Flexible water-resistant sensor tag

Abstract

A method for configuring a sensor tag includes printing one or more antennas on a flexible substrate layer using conductive ink; depositing one or more sensors on the flexible substrate layer, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited in electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; and applying a coating over the one or more sensors.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of the following applications: U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 16 / 825,448, filed March 20, 2020, entitled "Flexible Water-Resistant Sensor Tag"; U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 941,402, filed November 27, 2019, entitled "Flexible Water-Resistant Sensor Tag"; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 939,757, filed November 25, 2019, entitled "Flexible Water-Resistant Sensor Tag", which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to sensor tags (e.g., radio frequency identification (RFID) tags) that can be attached to or incorporated into textiles or other articles. More specifically, this disclosure relates to thin, flexible sensor tags with a waterproof coating. Background Technology

[0004] In the retail industry, it would be advantageous to offer sensor tags such as RFID tags, which can be attached to textiles or other items so that the sensor tag becomes an integral part of the item (and is difficult to detect). In some areas, such as clothing, it is also advantageous to offer sensor tags designed to be permanently attached to garments. Such tags need to be highly waterproof to prevent them from becoming permeable due to repeated washing.

[0005] One drawback of using RFID and other sensor devices to tag items to prevent theft is that thieves can often see the tags themselves. In many cases, shoplifters are able to locate RFID tags and simply remove, disable, or shield the RFID elements to evade detection by exit RFID readers.

[0006] In particular, due to the increasing importance of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in retail logistics, there is a need for a less obtrusive, smaller, and harder-to-detect RFID solution.

[0007] Some known systems utilize electronic thread technology, allowing the integration of electronic devices into textiles. In one aspect, microelectronic components (such as RFID chips) can be attached to the fabric using conductive threads (electronic threads) woven into it. The electronic thread provides a metallic antenna for the RFID chip. In another aspect, a patterned conductive ink can be applied to the fabric to form an electronic circuit containing electronic components attached to the fabric. Yet another approach allows fully functional, self-contained electronic components to be completely encased within a segment of thread or yarn. These thread or yarn segments can be woven into the textile. In one instance, an RFID chip, antenna, and associated power harvesting circuitry can be contained within a segment of thread or yarn. In yet another instance, other anti-loss technologies can be incorporated within a portion of the thread or yarn.

[0008] Inserting RFID tags and antennas directly into textiles / clothing intended for RFID tag protection is highly advantageous. As described above, known technologies involve encasing the RFID component within threads or yarns that can be sewn into the fabric. However, this is difficult and requires a specialized machine to attach the thread to the fabric. For physical strength, the wire is coated with a thick layer. This makes the thread feelable to the touch and visible after ironing. Furthermore, this solution is costly. Current solutions using RFID-integrated wires are too thick to meet customer needs. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The following is a simplified overview of one or more aspects to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This overview is not a comprehensive review of all anticipated aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or important elements of all aspects, nor to depict the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0010] This disclosure provides systems, apparatus, and methods for providing sealed and flexible sensor tags.

[0011] On one hand, a method for configuring a sensor tag includes: printing one or more antennas on a flexible substrate using conductive ink; depositing one or more sensors on the flexible substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited to be in electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; and applying a coating over the one or more sensors.

[0012] On the other hand, a sensor label includes: a flexible substrate; one or more antennas printed on the flexible substrate using conductive ink; one or more sensors deposited on the flexible substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited to make electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; and a coating applied over the one or more sensors.

[0013] To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, the one or more aspects include the features fully described below and specifically pointed out in the claims. Certain illustrative features of the one or more aspects are set forth in detail in the following description and drawings. However, these features indicate only a few of the various ways in which the principles of each aspect can be employed, and this description is intended to encompass all such aspects and their equivalents. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The disclosed aspects will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are provided for illustration and not limitation of the disclosed aspects. Like reference numerals denote like elements in the drawings, and in the drawings:

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a sensor tag based on some aspects of the present invention as a first example;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a sensor tag according to a second example of some aspects of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a sensor tag according to a third example of some aspects of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a sensor tag according to a fourth example of some aspects of the present invention; and

[0019] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example method for configuring sensor tags according to some aspects of this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The detailed description below, illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, is intended to describe various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known components may be shown in the form of block diagrams to avoid confusing these concepts.

