Microtransponder-based battery tagant

Abstract

One or more microtransponders may be attached to at least one component of a battery cell or to a location within the battery cell and may be configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate the battery cell.

Description

Cross - reference to related applications

[0001] [1] This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 496,795, entitled "Microtransponder Based Battery Taggants", filed on April 18, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

[0002] [2] This disclosure relates to trackable and secure taggants that are part of a battery or its components. Methods of including secure taggants in various battery components and their practical uses are disclosed.

Background Art

[0003] [3] Batteries have become an indispensable part of modern life, enabling communication, work, travel, health, and well - being. They are important components of life - saving medical devices such as automated external defibrillators (AEDs), oxygen meters, etc., where their proper, repeated, and reliable functioning is central to the device's functionality. As another example, in electric vehicles, which are safety - critical use cases, the use of batteries will significantly increase in the coming years.

[0004] [4] In many cases, batteries are located in close proximity to users, such as next to the ear of a user using a mobile phone, on the lap of a user using a laptop computer, or under the seat of a user in an electric vehicle. Therefore, the safe and reliable operation of the battery is essential for the lifespan of the devices in which the battery is used and is important for the safety of the human users of these devices.

[0005] [5] In a variety of situations, such as when repurposing or recycling batteries, it may be desirable to track battery systems, battery packs, batteries, cells, and / or components throughout their entire lifecycle. This can be facilitated through tagging batteries or parts thereof. Existing solutions for battery tagging rely on the use of RFID technology to identify batteries and, in certain cases, the enclosures that house the batteries. Sweeland's U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007 / 0008141 describes tagging individual cells and battery packs (enclosures) with RFID tags. Yao, in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011 / 0121951, describes the use of multiple identifiers, such as NFC tags and RFID tags, for the purpose of identifying both individual cells and battery packs. Yao emphasizes the value of discreetly placing tags under a protective outer layer as an additional security measure to identify counterfeit cells and battery packs.

[0006] [6] RFID and NFC tags suffer from technical shortcomings that significantly limit their usefulness for tagging batteries. For example, the reading distance of RFID is adversely affected by thermal events that frequently occur during the charging and discharging of batteries and cells. Furthermore, repeated exposure to heating and cooling tends to reduce the usable lifespan of RFID and NFC tags due to weakening of solder joints.

[0007] [7] Another major limitation of RFID and NFC tags is that they cannot be applied to tag components inside battery cells. Firstly, the relatively large size of these tags (typically 2–5 cm along each side) makes it impractical to tag components such as separators, electrodes, and current collectors in commonly used cells (18650 Li-ion cells, AA batteries, etc.) as the tags occupy a significant portion of the electrodes. Major structural and functional modifications to the battery cell design would have to be made to accommodate these large-sized tags. Secondly, the reading characteristics of RFID or NFC tags are adversely affected when placed inside charged environments such as cells. For example, the electric field inside a cell generally distorts communication between the RFID or NFC tag and the corresponding reader. Thirdly, the harsh chemical environment inside a cell tends to corrode the metal components of NFC or RFID (such as antennas), rendering them unusable or significantly reducing their usable lifespan. Fourth, when multiple RFID or NFC tags are placed close together (such as in the cells of a battery), there is a possibility of "tag collision" when attempting to read the RFID or NFC. In other words, it can be difficult for the reader to determine which RFID or NFC tag is being read. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0008] [8] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a tagant for a battery cell. The tagant may comprise a microtransponder that is attached to at least one component of a battery cell and configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate the battery cell. In some embodiments, the component may comprise at least one of a separator, a current collector, an electrode, a safety valve, a gasket, a current interruption device, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor, and an electrolyte.

[0009] [9] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to tagants for battery cells. A tagant may comprise a microtransponder mounted in a location within a battery cell and configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate the battery cell. In some embodiments, the location may comprise at least one of a cap, a crimp, a gasket, and a coating. In some embodiments, the location may be directly below the visible surface of the battery cell. In some embodiments, the microtransponder may be mounted in the battery cell by heat-crimping the microtransponder into the polymer coating of the battery cell. In some embodiments, the microtransponder may be mounted in the battery cell by positioning the tagant in the gap of the crimp. In some embodiments, the microtransponder may be mounted in the battery cell by using an adhesive and / or label. In some embodiments, the adhesive may be a one-component adhesive such as at least one of a silicone-based composition, a polyurethane-based composition, a cyanoacrylate-based composition, and a methacrylate-based composition. In some embodiments, the adhesive may be a two-component adhesive, such as at least one of an epoxy-based composition, a polyurea-based composition, a polyurethane-based composition, and a reactive acrylate-based composition. In some embodiments, the adhesive may be an ultraviolet (UV), heat, or oxidation-curing adhesive and / or a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In some embodiments, the microtransponder may be in or on the label using one of the above adhesives for adhering the label to the target and / or any other technique for attaching the label to the target.

