Patent Application
20140139319
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to input forms that are configured to provide electronic data that is remotely readable. In an embodiment, the electronic data is remotely readable via a wireless interface circuit (e.g., a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag circuit). Some embodiments also include methods and systems relating to forming and using the input forms.
Punch cards have been used for many years as a means of storing and conveying digital information. The information is generated by creating holes in predefined positions on the card. A reader interprets the information based on the positions of the holes.
Bubble sheets or optical answer sheets are often used for examinations and operate on a similar principle. Information is generated by filling in blank ovals on the sheet using a pencil or pen. An electronic reader interprets the information based on those ovals that are filled.
While these and similar technologies provide established methods for storing and conveying digital information using forms, improved methods and systems are constantly desired for making digital information easier to generate and more efficient to read.
Some embodiments of the present invention provide improved means for generating and reading digital information using input forms. The digital information may be referred to as electronic data. This is because the information can be electronically communicated directly to a reader and can be accessed remotely. This is in contrast to punch cards, bubble sheets, and other similar technologies where physical inspection by a reader is required to interpret the information.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a system for obtaining electronic data from a plurality of forms includes a plurality of electronic sensors, where at least one electronic sensor is coupled to each form. Each electronic sensor may be configured to sense at least a first state and a second state based on manipulation of the form to which the electronic sensor is coupled. The system also includes a plurality of RFID tag circuits, where at least one of the RFID tag circuits is coupled to each form and to the at least one electronic sensor coupled to the form. The system also includes an RFID reader configured to communicate with the plurality of RFID tag circuits to obtain the electronic data from the plurality of forms. For each form the electronic data includes at least one state of the at least one electronic sensor coupled to the form.
In an embodiment, the plurality of electronic sensors are printed electronic sensors comprising a conductive ink. In another embodiment, the plurality of RFID tag circuits are printed RFID tag circuits comprising a conductive ink.
In one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of forms comprises paper. In another embodiment, at least one of the plurality of forms comprises plastic.
In another embodiment, at least a portion of the RFID tag circuits are active RFID tag circuits that include a memory. Each active RFID tag circuit may be configured to store in the memory changes between the first state and the second state sensed by the at least one electronic sensor.
In yet another embodiment, at least a portion of the RFID tag circuits are passive RFID tag circuits. The RFID reader may be configured to interrogate the passive RFID tag circuits using radio frequency (RF) signals to obtain the electronic data.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a form for providing electronic data includes a substrate, a wireless interface circuit coupled to the substrate, and at least one electronic sensor coupled to the substrate and to the wireless interface circuit. The electronic sensor may be configured to sense at least a first state and a second state based on manipulation of the substrate or manipulation of the electronic sensor. The wireless interface circuit may be configured to provide the electronic data including at least one state of the electronic sensor to a reader.
In an embodiment, the wireless interface circuit includes an RFID tag circuit. In another embodiment, the wireless interface circuit is based on at least one of an ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-11, ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15, or IEEE 802 standard.
In one embodiment, the at least one electronic sensor comprises an electronic circuit that is bonded to the substrate. In another embodiment, the wireless interface circuit comprises an electronic circuit that is bonded to the substrate.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a form that is configured to provide electronic data includes providing a substrate, forming an RFID tag circuit on the substrate, and forming an electronic sensor on the substrate. The electronic sensor may be coupled to the RFID tag circuit and configured to sense at least a first state and a second state based on manipulation of the substrate. The RFID tag circuit may be configured to provide the electronic data including a state of the electronic sensor to an RFID reader.