[0021] Various aspects of this disclosure provide a sensor tag, such as a passive RFID tag, that is thin, flexible, and highly water-resistant, and can be inconspicuously attached to or otherwise incorporated into many different types of articles. Flexible, water-resistant sensor tags are particularly suitable for incorporation into textiles such as clothing, and can be discreetly placed within the article without being seen. The sensor tag can be submerged in water without damaging the sensor insert and can withstand repeated washing.

[0022] Now turn to the diagram, referring to one or more components described in this article to depict the instance aspect, where the components in the dashed lines can be optional.

[0023] refer to Figure 1 In one non-limiting aspect, the flexible water-resistant sensor tag 100 includes a sensor 102 disposed between a flexible substrate layer 104 and a coating layer 106. In some aspects, the sensor 102 may be an RFID sensor. However, aspects of the invention are not limited to RFID sensors, and any combination and number of different sensors within a single sensor tag may be desirable for each particular application. For example, in some aspects, the sensor 102 may include more than one sensor, each of which may be an RFID sensor or another type of sensor. In some non-limiting aspects, for example, the sensor 102 may include one or more electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensors as an alternative to or complement to one or more RFID sensors, and each EAS sensor may emit a detectable signal in response to an interrogation field. In some non-limiting aspects, for example, the sensor 102 may include one or more near-field communication (NFC) and / or one or more acousto-magnetic (AM) sensors as an alternative to or complement to one or more RFID sensors and / or one or more EAS sensors.

[0024] On one hand, for example, sensor 102 may include an RFID insert containing an integrated circuit (IC) connected to antenna 108. The RFID insert may be adhered / applied to a flexible substrate 104, which may have a polymer thick-film composition. In a non-limiting aspect, for example, the flexible substrate 104 may be made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). In a non-limiting aspect, antenna 108 may be printed onto the TPU substrate using conductive ink. Then, a second protective polymer layer, preferably made of a flexible material such as TPU, may be applied as a protective cover over sensor 102 to provide coating 106. Thus, a hermetically sealed TPU layer is formed to accommodate the RFID insert.

[0025] In alternative aspects, the flexible substrate 104 can be made of fabric, woven fabric, or any other type of flexible, stitchable material. In some aspects, stretchable, semi-elastic fabrics are particularly suitable for the flexible substrate 106. The sensor 102 can be applied to the fabric substrate, and then a thin protective polymer layer, such as TPU, can be applied over the fabric substrate to seal the RFID insert between the fabric and the TPU.

[0026] As described above, a TPU layer can be applied to provide coating 106 over the RFID insert. Alternatively, refer to Figure 2 In the aspect where the flexible substrate layer 104 is made of fabric, a TPU coating may be applied to both sides of the fabric substrate to provide an encapsulation layer 110, thereby providing a protective, sealed, and water-resistant cover for electronic components applied to the fabric substrate. In some non-limiting aspects, the encapsulation layer 110 is a protective coating of TPU that may be positioned on the fabric substrate such that the sensor tag 100 has an edge portion that provides a TPU-free boundary. This edge portion without the TPU coating can be used as a seam edge when the sensor tag 100 is sewn into clothing.

[0027] In one aspect of using fabric for the flexible substrate 104, the antenna 108 can be directly printed onto the fabric using conductive ink. Alternatively, the fabric may contain conductive lines woven into it to provide the antenna 108. In some aspects, the conductive lines may be woven into the fabric to provide a degree of elasticity, allowing the conductive traces to be stretched.

[0028] refer to Figure 3 In another alternative aspect, the flexible substrate layer 104 may be made of fabric or any other type of flexible stitchable material, and the flexible substrate layer 104 may have a thin film of TPU 112 applied to at least one side such that the TPU film 112 provides a substrate for the application of the sensor 102. After electronic components (e.g., sensor 102, antenna 108, etc.) are applied to the TPU film 112, another TPU layer may be applied to provide a coating 106 and thereby encapsulate the sensor 102 between the two TPU layers: (1) the coating 106; and (2) the TPU film 112 on the fabric substrate. In some aspects, the TPU film 112 and / or the coating 106 may be positioned on the fabric substrate such that the sensor tag 100 has a fabric edge portion that provides a TPU-free boundary. This TPU-free edge portion can be used as a seam edge when the sensor tag 100 is sewn into clothing.