[0010]

[10] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a battery tagant system in a battery environment. The battery tagant system may include at least one first microtransponder forming a first level of hierarchy in the battery tagant system and at least one second microtransponder forming a second level of hierarchy in the battery tagant system. Each of the first and second microtransponders may be configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate corresponding parts of the battery environment individually or hierarchically. In some embodiments, the battery environment may comprise a single battery cell, the first microtransponder may be mounted on the battery cell, and the second microtransponder may be mounted on a cell component within the battery cell. In some embodiments, the battery environment may comprise a battery, the first microtransponder may be mounted on the battery, and the second microtransponder may be mounted on a battery cell within the battery. In some embodiments, the battery environment may comprise a battery pack, a first microtransponder may be mounted on the battery pack, and a second microtransponder may be mounted on a battery within the battery pack. In some embodiments, the battery environment may comprise a battery system, a first microtransponder may be mounted on the battery system, and a second microtransponder may be mounted on a battery pack within the battery system. In some embodiments, individual authentications may comprise corresponding microtransponders that authenticate corresponding portions without being combined with other microtransponders. In some embodiments, hierarchical authentications may comprise corresponding microtransponders that authenticate corresponding portions in combination with at least another microtransponder at different levels of the hierarchy. In some embodiments, hierarchical authentications may comprise corresponding microtransponders that authenticate corresponding portions in combination with at least another microtransponder at the same level of the hierarchy.

[0011]

[11] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a battery tagant associated with accessories for a battery system, such as elements used to connect the battery system. Examples of such accessories may include, but are not limited to, cables, fittings, clips, and connectors.

[0012]

[12] It should be understood that in its application, this disclosure is not limited to the structural details and arrangements described below or illustrated in the drawings. Embodiments beyond those described are possible and can be implemented and carried out in a variety of ways. It should also be understood that the expressions and technical terms used in this specification and abstract are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0013]

[13] It should be understood that both the general description above and the detailed description below are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the subject matter claimed.

[0014]

[14] Various purposes, features, and advantages of the disclosed subject matter may be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description of the disclosed subject matter when considered in relation to the following drawings in which similar reference numbers identify similar elements. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1]

[15] A block diagram of an exemplary MTP sensor system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 2]

[16] An illustrative schematic diagram of an exemplary MTP according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 3]

[17] An exemplary side view representation of an MTP according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 4]

[18] An exemplary top view representation of an MTP according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 5]

[19] Illustrate an exemplary functional block diagram of an MTP according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6]

[20] It is a schematic diagram of a clock recovery circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]

[21] Illustrate a cross-sectional view of an exemplary photoconductor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8]

[22] Illustrate a timing diagram of light intensity and voltage signals at each node of a clock recovery circuit having the coupling capacitor of FIG. 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9]

[23] Illustrate a functional block diagram of an MTP reader according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10A]

[24] Illustrate in a simplified form how the character string "1101" is transmitted under an old system. [Figure 10B] Illustrate in a simplified form how the character string "1101" is transmitted under the reverse antenna system described in this specification. [Figure 11A]

[25] Show an exemplary diagram reversing the direction of antenna operation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11B]

[26] Show another exemplary diagram reversing the direction of antenna operation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12]

[27] Show an exemplary battery cell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13]

[28] Show an exemplary battery hierarchy according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14]

[29] Show exemplary components of a battery cell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15]

[30] Show a flowchart of an exemplary method for tagging a battery cell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016]

[31] It should be understood that the subject matter disclosed is not limited in its application to the structural details and arrangement of components described in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Other embodiments of the subject matter disclosed are possible and can be carried out and implemented in a variety of ways. It should also be understood that the expressions and terminology used herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. A person skilled in the art will therefore recognize that the concepts on which this disclosure is based can be readily used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems to accomplish some of the purposes of the subject matter disclosed. Accordingly, the claims should be considered to include such equivalent structures, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the subject matter disclosed.

[0017]

[32] Although the subject matter disclosed is described and illustrated in the exemplary embodiments described above, this disclosure is provided only as an example, and it should be understood that numerous modifications in the details of the implementation of the subject matter disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter disclosed.

[0018]

[33] As used herein, a battery is an assembly of cells (or battery cells). A cell is defined herein as an electrochemical unit capable of generating electricity. The components that make up a cell are referred to as “cell components” or “components.” An assembly of batteries may form a “battery pack.” Multiple battery packs may be connected to form a battery system. In some embodiments, a battery system may be considered the highest level of the hierarchy for supplying electricity for relatively large-scale applications such as electric vehicles or residential electrical systems, while lower levels in the battery hierarchy (such as a single cell or battery or battery pack) may be sufficient for other applications. Battery management systems may be used to monitor battery packs and battery systems. Furthermore, the term “battery” is used as a general term throughout this disclosure, and it should be understood that any embodiment described relating to a battery is equally applicable to cell components, cells, battery packs, battery systems, and any combination thereof.

