US 10,311,355 B1 · RFID tags

Abstract

This disclosure describes RFID tags that include capacitive shields to capacitively couple with antennas of the RFID tags when exposed to threshold levels of electromagnetic energy, such as when placed in a microwave. In some instances, these capacitive shields comprise a material that is both thermally conductive and electrically conductive. When exposed to electromagnetic energy of a high frequency, the capacitive shield may capacitively couple to the antenna of the RFID and, thus, may receive energy from the antenna. Given the properties of the capacitive shield, the capacitive shield may convert this energy into thermal energy and dissipate this heat into an ambient environment of the RFID tag. By doing so, the capacitive shield lessens the risk that dangerous arcing will occur from the electromagnetic energy.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
an antenna, residing on the top surface of the substrate in a spiral pattern;
a jumper, residing on the bottom surface of the substrate and coupling a first end of the antenna with a second end of the antenna;
an integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the antenna;
an adhesive layer residing on the bottom surface of the substrate;
and
a metal layer, coupled to the bottom surface of the substrate via the adhesive layer, the metal layer having a slot that leads to an opening in the metal layer that is larger than the slot such that material of the metal layer resides beneath a first portion of the substrate on which the antenna resides and the opening in the metal layer resides beneath a second portion of the substrate that does not include at least a portion of the antenna.

4 more elements

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
an antenna, coupled to the top surface of the substrate;
and
a conductive layer coupled to at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface of the substrate to capacitively couple to the antenna in response to the RFID tag being exposed to electromagnetic energy having a frequency that is greater than a frequency threshold, the conductive layer converting the electromagnetic energy into thermal energy such that the thermal energy dissipates from the conductive layer into an ambient environment of the RFID tag, wherein the conductive layer includes a slot such that a first portion of the antenna resides over the conductive layer but a second portion of the antenna does not reside over the conductive layer, the slot leading into an opening in the conductive layer, the opening being larger than the slot and at least a portion of the opening corresponding to at least a portion of the substrate that does not include at least a portion of the antenna.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

RFID tags

Life of this patent

RFID tags

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19