, some of which allow, for example, only reading of information, while others allow the memorization and modification of their memories. One of the latter uses is for electronic purses, which have to be made smaller for the consumption of the user.

Document US 5844244 describes an electronic data carrier comprising a chip and an antenna contained in a dielectric material. The carrier can be fixed to any support in a removable and exchangeable manner. In this implementation, the dielectric material is the only element protecting the chip, the protection of which is not sufficient in many applications because it lacks rigidity.

Document US 4754285 describes an antenna for a radio-frequency transceiver placed on a wrist-type device, which is made up of a multi-strand wire loop. The antenna extends along the entire wristband and its end may be connected to a transceiver. This independent configuration allows the wristband to extend without interrupting the antenna.

Document WO 093/12513 discloses a security seal comprising a support to one surface of which is affixed an electronic security circuit, which essentially comprises a thin wire coil connected to an electronic device. The circuit functions as a transponder in response to an external control device by using the coil as an antenna. The sealing means may comprise different adhesive means which, once the device is used to seal a container, any attempt to peel or tear it will cause the electrical circuit to be broken and it can no longer be returned to the control means.

The object of the invention is a flexible electronic label. We find them embedded in the jacket (bractelet) of the exhibition ticket or badge, even in the material of the clothing. They may be incorporated into an object such as an article of clothing or take the form of the object (e.g. a flexible support for a cuff).

If an antenna manufactured in the form of a thin copper wire assembly is easily bent and twisted, a rigid region is required for the electronic chip itself in order to implant the electronic chip. In fact, silicon chips are fragile, which is why they are embedded in a resin that protects them from mechanical damage and chemical attack (corrosion). The resin also protects the contacts between the chip and the antenna.

The chip area is an area that cannot be folded in order not to damage the chip or its contacts. Due to the embedding of the chip, the diameter of this area is about 5-7 mm. Embedding of the chip is an additional manufacturing operation and makes the cost of such tags even higher.

The object of the invention is on the one hand to reduce the rigid zone on the flexible support while ensuring the protection of the chip.

This object is achieved by a flexible electronic tag comprising at least one flexible support, an antenna and an electronic chip, said chip being rigidly assembled with said flexible support and connected to the antenna, characterized in that the protection of the chip is ensured by a non-removable rigid part attached to at least one face of the flexible support, said non-removable rigid part being positioned so that it covers at least the area occupied by said chip.

In this way, it is no longer the embedding of the chip that ensures its rigidity, but the rigid component placed above the chip or below it. The component may be used as a decorative component.

For example, the rigid component may be a rigid component that fits over the flexible support, such as a fastener or extension of a fastener. In this way, the fastener of the cuff may extend to cover the chip mounted on the flexible portion of the cuff. This applies to all types of fasteners, whether it be a wristband with a tongue or a fastener dedicated to hospital patients. There are always rigid components that can be used as chip protectors.

In the absence of fasteners, the rigid member may also take the form of a rigid dome that is free standing, covers the site where the chip is located on either side of the flexible support, and has feet that pass through the flexible support to engage the plate for this purpose.

According to another embodiment, a rigid dome is placed under the electronic chip.

Other forms or means of assembly are conceivable, such as gluing, welding or heat deformation of the feet.

In some applications, it is of interest to later reassemble the chip, even if the chip is changed as needed. For this purpose, the invention is equally applied to rigid components comprising an electronic chip connected to an antenna by means of contact pads provided for this purpose.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, with reference to the attached drawings, given as a non-limiting example, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a cuff having a fastener with a tongue, including an electronic tag according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a flexible cuff including an electronic tag and additional rigid components;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the flexible cuff of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows an antenna of an electronic tag to which an electronic chip may be connected;

fig. 5 shows an assembly of electronic chips in contact with an antenna mounted on a flexible support.

In fig. 1, we can distinguish the antenna 3 included in the flexible cuff 2 by a dotted line. The antenna is usually implemented between two layers of fabric, so as to protect it mechanically. The electronic chip 4 is arranged along the antenna 3 and is typically connected to the antenna 3 by two gold wires. The fastener (fstener)1 is rigid and has, in this example, a protrusion 1a covering the position where the chip 4 is placed.