[0019]

[34] Repurposed and recycled batteries, cells, and cell components are expected to play an important role in the sustainable use of batteries. A repurposed battery or cell ("second-life battery") is a battery formed by compiling cells or cell components from different previously used cells. In the case of a valid second-life battery, the various individual cells will benefit from having similar prior-use characteristics, for example, by avoiding any load or charge imbalance in the battery. That is, by carrying over the known characteristics of used cells to a recycled and / or repurposed battery that is to be reused, a reliable recycled and / or repurposed battery with predictable characteristics can be produced. When carried out safely, this recycling offers significant economic benefits. For example, the process may hardly require the complete disassembly of individual cells and may only involve the repackaging of cells that have passed specification tests for the desired purpose. Another exemplary benefit of this recycling and / or repurposed is that it helps reduce battery waste.

[0020]

[35] On the other hand, recycling “end-of-life” batteries involves disassembling the battery or cell into its components and then recycling the component materials. Typically, the cell casing, cap, and other rigid structural elements are separated. Chemically active elements such as electrolytes, electrodes, binders, etc. are typically processed separately as a mixture commonly referred to as “black mass” from which the elements can be separated.

[0021]

[36] However, the technical problem with regard to the repurposed or recycled batteries is tracking battery systems, battery packs, batteries, cells, and / or components throughout their entire lifecycle. Due to the size (i.e., smaller size) and environment (i.e., harsh electrochemical environment) of any type of traceable component (e.g., tagant), tracking is difficult even for single-use batteries or cells. Repurposed and recycled batteries exacerbate the technical problem because tracking may have to cover different changes in cells and / or cell components used for different recycled batteries, battery packs, and battery systems. Conventional radio frequency identification (RFID) and near-field communication (NFC), as described herein, have several technical shortcomings and fail to adequately meet the tracking challenges, particularly in the context of battery repurposed and recycled batteries.

[0022]

[37] Additionally, counterfeit batteries are becoming an increasingly problematic issue in modern commerce. Counterfeiters have resorted to a number of means to make their batteries resemble genuine ones. These include, but are not limited to, counterfeit packaging, covering used cells as new, and mixing substandard and standard cells in a battery pack. Counterfeiters have also resorted to placing counterfeit cell components inside genuine casings, which makes it particularly difficult to identify such counterfeit batteries by mere visual inspection. In certain cases, such counterfeit batteries are combined with other genuine batteries in a group of batteries (such as a battery pack) to form a second-life battery. This often results in load imbalance, leading to uneven heating or short circuits of cells, thereby damaging the device and potentially causing harm to the user and the surrounding environment.

[0023]

[38] In order to address these and other issues, embodiments described herein may provide technical solutions for efficiently verifying the authenticity of battery systems, battery packs, batteries, cells, and cell components. For example, in some embodiments, a single tagant may provide a method for uniformly authenticating all of the above and associating each of the items in a hierarchy. In some embodiments, authenticated components may be associated with a unique identifier of the device in which they are contained. In some embodiments, a hierarchical organization of tagants may be provided so that authentication can be performed at any level of the hierarchy. For example, a tagant for a battery may be associated with a group of individual tagants for component cells, which may enable: (1) individual authentication of component cells by using the corresponding tagant; (2) group authentication of cells by using a combination of individual tagants; (3) individual authentication of a battery by using the corresponding tagant; and / or (4) hierarchical authentication by using a hierarchical association between a tagant for a battery and tagants for individual cells.

[0024]

[39] Photoactivated microtransponders (MTPs) and all-optical microtransponders (OMTPs)—subclasses of MTPs—are particularly suitable as security elements. As described herein, MTPs and OMTPs can wirelessly transmit unique and indestructible digital identifiers when scanned by a suitable device ("reader"). The transmitted signal may be in the form of a radio frequency (RF) signal in the case of an MTP, and in the form of light in the case of an OMTP. The identifiers may be used to identify tangible objects (such as food products) when the transmitted identifiers and tangible objects are linked via a database. Their small size (typically less than 2000 microns along their longest side, preferably less than 600 microns along their longest side), durability, and inertness to a variety of biological and chemical media make MTPs particularly attractive as tagants. The sizes mentioned above are provided as examples and should not be considered limiting. Furthermore, MTPs can be readily combined with other security elements (such as QR codes®, holograms, etc.) to form “composite tagants.” Such composite tagants may include openly or secretly existing MTP / OMTP. Furthermore, a single reader may be able to read multiple security elements simultaneously. For brevity, the following description will use the term MTP, but the embodiments should also apply equally to OMTP. Several embodiments of MTP are commercially available as p-Chip® from p-Chip Corporation (Chicago, Illinois).

