Near field communication enabled permanent rfid luggage tag
AssigneeVanguard Identification Systems, Inc.
InventorRichard O. WARTHER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integral, one-piece, resiliently flexible, planar, reusable, programmable radio frequency identification (RFID) luggage tag has a planar flexible sheet core of microporous polymer material permanently and completely surrounding a first RFID transponder assembly. The first transponder assembly includes a programmable memory portion with space to store information externally programmed into the portion. The tag further includes a programmable bistable visual display and at least a first instruction set in non-volatile memory for loading into programmable memory, near field communication radio data transmitted to the tag.
Claims20
An integral, one-piece, resiliently flexible, planar, reusable, programmable radio frequency identification (RFID) luggage tag comprising:
- a planar flexible sheet core having major planar opposing first and second sides, the core including at least first and second core strips of flexible, polymer material fixedly and permanently joined together;
- a first non-porous, polymer film cover strip integrally and permanently secured to the first major outer side of the core, the first cover strip being coextensive with and forming a first outer side of the tag;
- a first RFID transponder assembly operating at a first frequency integrally embedded between the first and second first core strips, the first transponder assembly including non-volatile memory containing a non-alterable permanent code uniquely assigned to the transponder assembly and a programmable memory portion with space to store information externally programmed into the portion;
- a programmable bistable visual display in a visibly accessible position on the tag;
- and
- at least a first instruction set in non-volatile memory for loading into programmable memory near field communication radio data transmitted to the tag.
A method of supporting a plurality of reusable, radio frequency identification (RFID) luggage tags, each tag containing identification information unique to the tag in a machine readable form accessible by a suitably equipped cell phone, the method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining a data base containing at least information uniquely related to each of the plurality of RFID luggage tags, including an identification code unique to each of the tags;
- and
- using the data base to provide information unique to one of the tags in response to a cell phone query containing at least the identification code of the one tag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.