Other forms of fasteners may be used, for example, with a chip, a portion of which would be extended to be placed just above the electronic chip.

When a low cost cuff is used, the cuff may have only one layer; the antenna and the electronic chip are attached to the inside of the cuff according to the present invention, and a portion of the fastener covers the electronic chip.

Fig. 2 shows an implementation of a portion of the protection chip that we do not wish to use with the fastener 1. In this case we use a component 5 attached to the chip. The component 5, here in the form of a dome, is attached to the flexible support 2. The component 5 can be held in several ways by gluing or heat gluing, or by joining. The dome may be used as an advertising support, for example in the form of a logo for a company.

This way of assembling the electronic tag applies to every flexible support and is not limited to a ferrule. Such a component may be incorporated into a ticket or playslip, into an article of clothing, or into a number on the back of a runner.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an example of an implementation of such a rigid part. We can discern the top of the dome 5 with two feet 5a and 5b, said two feet 5a and 5b engaging into the plate 6 through the flexible support 2. The flexible support 2 consists of a top layer 2a and a bottom layer 2 b. An antenna 3 is placed between these two layers and connected to an electronic chip 4. In an implementation form, not shown, the top layer covers the electronic chip. In another embodiment shown in fig. 3, the top layer has an aperture through which the electronic chip passes. The latter structure can reduce the thickness.

According to another embodiment, the dome 5 has small holes 5c and 5d for filling the space on the chip 4 with a filling material such as epoxy or silicone. This prevents the chip 4 from being corroded by moist, evaporating or corrosive cleaning agents. The resin is injected through the first small hole 5c, and when the space under the dome 5 is filled, the excess resin flows out again through the small hole 5 d.

According to one embodiment of this realisation, the dome 5 is filled beforehand with a drop of resin between the placing in position of the dome 5. Excess resin flows out through a small hole reserved.

Fig. 4 shows an implementation of the flexible support 2 comprising the antenna 3 but without the electronic chip 4. The flexible support 2 exhibits two areas 7a and 7b in which the two conductive ends of the antenna are accessible. These two regions are coated with a conductive material (gold, aluminum, copper, or carbon) as needed. To facilitate the assembly, two small holes 2c and 2d for the assembly are provided on both sides of the groove.

The components of this implementation are illustrated in FIG. 5. The rigid part 5 comprises an electronic chip 4. Thus, it is the action of placing the protective object that the chip will come into contact with the antenna, and the tag can operate. To this end, according to one embodiment, the rigid part 5 comprises a base body 9 on which the electronic chip is placed. Also on this base body, there are two wires 8a and 8b placed in front of the two grooves 7a and 7b to connect to the antenna 3. These wires may be realized, for example, by depositing carbon. The assembly of the feet 5a and 5b through the rigid part 5 of the flexible support has the advantage of simultaneously ensuring the positioning of the contacts between the antenna and the chip.

In order to improve stability and conductivity between the chip and the antenna, a conductive paste may be applied to the contacts as a conductive adhesive.

Other forms of realization of the chip do not require the presence of the matrix 9. Electronic chips comprising a relief (relief) for connection, called "face down", are known. Due to these ribs, the chip can be attached directly to the flexible support and thus connected to the antenna. According to another embodiment, the chip is coated with a conductive film that ensures conduction between the chip and the antenna. In this implementation the conductive regions are outlined by a heat treatment.

According to one embodiment of this implementation, the rigid component 5 comprises accessories such as batteries, vibrators, LEDs or sensors for various applications of the tag.

Specialized cuffs are used, for example, to control access to exhibitions or to identify hospital patients. These special cuffs are conceived to be opened only by damaging the cuff. In view of this, it is important that the verification done by the electronic label can be interrupted as much with the same qualification (title) as the visual verification.

According to one embodiment, the fasteners, a portion of which covers the electronic chip, are arranged to damage the chip or the antenna in case of an attempt to open the cuff. Several embodiments are available for this purpose.