[0025]

[40] Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of an MTP sensor system 100 ("System 100") according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. System 100 comprises an MTP reader 102 and an MTP 104. In some embodiments, the MTP 104 is associated with a battery or a part thereof to act as an identifier for the battery or a part thereof. The MTP 104 may be bonded to, implanted in, or otherwise attached to a battery, a location therein, or a component thereof that requires individual unique identification (ID) data. To illustrate an MTP component comprising a substrate 160, an optical element 150, and an optical communication circuit 155, an enlarged view of the MTP 104 is illustrated in the breakout diagram shown in Figure 1. The height of the MTP 104 may be, for example, about 20 μm to 60 μm and may depend on the number of stacked layers and sensors for a particular MTP 104. The MTP 104 may be an integrated circuit that is normally in a persistently dormant, unpowered state until it is powered on when irradiated with an excitation beam 132 from the MTP reader 102. When irradiated, the MTP 104 may power on (generally instantaneously, e.g., much less than one second) and transmit a data beam 133 to the MTP reader 102 via light. The data beam 133 may be emission (e.g., from a light-emitting diode (LED)) in some embodiments, or in other embodiments, a reflection / absorption mechanism (e.g., shuttering via a liquid crystal display (LCD)). In an alternative embodiment, the MTP 104 receives a separate stimulus, such as a modulated code on the excitation beam 132, which initiates the transmission of data from the MTP 104. Alternatively, receiving data from an internal sensor or a linked sensor may trigger the transmission of the data beam 133.

[0026]

[41] In some embodiments, the excitation beam 132 is a visible focused light or laser beam, and the data beam 133 is an infrared light beam emission (e.g., from an infrared light-emitting diode). The data beam 133 may include a signal for identifying a particular MTP 104 to an MTP reader 102, for example, using a unique identification number for a particular MTP 104. Using the unique identification information, the MTP reader 102 may transmit data to a computer (not shown) to uniquely identify the battery. In some embodiments, a user may operate the MTP reader 102 to irradiate the MTP 104 with light or other electromagnetic signals, causing the MTP 104 to transmit the data beam 133 via light or other electromagnetic signals. For example, in some embodiments, the range of the electromagnetic spectrum used by the MTP 104 for this signaling may include one or more subsets of the subterahertz portion of the spectrum, including infrared and longer wavelengths. The data beam 133 may be received by the MTP reader 102. The MTP reader 102 can then decode the data beam 133 carrying the identification data to clearly identify the object.

[0027]

[42] "Laser" is defined herein as coherent directional light which may be visible light. Light sources include light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for communications, solid-state lasers, semiconductor lasers, and / or similar. The excitation beam 132 may comprise visible laser light (e.g., 660 nm wavelength) in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the operating excitation beam 132 may illuminate an area larger than the area occupied by the MTP 104, thereby allowing the user to localize and read the MTP 104. In some embodiments, the excitation beam 132 may comprise light of other wavelengths in the visible and / or invisible spectrum to supply sufficient power using the optical element 150 of the MTP 104. The data beam 133 may be emitted at a different wavelength than the excitation beam 132. For example, the data beam 133 may be 1300 nm IR light and the excitation beam may be 660 nm red light. However, other wavelengths, such as the near-infrared (NIR) band, may be used for optical communication, and alternative embodiments may use other communication techniques, such as reflection signaling methods, to return the modulated data signal to the MTP reader 102. In some alternative embodiments, the MTP 104 includes an antenna (e.g., an integrated antenna) for communicating ID information to the MTP reader 102 via radio waves rather than optical-based signals.

[0028]

[43] In some embodiments, the MTP 104 may include a clock recovery circuit 106. The clock recovery circuit 106 may extract a clock pulse signal from the received modulated light beam, as will be described in more detail below with respect to Figures 6-8. In one embodiment, the light of the excitation beam 132 is amplitude-modulated (e.g., pulsed) at about 1 MHz to provide a data clock that can be used by the MTP 104 to supply, for example, an operational clock pulse for transmitted ID data bits. The timing of the pulse group may be set so that the duty cycle and average power level fall within the requirements for registering as a Class 3R laser device.

[0029]

[44] An exemplary MTP may be a monolithic integrated circuit (e.g., 600 μm × 600 μm × 100 μm) capable of transmitting its identification code over radio frequency (RF). These dimensions are merely examples and should not be considered limiting. For example, a monolithic integrated circuit may have maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

[0030]

[45] When multiple MTPs exist, each MTP (e.g., MTP104) may have a programmed or otherwise assigned unique serial number or identifier (ID). MTPs may be read by an MTP reader 102 (e.g., a wand) without duplicate IDs. The MTP reader 102 may be a handheld device connected to a standard Windows® PC, laptop, or tablet used to read MTPs and may be capable of reading the serial number or ID of individual MTPs.