[0029] In this invention, the sensor tag 100 may be flexible, bendable, stretchable, or otherwise configured / constructed to withstand deformation. Furthermore, the flexibility of the sensor tag 100 allows it to be constructed and arranged such that the aforementioned deformation does not negatively affect the function and operation of electronic components (e.g., sensor 102, antenna 108, etc.) housed within the sensor tag 100.

[0030] In some respects, the manufacture of sensor tag 100 meets environmental sustainability standards. For example, in some respects, natural fiber fabrics can be used as the flexible substrate 104 (or a portion thereof) so that the sensor tag 100 contains less plastic material than conventional sensor tags. For example, sensor tag 100 can be manufactured using a substrate of naturally sustainable natural fiber fabrics, especially if the fabric is non-polyester. In some alternative respects, the flexible fabric substrate can be made from textiles manufactured from recycled plastics, thus enabling the manufacture of sensor tag 100 to meet sustainability requirements.

[0031] As described herein, in some aspects, the sensor 102 disposed in the sensor tag 100 can be any type of sensor. For example, in one aspect, the sensor 102 can be an EAS sensor or an RFID sensor. In some other aspects, the sensor tag 100 may contain more than one sensor of the same type or different types. For example, refer to Figure 4 In one non-limiting aspect, sensor tag 100 may include a first sensor 114 and a second sensor 116, wherein the first sensor is an RFID sensor and the second sensor 116 is an EAS sensor. Therefore, sensor tag 100 has dual technical functions (RFID and EAS).

[0032] On one hand, the EAS sensor can be the type of sensor used in an acoustomagnetic (AM) system. In a non-limiting aspect, for example, a detector in an AM system emits periodic pulses at a frequency of 58 kHz, thereby generating a detectable resonant response in the AM tag. The security tag in the 58 kHz system can also be implemented as a 58 kHz resonant circuit. On the other hand, the EAS sensor to be incorporated into the sensor tag 100 can have a small and substantially flat shape factor and can have a degree of flexibility.

[0033] exist Figure 4 In order to manufacture sensor tag 100, both first sensor 114 and second sensor 116 can be applied to flexible substrate layer 104. Then, TPU coating 106 can be applied to first sensor 114 and second sensor 116 to provide a sealing layer for TPU coating.

[0034] In some aspects, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects may be configured to be flexible and impermeable to detergents, water, grease, oil, dirt, strong chemicals, etc. In some non-limiting aspects, for example, the sensor 102 within the sensor tag 100 includes an RFID insert that is flexible so that the chip and antenna of the RFID insert can be repeatedly stretched and deformed without impairing the functionality of the sensor 102.

[0035] In some non-limiting aspects, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects can be attached to or otherwise incorporated into any type of clothing and garments, handbags, belts, shoes, caps, hats, scarves, ties, and other accessories. For example, in one non-limiting aspect, the sensor tag 100 can be concealed behind the seams of running shoes. The sensor tag 100 can also be used in home textiles such as bedding, curtains, pillows, furniture cushions, blinds, tablecloths, tissues, etc. The sensor tag 100 can also be incorporated into camping tents and textile utilities such as tarpaulins. The sensor tag 100 can also be applied to rubber or plastic articles. While the sensor tag 100 may be particularly well-suited for attachment to articles with flexible, resilient properties (such as textiles), the sensor tag 100 can also be attached to hard articles. For example, when used with hard articles, the sensor tag 100 can be positioned within the internal portion of the article, such as an inaccessible cavity. It should be understood that the list of possible applications for sensor tag 100 is exhaustive in nature and is not limited to those applications described herein.