According to a first embodiment, the fastener portion covering the chip is glued to the chip. In this way, in the case of forced opening of the fastener, the electronic chip is torn off its flexible support and does not come into contact with the antenna, so that the electronic chip can no longer operate. The adhesive force of the adhesive holding the die on the flexible support is less than the adhesive force of the adhesive attaching the die to the fastener.

According to a second embodiment, the fastener portion of the protective chip has two pins passing through the flexible cuff. The aperture of the flexible cuff is brought closer together and at least one wire of the antenna passes between them. The two pins are widened at their ends to prevent them from being re-extracted. This function can be ensured by the part added by means of the engagement or by the part obtained by deformation of the plug, for example by heating.

In the event that an attempt is made to forcibly open the latch, the latch cannot be removed from the aperture without tearing the path between the two latch apertures, which eventually results in the antenna being interrupted and the tag no longer functioning.

Although this security measure is also suitable for a violation of a fastener, there is always the possibility for a fraudster to cut the cuff and transfer it to a third person who is then able to identify himself/herself due to the electronic function of the tag.

To prevent such a trick, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, we propose to exhibit (display) at least one turn of the antenna along the whole length of the electronic tag. It is thus not possible to switch off such a ferrule without interrupting the antenna and thus the function of the sub-module.

It is not necessary to display all antennas along the length of the ferrule; it is sufficient that a loop of the antenna passes from one portion of the fastener to the other portion of the fastener without leaving a path that interrupts the collar.

According to one embodiment of such an implementation, the electronic chip has two connections between which a connection must be forced in order to allow the functionality of the chip. These two connections are connected to a conductor which extends along the length of the electronic tag and ensures that any cutting of the electronic tag will inevitably interrupt the conductor, thereby terminating the operation of the chip.

This same function of the wire can be used to automatically disable the tag. We can imagine a ticket with a portion of it engraved (score), but with the wire passing through. In the process of ticket confirmation, the staff cuts off the attached ticket at the reserved position and interrupts the lead. This operation renders the electronic module inoperable.

The portions for separating may be obtained by scoring or by thinning a certain area of the label. In fact, to facilitate such cutting, the thickness of the flexible support may be reduced.

Claims (11)

1. A flexible electronic tag comprising at least one flexible support (2), an antenna (3) and an electronic chip (4), said chip (4) being rigidly assembled with said flexible support (2) and connected to the antenna (3), characterized in that the protection of the chip (4) is ensured by a non-removable rigid member attached to at least one face of the flexible support (2), said non-removable rigid member being positioned so that it covers at least the area occupied by said chip (4).

2. An electronic label according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-detachable rigid part is part of a part that is used as a closing part or a fixing part of the label.

3. An electronic label according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-detachable rigid part is a separate part serving to protect the chip (4).

4. An electronic label according to claim 3, characterized in that the separate parts are assembled to the flexible support (2) by gluing, welding or by joining.

5. An electronic label according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the separate part is filled with a substance covering the chip (4).

6. An electronic label according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one conductor is arranged along the entire length of the label, the interruption of said conductor stopping the operation of the label.

7. An electronic label according to claim 6, characterized in that the wire is part of the antenna (3).

8. An electronic label according to claim 6, characterized in that the two ends of the wire are connected to the electronic chip (4).

9. An electronic label according to claim 6, characterized in that the conductor passes through the separation zone of reduced robustness.

10. An electronic label according to claim 1, characterized in that said non-removable rigid element comprises an adhesive interposed between the chip (4) and said non-removable rigid element, the adhesive force of which is greater than the adhesive force of the adhesive interposed between the chip (4) and the flexible support (2), said adhesive preventing the destruction of the chip (4) and/or of the antenna (3) due to the detachment of said non-removable rigid element from the flexible support (2).

11. An electronic label according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible support (2) has at least two apertures between which at least one conductor of the antenna (3) passes, and that the flexible support (2) has at least two pins connected to the non-detachable rigid part and passing through said apertures, said pins being widened at their ends by the addition of a part or by deformation.