These and other embodiments, along with many advantages and features, are described in more detail below in conjunction with the figures.
a-1b are simplified diagrams of input forms that may be used to obtain electronic data in accordance with some embodiments of the invention;
a-3b are simplified diagrams of input forms that may be used to obtain electronic data in accordance with other embodiments of the invention; and
Some embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods for generating and obtaining electronic data using input forms. In accordance with an embodiment, for example, an input form may include an electronic sensor coupled with a wireless interface circuit such as an RFID tag circuit. The electronic sensor may be configured to sense a particular state of a circuit (e.g., a short, open, etc.), where the state can be changed based on manipulation of the input form (e.g., from closed to open, open to closed, etc.). The RFID tag circuit may be configured to receive the state from the electronic sensor (or determine the state of the electronic sensor) and provide the state to a reader.
In a particular embodiment, the electronic sensor and the RFID tag circuit may be formed as printed electronic circuits on a sheet of paper. The electronic sensor may sense a particular state based on manipulation of the input form (e.g., filling in a bubble or box, checking a box, punching a hole in a particular position, tearing the form at a particular position, and the like). The RFID tag circuit may provide the state of the electronic sensor to a reader either actively or passively.
a-1b are simplified diagrams of input forms that may be used to obtain electronic data in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The input form 100 shown in
The RFID tag circuit 102 shown in
The electronic sensor 112 is configured to sense a state based on physical manipulation of the input form 100 (or manipulation of the electronic sensor 112 on the input form 100). The electronic sensor 112 may include a number of sensors or sub-circuits each configured to sense a state that is changeable based on manipulation of a particular area of the input form 100. The state(s) of the electronic sensor 112 provide the electronic data. The electronic sensor 112 is also not limited to a particular configuration. In the example shown in
The manipulation changes a state of the electronic sensor 112 (or of the sub-circuits of the electronic sensor 112). The manipulation may also provide physical evidence of data creation in some embodiments. Merely by way of example, the electronic sensor 112 may be configured such that the minipulation includes filling in the manipulation areas 104a-104i, putting a check mark within or a line across the manipulation areas 104a-104i, punching a hole through the manipulation areas 104a-104i, etc. The manipulation may change a state of the electronic sensor 112 by changing an electrical characteristic of a circuit. For example, the manipulation may break or complete a trace, create a short or open in the circuit, or change a resistance, capacitance, or other characteristic of the circuit. The change may be permanent (e.g., by breaking a trace) or reversible (e.g., by bending the input form 100 to move two traces or capacitors closer together).
Merely by way of example, manipulation areas 104a, 104e, and 104g in
An active RFID tag circuit 102 may include a battery and a memory configured to store changes in the state of the electronic sensor 112 as a history of the electronic data. In active operation, the electronic data may be provided to a reader near real-time, at specified intervals, upon occurrence of a specified event, upon interrogation by the reader, or the like. A passive RFID tag circuit 102 may provide a current state of the electronic sensor 112 as electronic data when interrogated by a reader using RF signals.
The RFID tag circuit 102 and the electronic sensor 112 may be coupled via an input/output (I/O) interface on the RFID tag circuit 102 in accordance with known techniques. The electronic sensor 112 may be coupled via a single interface or each sub-circuit of the electronic sensor 112 may be coupled via a separate interface.
The input form 100 provides a substrate on which the RFID tag circuit 102 and the electronic sensor 112 may be bonded or formed. The input form 100 may include paper, plastic, a textile, or the like. In some embodiments, the RFID tag circuit 102 and/or the electronic sensor 112 may be bonded to the input form 100 using, for example, an adhesive. In other embodiments, the RFID tag circuit 102 and/or the electronic sensor 112 may be formed on the input form 100 using, for example, a printing process using a conductive ink. Such printed electronic circuits may be formed in accordance with known techniques.
Connections 106a-106i and manipulation areas 104a-104i may be visible to a user as in the example shown in
The input form 100 may be used in a number of different applications to provide electronic data. The electronic data can be obtained using a reader that does not require contact with the input form 100 or the RFID tag circuit 102. Additionally, a reader can obtain the electronic data from a number of input forms 100 nearly simultaneously depending on a distance between the reader and each input form 100. This provides a number of benefits when the input form 100 is used, for example, as a ticket (e.g., bus or theatre), a label, a ballot, a test or survey answer sheet, an input sheet, or the like.