[0031]

[46] Figure 2 illustrates schematic diagrams of exemplary MTP104 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the MTP104 may include photocells 202a, 202b, 202c, 202d (commonly referred to as a photocell 202, and collectively as photocells 202), a clock recovery circuit 206 (e.g., a clock signal extraction circuit), a logic state machine 204, a loop antenna 210, and a 64-bit memory (not shown) supporting, for example, more than 1.1 billion ID codes. When irradiated by a pulsed laser, the photocells 202 can provide power to electronic circuits on the chip with an efficiency of, for example, about 10%. The MTP104 can transmit its ID through a modulated current in the antenna 210. A fluctuating magnetic field around the MTP104 may be received by a coil in the reader, and the signal may be digitized, analyzed, and decoded. MTPs (such as the MTP104 shown) can be manufactured on silicon wafers in a foundry using a CMOS process similar to those used in the manufacture of memory chips and computer processors. The wafers may undergo post-manufacturing processes, including laser coding, passivation, thinning, and dicing, to obtain individual MTPs. For example, the surface of MTP104 may be made from silicon dioxide, which is deposited as a passivation layer. The silicon dioxide used as the passivation layer is merely an example material and should not be considered limiting. The passivation layer encapsulates other components and forms chemical and biological barriers. Thus, MTP104 can operate safely in a battery regardless of the chemical composition and / or temperature of the environment within the battery.

[0032]

[47] Figure 3 illustrates a side view representation of an exemplary MTP104 according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. The MTP104 may comprise a stack of individual integrated circuit layers 300, 302, 304, 306, and 308. Within the individual layers shown, layer 302 may support a passivation layer (i.e., may accept material forming a passivation layer). Layer 304 may comprise logic, clock, sensor, and transmitter circuits. Layers 306 and 308 may comprise storage capacitors, and 300 may be a substrate. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the functionality of the MTP104 may be organized into layers of other configurations. For example, the stack may comprise layers of different thicknesses that are uniformly stacked, as can be manufactured, for example, in a 3D IC process well known in the art.

[0033]

[48] ​​MTP104 can be manufactured using mixed-signal manufacturing techniques typically used to fabricate analog-to-digital converters or sensor electronic devices that include both analog and digital devices. In exemplary embodiments, each layer is approximately 12 μm thick and has dimensions of 100 μm × 100 μm. In one embodiment, the dimensions of MTP104 are 100 × 100 × 50 μm. Alternative embodiments may use more or fewer layers depending on the application.

[0034]

[49] Figure 4 illustrates exemplary top view representations of the MTP 104 according to several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The diagram illustrated in Figure 4 is a diagram of the top layer 302 of Figure 3. In one embodiment, the layer 302 is provided with transmitting elements such as an LED array 400 surrounding the MTP 104. In other embodiments, the LED array may be implemented as a single LED (illustrated as LED 420 by dashed line) in the center of the logic / sensor circuit 410, or as other topography for directional emission. The arrangement of the LED array 400 illustrates an example of an embodiment that emphasizes light generation. Alternative embodiments may include various topographic layouts advantageous for power harvesting or sensor data acquisition and similar. In some embodiments, the LEDs may include focusing lenses or other optics.

[0035]

[50] Centered on the exemplary top layer 302 is an array 401 of photocells 402, 404, 406 and photoconductor 408. As illustrated, each photocell in the array 401 may be of a physical size such that it creates power for a particular circuit within the MTP 104, one of which may be dedicated to clock / carrier signal extraction, as described below with respect to Figure 4. The largest area photocell 402 is used to operate output transistor 416 to drive an electron radiation transmitter (implemented in some embodiments as an LED in optical communication circuit 155) with voltage V dd (In some embodiments, negative voltage V neg Photocell 404 generates a positive voltage for the logic / sensor circuit 410, and photocell 406 generates a negative voltage V for the logic / sensor circuit block 410. neg The photoconductor 408 is used, for example, to extract clock pulses to operate a logic / sensor circuit 410. The photocell 401 may be coupled to a capacitor in layer 306 or 308, for example, to store the energy generated by the photocell when irradiated with laser light. In some embodiments, the energy extracted from the clock photoconductor 408 is applied to a differentiator (described below with respect to Figure 6), which extracts clock edges that are amplified and used to provide timing signals to the logic and sensing circuits. As illustrated in example, multiple identification fuses 418 are located on surface 414. By opening selected fuses among these, the MTP 104 is provided with a range of unique identification codes beyond the default base page of code values ​​that may be hardcoded in the chip logic. In alternative embodiments, the ID values ​​may be electronically coded using electronic antifuse technology. Furthermore, there are also embodiments having electronic memory for data, signal processing, and identification storage.

