Patent Application
20120212149
The present invention is in the field of visual indicators and more specifically in the field of radio frequency enabled device to generate optical signals.
The visual appeal of labels and promotional display material is often a key factor in getting consumers to notice, and potentially buy, a product. Therefore, methods and techniques that add visual appeal to a product can potentially be very valuable. For example, retail products having labels that variably emit light or otherwise change optical properties when a customer is in the vicinity may attract an otherwise uninterested customers to the product.
Generally, construction of such labels may include a transmitting device, a receiving device and some type of optical element controlled by a power source. Often times however, variably improving the visual appeal of a product utilizing such labels is not cost effective. For example, the cost of attaching an individual label to each of a number of relatively inexpensive articles may outweigh the benefits of increased attention to the product. More advanced methods such as the ability to wirelessly control the visual output and integrating intelligent elements with the optical element only further serve to increase the expense.
The embodiments of the present invention described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present invention.
According to one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus, system and method for a remotely powered optical output label is disclosed. The system can include a transmitting device including at least one transmitting antenna and a power source. A receiving label may be in remote communication with the transmitting device, the receiving label including a receiving antenna to at least one optical element. The optical element may be selectively controlled and powered to variably emit light using energy transmitted by the transmitting device.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the presently described invention, an optical output label is described and includes a transmitting device that has at least one transmitting antenna and a power source. The output label includes at least one receiving label in remote communication with the transmitting device with the at least one receiving label including a receiving antenna and a capacitor connected to at least one optical element.
In a still further exemplary embodiment of the presently described invention, a method of variably controlling the optical output of a label is provided and includes the steps of initially arranging the capacitance of an optical element to be resonant with a receiving antenna of a receiving label at a first frequency. Then, transmitting energy from a remote transmitting device at the first frequency. Next, receiving energy from the transmitting device at the receiving antenna at the first frequency in order to activate the optical element. Then, selectively controlling the output of the optical element by varying factors associated with the energy transmitted by the transmitting device.
In a yet still further exemplary embodiment of the presently described invention, a method for producing a plurality of optical output labels, is presented and initially includes the steps of forming a plurality of light cells on a single roll of material in grid form, with each light cell having at least one antenna and at least one light emitting element. Then, separating at least one of the plurality of light cells from the roll to form a label having an optical output.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description of the various embodiments and specific examples, while indicating preferred and other embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments. The following detailed description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures in which:
a is an exemplary embodiment of a receiving label with a series-parallel arrangement of diodes;
b is another exemplary embodiment a receiving label with a series-parallel arrangement of diodes;
Aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following description and related figures directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention.
As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance or illustration.” The embodiments described herein are not limiting, but rather are exemplary only. It should be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Moreover, the terms “embodiments of the invention”, “embodiments” or “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.
Further, many of the embodiments described herein are described in terms of sequences of actions to be performed by, for example, elements of a computing device. It should be recognized by those skilled in the art that the various sequence of actions described herein can be performed by specific circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)) and/or by program instructions executed by at least one processor. Additionally, the sequence of actions described herein can be embodied entirely within any form of computer-readable storage medium such that execution of the sequence of actions enables the processor to perform the functionality described herein. Thus, the various aspects of the present invention may be embodied in a number of different forms, all of which have been contemplated to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. In addition, for each of the embodiments described herein, the corresponding form of any such embodiments may be described herein as, for example, “a computer configured to” perform the described action.
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Receiving labels 106 may have a receiving antenna, for example receiving antenna 108. Receiving labels 106 may also have resonating capacitor 110 or matching element giving improved power transfer between 102 and 106. Resonating capacitor 110 may be connected to at least one light emitting structure or optical element known to those of ordinary skill in the art such as light emmiting diodes, electroluminescent materials, gas discharge devices as well as non emmisive structures such as liquid crystal display elements, electrophoretic display elements or combinations of both. The light emitting structures or optical elements may be powered by a battery, other storage device or by receiving energy from a transmitting device. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, as shown in
In a further embodiment, transmitter 102 may detect the energy RF energy absorption of label 106 and adjust frequency F1 to maximize power transfer.