[0036] In some aspects, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects can be integrated into an article, such that the sensor tag 100 is concealed or completely undetectable after being attached to the article. For example, the sensor tag 100 can be discontinuously sewn into clothing. The sensor tag 100 can also be placed at the hem, seam, shirt collar, belt, etc. The sensor tag 100 can be constructed using a soft, flexible substrate (e.g., TPU and / or fabric) and a sealing layer as a coating of a flexible material (e.g., TPU). Because the sensor tag 100 is soft and flexible, a person wearing or holding an article to which the sensor tag 100 is attached may not feel its presence. This also ensures that the sensor tag 100 will not irritate the skin due to continuous contact with the protruding component.

[0037] In some aspects, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects can also be configured to visually blend with the article. For example, if a fabric substrate is used, the fabric substrate can be selected to be the same color as the article to which the sensor tag 100 is attached. The flexible, anti-fluid material layer can be a colored TPU material that matches the color of the article to which the sensor tag 100 is attached. In some aspects, the sensor tag 100 can also be adapted for integration into a brand label, since the TPU can be colorless or can be a specific color that blends with and separates from the background color. For example, on one hand, the brand logo can be heat-printed on one side of the brand label, and the sensor tag 100 can be heat-sealed to the other side of the brand label. Because the sensor tag 100 is configured to prevent seepage into the substrate, applying the sensor tag 100 to the brand label will not interfere with the brand logo.

[0038] In some aspects, after being applied to an article, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects can be used in many different types of systems that wish to communicate data with the sensor tag 100. For example, the sensor tag 100 can be configured to facilitate inventory management. In this regard, the sensor tag 100 can be configured to allow data exchange with external devices (e.g., tag readers) via wireless communication technologies. In addition to the RFID embeddings and EAS sensors described above, electronics incorporated into textiles can enable any suitable radio communication protocol for a given usage pattern, such as Short Range Communication (SRC), Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc.

[0039] In one non-limiting aspect, for example, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects may include an RFID sensor, and the presence of the sensor tag 100 in the garment may be part of a return authenticity system implemented by a retailer. In another non-limiting aspect, for example, the data communication capability of the sensor tag 100 may also be used by the individual who purchased the item to which the sensor tag 100 is attached. The durability of the sensor tag 100 may allow the sensor tag 100 to remain usable long after the purchase of the item, still embedded in the item to which it is attached. For this purpose, the sensor tag 100 may be configured to withstand multiple wash / dry cycles, as occurs during normal use of tagged garments.

[0040] For example, in one non-limiting aspect, the tag reader device can be used in a home environment to read data from sensor tag 100, enabling a person to precisely locate specific items using the tag reader device. In another aspect, for example, a home wardrobe can be configured to read clothing tags within the wardrobe, thereby allowing an individual to instantly and electronically inventory their personal belongings.

[0041] On the one hand, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects can be configured to comply with privacy laws concerning personal consumer data, which may vary by jurisdiction. For example, in European Union (EU) countries, the collection of consumer data is subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In this case, the sensor tag 100 can be made GDPR compliant by selecting a GDPR-compliant RFID chip.

[0042] Compared to conventional labels using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a substrate, the use of the TPU material described herein provides the sensor label 100 with a higher degree of flexibility. The sensor label 100 described herein with reference to various aspects can withstand extreme deformation stresses in applications, whereas conventional labels with PET substrates lack sufficient elasticity.

[0043] As described herein, in some aspects, sensor tag 100 may have TPU as an insert substrate and a protective coating, or TPU may be used to encapsulate and seal the RFID insert onto another type of flexible, semi-deformable substrate. In the aspect where TPU material is used to form the flexible substrate layer 104, a conductive ink compatible with TPU may be used to form antenna 108. Such suitable conductive inks may contain, but are not limited to, inks containing, for example, conductive powders of silver metal, silver metal powder alloys, or mixtures thereof. In some aspects, antenna 108 may be formed of a conductive ink that retains a stretchable elastic mass after being applied to the flexible substrate layer 104. This ensures that the circuitry of sensor 102 remains operational even when sensor tag 100 is subjected to deformation stress.