[0036]

[51] Figure 5 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary MTP 104 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The MTP 104 may comprise an optical element 150, an energy storage 504, a clock / carrier extraction network 506 (i.e., a clock recovery circuit 106), a sensor 508, logic 510, a transmit switching circuit 512, and an infrared (IR) LED 155. The optical element 150 may include dedicated photocells such as a clock extraction photoconductor 408, energy harvesting photocell arrays 404, 406, and a transmit photocell 402. The energy harvesting photocell arrays 404 and 406 may be coupled to the energy storage 504 and may comprise photovoltaic cells that convert light energy from irradiation into electric current.

[0037]

[52] A clock photoconductor 408, which is part of the clock recovery circuit and can be physically located separately from the recovery circuit, can detect a clock pulse signal for the clock / carrier extraction circuit 506. In some embodiments, the energy storage 504 comprises a plurality of capacitors, each having at least one capacitor coupled to a photocell of the photocell array 404, 406. Energy stored in the energy storage unit 504 can be coupled to an electronic circuit. As the laser light is pulsed, energy from the laser can be stored, and the MTP 104 can operate on the stored energy. Unlike the photocell arrays 404 and 406, the energy of the photocell 402 is not stored, and the transmitter switching circuit 512 can "dump" all of its energy into the transmitting element 155 via the output transistor 416. Once the received laser pulse energy is extracted by the clock / carrier extraction circuit 506, a logic state machine (i.e., logic 510) can form a data packet comprising ID bits and sensor data, which can be provided to the transmit data switch 512 for the formation of an optical transmit signal. Logic 510 can directly integrate sensor signals and ID signals(s)(or IDs) into a composite data frame of an OOK (on / off keyed) emitter. Modulation symbols can be applied to transmitter 512 and transmitted along with each pulse of energy.

[0038]

[53] In some embodiments, the MTP 104 may include sensor(s) 508. Sensor(s) 508 may comprise, for example, one or more sensors for monitoring the characteristics of a battery or its components. Any analog data from sensor(s) 508 may be converted into pulse-width modulated signals or other binary signaling methods that encode analog quantities in the time domain in a manner suitable for pulsing IR light-emitting diodes for direct transmission to the MTP reader 102, without requiring conventional power and area-intensive analog-to-digital conversion techniques. Exemplary sensors include, but are not limited to, dielectric sensors, proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) sensors, pH sensors, oxidation-reduction potential sensors, and / or optical sensors. However, other types of sensors should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0039]

[54] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a clock recovery circuit 506 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The clock recovery circuit 506 may comprise a photoconductor 602 having a resistance R1 that varies in response to the received light intensity, a reference resistor 604 having a fixed resistance R2, an amplifier 606, and an inverter 608. The source terminal of the photoconductor 602 is coupled to the first terminal of the resistor 604 at node A. Node A is coupled to the input of the amplifier 606, and the output of the amplifier 606 is coupled to an inverter 608 that generates a recovered clock circuit at its output.

[0040]

[55] The combination of photoconductor 602 and resistor 604 in series gives a voltage V DD A voltage divider R is formed between the and ground. Specifically, in this embodiment, the drain terminal of the photoconductor 602 is connected to a voltage V from the energy storage 504 that maintains a voltage when the irradiation is off. DDThe second terminal of resistor 604 is connected to ground. The resistance R1 of photoconductor 602 varies according to the received light intensity, and the voltage at node A is determined by the ratio of resistances R1 and R2. Therefore, the modulated light input incident on photoconductor 602 generates a modulated voltage signal at the input of amplifier 606.

[0041]

[56] In some embodiments, a coupling capacitor 610 is added before the amplifier 606. The voltage divider R and the coupling capacitor 610 form a differentiator that can extract the clock edge when the modulation frequency is as low as a few kilohertz (this may not be necessary above about 1 MHz). The inverter 608 digitizes the analog output of the amplifier 606, as described below, resulting in an exemplary digital waveform as shown in Figure 8.

[0042]

[57] Figure 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary photoconductor 602 according to several embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the size of the photoconductor 602 may be 5 μm × 5 μm or larger. As illustrated, the photoconductor 602 may use a long-channel n-MOSFET in a separated deep n-well bucket. The n-well and deep n-well (Dn-well) can completely seal the p-well in the p-substrate and the transistor components, i.e., the source, drain, and gate confined in the bucket. For example, the gate layer made from a polysilicon material may be disposed on top of an insulating layer such as silicon dioxide (SiO2). Polysilicon material spectrally absorbs shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue light, but allows longer wavelengths of light, such as red light, to pass through. When using an excitation beam 132 having a longer wavelength, such as a red light beam, the polysilicon material filters and blocks the shorter wavelengths and allows the longer wavelengths to pass through. Therefore, it suppresses the shorter wavelengths. For example, an indoor light (e.g., a fluorescent lamp) that flickers at a speed of 60 Hz may generate some interference or noise with more spectrum in the shorter wavelength range (blue wavelength), and a polysilicon material can effectively block the flickering from the indoor light, allowing only the desired energy beam (e.g., red light) to pass through.