As one example of a practical application, input forms in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be used as labels attached to boxes of freshly picked fruits or vegetables. Writing on each form may associate manipulation areas with a time and date the fruits or vegetables were picked (e.g., a manipulation area for each hour of the day, for each day of the month, and for each month of the year). The time and date may be selected by a worker in the field by manipulating the label (e.g., by filling in particular shapes, poking holes in particular areas, or the like depending on the particular configuration). Using a reader, the time and date the fruits or vegetables were picked can be determined remotely. Further, the time and date that each box of fruits or vegetables were picked in an entire shipment can be determined nearly simultaneously without having to visually inspect each box.
a-3b are simplified diagrams of input forms that may be used to obtain electronic data in accordance with other embodiments of the invention. The input form 300 shown in
The electronic sensor 312 in this example includes a number of sensors 322 or sub-circuits each configured to sense a state that is changeable based on manipulation of a particular area of the input form 300. The sensors 322 may be visible or invisible to a user. In this example, the sensors 322 are arranged in a grid over a signature line 324. The signature line 324 may be part of the electronic sensor 312 or it may simply be a line printed on the form to indicate a manipulation area formed by the sensors 322. Some embodiments may include other shapes and/or configurations (e.g., a box) indicating the manipulation area instead of or in addition to the signature line 324.
In this example, manipulation of the form 300 may include a signature or other writing within the manipulation area. Density of the sensors 322 within the manipulation area may depend on the particular application and/or desired accuracy with which the writing is to be deciphered. The manipulation may leave a mark on the form 300 if done using a pen, pencil, or the like, or it may be done without marking the form 300 by using an instrument such as a stylus. Alternatively, an impact or chemical printing process may be used that manipulates the form or the electronic sensors. A state of the sensors 322 affected by the manipulation may be permanently altered (e.g., by breaking a trace, completing a circuit with a conductive ink, or the like) or only temporarily altered (e.g., by pressure).
The manipulation or writing may be deciphered by determining a state of each of the sensors 322 and knowing a position of each of the sensors 322 in the grid. In active operation, the RFID tag circuit 302 may provide a change in a state of the sensors 322 as electronic data to a reader. The electronic data may be provided near real-time or at specified intervals. As shown in
In passive operation, the RFID tag circuit 302 may provide a state of each of the sensors 322 upon interrogation by a reader. In some embodiments, a passive RFID tag circuit may be configured to count a number of times it is interrogated so that an incrementing counter can establish a sequential history of the state changes.
It should be appreciated that the specific steps illustrated in
Electronic sensors used in embodiments of the invention are not limited to configurations that sense physical manipulation of a form. Electronic sensors may also be used that are configured to sense environmental conditions (temperature, pressure, humidity, or the like), force (shock, impact, or the like), exposure to radiation, and the like. Electronic sensors may also be used that are configured to track internal events such as time. Some of these conditions may physically manipulate the electronic sensor without impacting the form.
In some embodiments, the RFID tag circuits may be configured to sense compound states (or a set of states from one or more electronic sensors that may or may not occur in a particular order). This allows the RFID tag circuits to act on state information to create new states that are not directly associated with the states of individual electronic sensors. A compound state may direct an RFID tag circuit, for example, to allow access to or modification of a memory. In an embodiment a passive RFID tag circuit under interrogation (powered by an RFID reader) may be configured to sense permanent or momentary state changes to create a compound state. Merely by way of example, the compound state may be associated with detection of an access code or password.
As described above, active RFID tag circuits allow for the detection and storage of momentary changes of state as a history of electronic data. In accordance with some embodiments, active RFID tag circuits may also allow for associating an input from a time keeping circuit with the state change. The time keeping circuit could be as simple as an incrementing counter or it could include a time and date.
While the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. For example, features of one or more embodiments of the invention may be combined with one or more features of other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be determined not with reference to the above description but with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.