[0044] In some aspects, conductive ink can be applied to a substrate via screen printing, where the screen size controls the thickness of the deposited thick film. In some alternative aspects, conductive ink can be applied to the substrate via stencil printing, inkjet printing, or coating techniques. In a non-limiting aspect, conductive ink can be screen-printed on a stretched substrate, for example, by dripping or depositing conductive ink through a nozzle with a thickness of, for example, 15 to 20 micrometers. In the aspect where the stretched substrate is made of TPU, the substrate does not change shape after being released from stretching, thus retaining the geometry of the antenna 108 printed thereon. In some aspects, the conductive ink can be a gel-like liquid that does not diffuse outside the intended printing area. In a non-limiting aspect, the antenna 108 formed by screen printing using conductive ink can have a width of, for example, 3 mm on a substrate with a width of 4 mm. In the aspect where the sensor 102 includes an RFID sensor, a wider antenna can achieve a faster response time. Conversely, known systems that use copper wire to form the antenna 108 cannot provide a wide antenna. Since the antenna 108 in these aspects is formed by screen printing rather than by chemical processes such as chemical etching, it also meets the sustainability requirements.

[0045] As described herein, in some aspects where the flexible substrate 104 is made of TPU, the antenna 108 can be directly printed onto the TPU while the paste interacts with it. Alternatively, in some aspects, an interlayer paste can be introduced on top of the TPU, wherein the interlayer paste has a thickness of, for example, 25 micrometers, to enable the antenna 108 to be printed using silver ink while still maintaining flexibility. In some aspects, for example, micro-silver ink can be used as an alternative to or complement to nano-silver ink to screen print the antenna 108 onto the TPU substrate.

[0046] In a non-limiting aspect, the antenna 108 may be formed in a curved shape. Alternatively, the antenna 108 may be formed in a rectangular shape or in the form of one or more conductive ink stripes. However, the shape of the antenna 108 is not limited to the above, and the antenna 108 may have different shapes or combinations of different shapes.

[0047] Next, the applied conductive ink can be dried or thermally cured. In a non-limiting aspect, for example, the conductive ink can be cured on a nylon or polyester fabric substrate via a progressive curing cycle. In this case, when the conductive ink is cured by the progressive curing cycle, the fabric substrate does not melt, and the conductive ink adheres to the fabric substrate but does not leak / bleed through the fabric substrate.

[0048] In one non-limiting aspect, after the conductive ink has cured, a sensor chip can be disposed on the flexible substrate 104 to properly contact the antenna 108 formed of the conductive ink. A polyurethane layer with a thickness of, for example, about 50 micrometers, can then be heat-sealed (e.g., using a heat gun) to provide abrasion / wear resistance, oil / oil resistance, water / water resistance, grease / grease resistance, etc. In some aspects, for example, the resulting sensor tag 100 can withstand two washes at 30°C with a typical detergent. In some aspects, the resulting sensor tag 100 can withstand processes such as ironing, bleaching, and disinfection.

[0049] On one hand, the multiple sensor tags 100 described herein with reference to various aspects can be manufactured using an elongated, single-piece substrate, which can be TPU, fabric, or fabric on which a TPU film is applied. On the other hand, for example, a series of electronic components can be coupled to the substrate so that equal or unequal numbers of substrates are spaced apart from each other. A TPU coating can then be applied to the entire length of the substrate on which the series of electronic components are coupled. Then, when attaching the sensor tags 100 to an article, this narrow substrate of this length can be cut into individual sensor tags 100 by a coating machine.

[0050] In some aspects, as described herein with reference to various aspects, the one or more sensors 102 to be incorporated into sensor tag 100 can be any type of sensor, which may be manufactured with a relatively small, flat profile. In addition to the sensor types already described, the one or more sensors 102 may also include biosensors for detecting a person's physiological state. For example, in one aspect, sensor tag 100 embedded in clothing may include a sensor 102 configured to detect the wearer's heart rate. In another example aspect, sensor tag 100 integrated into clothing may include a sensor 102 configured to sense the posture of the clothing wearer (e.g., standing, sitting, etc.). Other non-limiting examples of sensor 102 that may be incorporated into sensor tag 100 are sensors capable of sensing the wearer's position and / or the wearer's movement pattern (e.g., running, standing still, etc.). Suitable sensor implementations include, but are not limited to, capacitive strain sensors, conductive ink capacitive sensors, conductive ink electrode sensors, conductive ink resistive sensors, fiber optic sensors, metal electrode sensors, optical sensors such as optical probe sensors or light source sensors (e.g., lasers, light-emitting diodes (LEDs)), piezoresistive strain gauge sensors, and semiconductor sensors (e.g., force sensors, gyroscopes, magnetoresistive sensors, photodiode sensors, phototransistor sensors, pressure sensors, and / or triaxial accelerometers).