[0043]

[58] Furthermore, the photoconductor 602 (which may also be called a photoresistor) allows the clock recovery circuit 106 to function under both low and high irradiation conditions, in contrast to the photodiode-based clock recovery circuit. For example, under sufficiently high irradiation, excess flooding charges in the photodiode may not be sufficiently discharged, leading to malfunction of the photodiode-based clock recovery circuit. In contrast, the photoconductor 602 can be operated in current mode, and since the photocharge is constantly discharged by the electric field in the photoconductor 602, it may not be as affected by high-irradiation flooding phenomena. In addition, the deep n-well bucket of the photoconductor 602 is isolated such that the n-wells physically form a potential barrier that prevents charges generated outside the bucket from entering the bucket, ensuring that only photons reaching inside the bucket can contribute to the conductivity of the photoresistor 602. Thus, excess photogenerated charges under high irradiation that could lead to malfunction of the photodiode-based clock recovery circuit are suppressed in the clock recovery circuit 106.

[0044]

[59] Additionally, this FET device can have a very small physical ground area. For example, inverter 608 as shown in Figure 6 may comprise a static CMOS inverter device comprising NMOS and PMOS transistors and having any two states of high or low. When the inverter input is above a reference voltage, it is considered high, and when it is below the reference voltage, it is considered low, and the output is then inverted. A static CMOS inverter can also function as an analog amplifier because it has sufficiently high gain in its narrow transition region to amplify a signal, which allows the clock recovery circuit 506 to have a very small ground area. In cases where the extracted clock pulse is extremely low, the amplification by amplifier 606 may not be sufficient to reach a threshold voltage for flipping the logic state, and in these cases, inverter 608 can further increase the overall amplification to reach that threshold.

[0045]

[60] Figure 8 illustrates the timing diagrams of the light intensity and voltage signals at each node of the clock recovery circuit 506 having the coupling capacitor shown in Figure 6.

[0046]

[61] Figure 9 illustrates a functional block diagram of an MTP reader 102 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in Figure 9, an exemplary MTP reader 102 may include a USB-powered, USB 2.0 transceiver microcontroller, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a power converter and tuner, a laser diode with a programmable current driver, an optical collimation / focusing module, and a tuned air coil pickup having a high-gain, low-noise differential RF receiver. The exemplary laser emits an average optical power of 60 mW modulated at 1 MHz at a wavelength of 658 nm when reading the MTP ID. The ID is read when the MTP is placed within suitable proximity (e.g., <10 mm) of the MTP reader 102. The MTP generated waveform is compared to a data clock (laser-modulated) used for synchronization of the transmitted ID data bits. The resulting ID readout from the MTP is rapid (<0.01 seconds) and reported on a PC or tablet. The MTP reader 102 may be able to read MTPs under difficult conditions, such as through a sheet of white paper, blue glass (approximately 1 mm thick), or a sheet of transparent plastic laminate. Other MTP readers are being developed (e.g., devices for reading IDs with MTPs in fluids). Another version under development is a battery-powered Bluetooth® reader that can be used with a PC or mobile phone.

[0047]

[62] Several embodiments may provide efficient systems and methods capable of increasing the signal intensity emitted by these small MTPs. MTP data may be transmitted using data coding that results in one-third to two-thirds of the transmitted bits having a value of 1. The average for all IDs may be half the data having a value of 1. The "1" digital signal is transmitted with the laser on, and the "0" digital signal is transmitted with the laser off (the energy stored in the photocell provides the small amount of energy to be transmitted). The signal power tracks the ratio of 1s to 0s in the data. Several embodiments may transmit the same "1" digital signal as currently being transmitted, but the "0" digital signal is transmitted with the laser on and the current flowing in the opposite direction to the current for the "1" digital signal. This results in all IDs being transmitted with the same power. The data may be transmitted when the laser is on. This may result in twice the power in the transmitted signal (on average, 6 dB more signal at the receiver). The method may result in easier signal processing and easier distinction between 1s and 0s. This could lead to an MTP reader 102 with a larger reading distance and simpler processing.

[0048]

[63] For example, the MTP104 may be queried using light flashing at 1 MHz with a 50% duty cycle. This can be achieved using a laser or a focused LED or similar.