In a further embodiment, the emission of label 106 may be either all or partially at wavelengths invisible to human beings, such as infra-red or ultraviolet. The ultraviolet emission may be used to cause effects such as fluorescence from parts of the product where it would be impractical to directly mount the label, for example inside a product. The infra red emission may be well suited to reception by camera systems and allow easy monitoring of how many emitters are present and detection of their removal from proximity to the powering transmitter 102.
Generally referring to the light emitting structures or optical elements of the present invention, these elements may be optionally controlled using the energy from the transmitting device. For example, these elements may be optionally controlled by varying such factors as signal strength, frequency, field orientation or other techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In another exemplary embodiment, a transmitting device may transmit data to an intelligent device, for example a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, integrated with the optical element, that controls some aspect of the optical emission.
Referring to transmitter 102, the unit may be a standalone structure in the form of a mat or shelf or integrated into a structure designed to hold or contain products. The transmitter may be powered from a continuous supply, such as a buildings main supply, or batteries, either rechargeable or non-rechargeable. The transmitter, and hence any labels 106 in range, may be switched in response to an event or combination of events, such as the time of day, presence or absence of light or detection of a person by mean such as a passive infra-red detector. Depending on the frequency F1 used to transfer energy from transmitter 102 to receiving elements 105, the transmitter may be on the opposite side of a fixed structure such as a wall or door, allowing an optical emitter to be powered without the use of wiring.
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Electro-luminescent panel 212 may be either a direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) panel. In one embodiment, electro-luminescent panel 212 may utilize an AC signal drive at frequencies between, for example, 100 Hz and 40 kHz. The capacitance of electro-luminescent panel 212 may be resonated with receiving antenna 108 at a first frequency, F1. Transmitting device 102 may also be set to first frequency F1. When in proximity to transmitting antenna 104, a high voltage at F1 may be generated across electro-luminescent panel 212, which may cause electro-luminescent panel 212 to emit light.
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First receiving label 506 and second receiving label 508 may be tuned to different frequencies. For example, first receiving label 506 may be resonant at third frequency F3 and second receiving label 508 may be resonant at fourth frequency F4. Transmitting device 502 may at least transmit energy at third frequency F3, fourth frequency F4, or both. If transmitting device 502 transmits energy at third frequency F3, first receiving label 506 may react by turning on first set of LEDs 510. If transmitting device 502 transmits energy at fourth frequency F4, second receiving label 508 may react by turning on second set of LEDs 512. If transmitting device 502 transmits energy at both third frequency F3 and fourth frequency F4, both first set of LEDs 510 and second set of LEDs 512 may be turned on. Furthermore, if the relative field strength is adjusted, a range of colors may be produced.
It should be recognized by those skilled in the art that additional receiving labels that resonant at different frequencies and with different color LEDs are within the scope of the claimed subject matter. Thus, still referring to
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Antennas 604 may be formed, for example, by etching, laser ablation of unwanted material, or other suitable methods known to those skilled in the art. The light emitting elements 606 may be printed on the antennas 604. The roll 602 may be a material that is used to form labels that have an optical output by, for example, die cutting between the light cells 600. Graphics may be added by printing, merging with a printable translucent plastic or paper, or by other known methods. In one exemplary embodiment, the individual light cells 600 may have an interconnection between them that, when cut, may modify the tuning of each light cell 600. Furthermore, modifications may be made to compensate for light cells 600 on the edge of roll 602 to compensate for these cells not interacting with other cells on all sides.
It should be recognized by those skilled in the art that for the above circuit arrangements, a number of types of emissive display elements may be used. For example, LEDs, printed AC or DC electroluminescent materials, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), polymer light emitting diodes or the like may be utilized by the present invention. Furthermore, the above circuit arrangements may be formed in a number of ways, for example by printing or other known methods to create thin, flexible labels.
The foregoing description and accompanying figures illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