[0051] In some aspects, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects may have a flexible substrate layer 104 made of fabric (e.g., polyester, nylon, non-polyester materials, etc.), TPU, rubber, etc.

[0052] In some aspects, the sensor tag 100 described herein with reference to various aspects may include an antenna 108 formed on a flexible substrate layer 104 using conductive ink (e.g., silver or copper-based ink). Unlike conventional sensor tags that use wires stitched or braided into the substrate to implement antennas and are therefore easily damaged or disconnected, the antenna 108 in this aspect of the invention is formed using conductive ink and is therefore more robust. Furthermore, conductive ink-based RFID sensors are relatively inexpensive and faster to manufacture compared to RFID sensors that use wires stitched or braided into the substrate to form antennas. In some aspects, the antenna 108 formed on a fabric or TPU substrate using conductive ink is more flexible and less rigid than copper wires braided or stitched into the substrate, thus causing fewer performance problems. For example, in the case of copper wires braided or stitched into the substrate to form conductors, stretching of the wires can cause impedance changes, which may affect RFID read performance. In contrast, conductive ink-based sensors are more robust to such stretching effects.

[0053] In some aspects where the flexible substrate layer 104 is made of fabric, the fabric may have a nylon plain weave or polyester plain weave structure that facilitates the adhesion of conductive ink to the top of the substrate.

[0054] In some aspects where the flexible substrate 104 is made of fabric, the fabric may be a polyurethane-coated fabric (PU), which allows the antenna 108 to be formed by depositing conductive ink on the fabric surface without any leakage. In a non-limiting aspect, the coating 106 can be formed by applying another layer of such fabric on top of the base fabric on which the antenna 108 is printed. Thus, the sealing / protection of the sensor 102 is provided by the PU coating on the fabric against grease / oil, water, and abrasion. Alternatively, the coating 106 can be formed by applying a colorless or colored TPU on top of a fabric substrate on which the antenna 108 is printed. For example, colored TPU can be used for the coating 106 to conceal the antenna 108. In some aspects, for example, the thickness of the fabric substrate can vary depending on the usage profile associated with the integration requirements of the garment.

[0055] In some aspects where the flexible substrate 104 is made of a polyester / satin fabric (e.g., PU fabric) coated with polyurethane, a temperature can be selected for drying the conductive ink (e.g., silver) such that the PU does not soften and the fabric does not burn.

[0056] In some aspects where the flexible substrate layer 104 is made of TPU, the thickness of the TPU substrate can vary between 100 and 200 micrometers. In some aspects, the TPU is a thermosetting polyurethane that can withstand the drying of conductive ink (silver) at certain temperatures, but the TPU may undergo thermal degradation at certain higher temperatures. To laminate the TPU substrate for protection, a similar TPU layer with the same or greater thickness as the substrate can be used to provide coating 106.

[0057] In some aspects, the conductive ink used to form the antenna 108 may be a conductive ink containing silver nanoparticles in a solvent.

[0058] In some aspects, sensor 102 may include a ceramic integrated circuit (IC, such as those provided by Impinj, NXP, EM, or a custom ASIC). The ceramic IC may include a chip loop antenna made of aluminum etched onto a PET material, which may have a pressure-sensitive adhesive so that the chip loop can be coupled to an antenna 108 formed on a fabric or TPU substrate.

[0059] In one aspect, for example, the sensor tag 100 may have a smaller width, such as 5 mm, so that it can be inserted between the seams of clothing (e.g., a t-shirt). A leap weave can be used to seal two pieces of fabric and can be between 4.8 mm and 5.2 mm. Therefore, since the sensor tag 100 is integrated into the seam, it does not interfere with the design of the garment. In contrast, conventional sensor tags containing copper wires may protrude, and the person wearing the garment to which the tag is attached may feel it. In some aspects, multiple flexible sensor tags 100 conforming to multiple frequency bands (e.g., EU band, North American band, etc.) can be integrated into such leap weave seams.

[0060] In one non-limiting example, the flexible substrate 104 can be a fabric substrate. Furthermore, the coating 106 can be made of fabric, such as a PU cap with a thickness of 50 micrometers, thus providing a fabric-on-fabric sensor tag 100. In this example, the sensor tag 100 can be up to 4 mm wide and 136 mm long, without curvature or plasticized surfaces. Therefore, the fabric-on-fabric sensor tag 100 can be flexible yet still remain flat, thus representing an improvement over a fabric-on-TPU sensor tag 100. Additionally, the fabric-on-fabric sensor tag 100 is more robust, making it particularly suitable for feeding via fasteners. Furthermore, the flatness of the fabric-on-fabric sensor tag 100 better maintains coplanarity and provides more consistent RFID readings. Moreover, the fabric-on-fabric sensor tag 100 does not affect the drape of clothing or interfere with design aesthetics. Additionally, the fabric-on-fabric sensor tag 100 can be waterproof to some extent because the fabric is already coated with TPU.

[0061] In addition to the aspects disclosed herein, the aforementioned features, advantages, and characteristics of sensor tag 100 can be combined in any suitable manner to form one or more additional aspects. Based on the description herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that this solution can be practiced without one or more specific features or advantages of a particular aspect. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain aspects that may not be present in all aspects of this solution.

[0062] Figure 5This is a flowchart illustrating an example method of configuring a sensor tag according to some aspects of the present invention. At 502, method 500 includes printing one or more antennas 108 on a flexible substrate 104 using conductive ink. At 504, method 500 includes depositing one or more sensors 102 on the flexible substrate 104, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors 102 is deposited for electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas 108. At 506, method 500 includes applying a coating 106 to the one or more sensors 102.

[0063] On one hand, for example, coating 106 may comprise a colorless or colored TPU layer or a PU fabric layer.

[0064] On the one hand, for example, the flexible substrate layer 104 may include a TPU layer, a fabric layer, a PU fabric layer, a nylon plain layer, a polyester plain layer, or a rubber layer.

[0065] On one hand, for example, the flexible substrate 104 may comprise a TPU film situated on top of the fabric layer. In this aspect, printing at 502 may comprise printing on the TPU film, and deposition at 504 may comprise deposition on the TPU film. On another hand, for example, application at 506 may comprise encapsulating the one or more sensors 102 between the TPU film and the coating 106. On yet another hand, for example, the coating 106 may comprise TPU, and application at 506 may further comprise maintaining a TPU-free boundary around the flexible substrate 104.

[0066] On one hand, for example, the flexible substrate 104 may comprise a fabric layer. In this aspect, the application at 506 may comprise at least a portion of the fabric layer encapsulating the one or more sensors 102 and within the coating 106. On another hand, for example, the coating 106 may comprise TPU. In this aspect, the application at 506 may further comprise maintaining a TPU-free boundary around the fabric layer.

[0067] On one hand, for example, the one or more sensors 102 may include RFID sensors.

[0068] On one hand, for example, the one or more sensors 102 may include an EAS sensor.

[0069] On one hand, for example, the one or more sensors 102 may include RFID sensors and EAS sensors.

[0070] On the one hand, for example, the printing at 502 may include screen printing, stencil printing, inkjet printing, or coating.

[0071] On one hand, for example, the printing at 502 may include printing at least a portion of the one or more antennas 108 in a strip, rectangular or curved shape.

[0072] On one hand, for example, method 500 may further include curing the one or more antennas 108 after printing at 502 and before deposition at 504.

[0073] On the one hand, curing may include drying or heat curing.

[0074] On the one hand, for example, the application at 506 may include lamination or heat sealing.

[0075] On the one hand, for example, lamination or heat sealing may involve the use of a heating gun.

[0076] On the one hand, conductive inks, for example, may contain conductive nanoparticles in a solvent.

[0077] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may apply to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be given the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular does not mean “one and only one” (unless expressly stated otherwise), but rather “one or more.” The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, illustration, or description.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects. Unless otherwise specifically stated, the term “some” refers to one or more. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” include any combination of A, B, and / or C, and may include multiple A, multiple B, or multiple C. Specifically, combinations such as "at least one of A, B, or C", "one or more of A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", "one or more of A, B, and C", and "A, B, C, or any combination thereof" can be A only, B only, C only, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C, wherein any such combination may contain one or more members of A, B, or C. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements throughout the various aspects described in this disclosure that are known or subsequently known to those skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be offered to the public, whether or not this disclosure is expressly stated in the claims. Terms such as "module", "mechanism", "element", and "device" may not replace the term "component". Therefore, no claim element should be construed as a component plus a function unless the element is expressly stated using the phrase "component for...".

Claims

1. A method for configuring a sensor tag, comprising: One or more antennas are printed on a flexible substrate using conductive ink, wherein the one or more antennas are configured to operate in or above the high frequency (HF) band. One or more sensors are deposited on the flexible substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited in electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; as well as Apply a coating over one or more of the sensors; The flexible substrate layer includes a layer located on top of the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a colorless or colored thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer or a polyurethane coating (PU) fabric layer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer, a fabric layer, a polyurethane coated (PU) fabric layer, a nylon plain weave layer, a polyester plain weave layer, or a rubber layer.

4. The method according to claim 1, The layer mentioned above includes a fabric layer; The printing mentioned therein includes printing on the layer; and The deposition mentioned therein includes deposition on the layer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the application includes encapsulating the one or more sensors between the layer and the coating.

6. The method according to claim 5, The coating comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU); and The application further includes maintaining a TPU-free boundary around the flexible substrate layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, The layer mentioned above includes a fabric layer; and The application includes encapsulating at least a portion of the fabric layer within the coating of the one or more sensors.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the coating comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the application further includes retaining a TPU-free boundary around the fabric layer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise an electronic article security (EAS) sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors and electronic article security (EAS) sensors.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing includes screen printing, stencil printing, inkjet printing, or coating.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing comprises printing at least a portion of the one or more antennas in a strip, rectangular or curved shape.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising curing the one or more antennas after the printing and before the deposition.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the curing comprises drying or heat curing.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the application comprises lamination or heat sealing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the lamination or heat sealing includes the use of a heating gun.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive ink comprises conductive nanoparticles in a solvent.

20. A sensor tag comprising: Flexible substrate layer; One or more antennas are printed on the flexible substrate using conductive ink, wherein the one or more antennas are configured to operate in or above the high frequency (HF) band. One or more sensors are deposited on the flexible substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited in electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; as well as A coating is applied over one or more of the sensors; The flexible substrate layer includes a layer located on top of the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer.

21. The sensor tag of claim 20, wherein the coating comprises a colorless or colored thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer or a polyurethane coated (PU) fabric layer.

22. The sensor tag of claim 20, wherein the layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer, a fabric layer, a polyurethane coated (PU) fabric layer, a nylon plain weave layer, a polyester plain weave layer, or a rubber layer.

23. A method for configuring a sensor tag, comprising: One or more antennas are printed on a flexible substrate using conductive ink; One or more sensors are deposited on the flexible substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited in electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; as well as Apply a coating over one or more of the sensors; The flexible substrate layer includes a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film located on top of the fabric layer; The printing mentioned above includes printing on the TPU film; and The deposition mentioned above includes deposition on the TPU film; The application includes encapsulating the one or more sensors between the TPU film and the coating; The coating comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU); and The application further includes maintaining a TPU-free boundary around the flexible substrate layer.

24. A method for configuring a sensor tag, comprising: One or more antennas are printed on a flexible substrate using conductive ink; One or more sensors are deposited on the flexible substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited in electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; as well as Apply a coating over one or more of the sensors; The flexible substrate layer includes a fabric layer; and The application includes encapsulating at least a portion of the fabric layer within the coating of the one or more sensors; The coating comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU); and The application also includes maintaining a TPU-free boundary around the fabric layer.

25. A sensor tag, comprising: Flexible substrate layer; One or more antennas are printed on the flexible substrate using conductive ink; One or more sensors are deposited on the flexible substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is deposited in electrical contact with at least one of the one or more antennas; as well as A coating, which is applied over one or more of the sensors, The sensor tag is configured according to the method of claim 23 or 24.

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