[0049]

[64] Figure 10A illustrates in a simplified form how the string "1101" is transmitted under the older system, and Figure 10B illustrates in a simplified form how the string "1101" is transmitted under the reverse antenna system described herein. For each off / on cycle such as c1, c2, c3, or c4 in Figures 10A-10B, the MTP reader 102 may look for a radio signal that identifies the transmission of a "1" digital signal or a "0" digital signal. In the case of the first exemplary MTP output in Figure 10A illustrating the prior art system as shown in a simplified form, a 0 is transmitted when the light source is off. However, the photocell capacitance used to transmit the 0 is limited. In fact, this limited signal indicates a "0". The limited energy applicable to the 0 means that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the MTP reader 102 is suppressed by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the 0. This means that, in principle, a "1" can be read over a significantly longer distance, while an MTP signal may only be read over a shorter distance applicable to the "0" component of the signal. This specification provides a method that includes reversing the direction of the current in the RF output antenna to transmit a "0" digital signal, so that substantially the same current is used for both the "1" and "0" digital signals (see Figure 10B). In some embodiments different from Figure 10B, any given bit ("1" or "0") or digital signal in the p-Chip® MTP may be transmitted within eight consecutive optical cycles.

[0050]

[65] One way to reverse the antenna current is to use a switching circuit such as an H-bridge. Figure 11A shows an exemplary diagram of reversing the direction of antenna operation according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 11A, the antenna 10 can be operated by a voltage source Vin and an H-bridge 20. Selectively closing switches S1 and S4 can direct the current through the antenna 10 in the direction indicated by the arrows. Selectively closing switches S2 and S3 can direct the current through the antenna 10 in the opposite direction.

[0051]

[66] Figure 11B shows another exemplary diagram of reversing the direction of antenna operation according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Another method of reversing the antenna current is to use two switches, such as S1A and S2A in Figure 11B, and two antennas (e.g., 10A, 10B). Selectively closing switch S1A can direct the current through antenna 10A in one direction indicated by the arrow. Selectively closing switch S2A can direct the current through antenna 10B in the opposite direction. When S1 is selectively closed, the current moves in direction D1. When S2A is selectively closed, the current moves in direction D2, opposite to direction D1. The antennas may be formed in separate metal layers or on the same layer. Only one FET (S1A or S2A) may be closed at any given time. When either FET is turned on, a reverse current may be coupled into the other antenna. The body diode of the off FET may provide a current path for the coupled signal.

[0052]

[67] In some embodiments, the antenna options described herein can be achieved in a monolithic integrated circuit. In some embodiments, the monolithic integrated circuit may be no larger than approximately 2 mm × 2 mm × 0.2 mm in thickness.

[0053]

[68] In some embodiments, the signal strength for an MTP incorporating the two-phase transmission described above increases by approximately 6 dB. This would increase the reliable reading distance of the MTP reader 102. In some embodiments, the number of cycles involved in transmitting one bit is eight data periods. Each laser cycle is one data period. Each time the number of data periods doubles, there is a signal processing gain of 3 dB. Eight data periods is three doublings (2, 4, 8). This results in a signal processing gain of 9 dB. By increasing from 8 to 64 (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64) or 128 (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128), the signal processing gain can increase from 9 dB to 18 dB (for 64 iterations) or 21 dB (for 128 iterations). When using a 1 MHz laser, an exemplary MTP using 8 iterations for its 64 data cells can transmit IDs at a rate of 2,000 per second. By increasing the iteration rate to 128, the read rate can be reduced to 128 reads per second with a signal gain of 21 dB. This can result in an increase in read distance. The laser rate can be increased or decreased (for example, within the range of 500 kHz to 5 MHz). The iteration rate can be controlled by selecting one of eight iteration rates (three additional memory bits).

[0054]

[69] Multiple MTP indexed security features

[0055]

[70] In some embodiments, a higher level of security may be established by using multiple microtransponders, or combinations of microtransponders and tagants (e.g., QR codes, barcodes, RFID tags, etc.) as matching pairs for authentication. All tagants must be present and readable to validate the content. The tagants may be placed next to each other, or at different locations on the surface of an object or within an object, and / or at least two different types of security markings may be combined to form a composite security marking. The inability of any microtransponder or other tagant to respond may indicate non-authentic content. At least one microtransponder in a multilevel indexing sequence may be a brittle chip that can be made physically impossible to respond when the container is first opened. The brittle chip may be produced by post-fabrication processing, i.e., thinning of the chip substrate to ensure that the chip breaks when bent or when an attempt is made to remove it from the substrate. In some embodiments, methods for ensuring chip disabling may be carried out by designing a fracture surface or by cutting a slot into the chip to cut an antenna.

[0056]

[71] In one embodiment, a physical object (e.g., a container) may be attached to chips A and B from legitimate pairing when both signals respond to interrogation.

[0057]

[72] In one embodiment, if the physical object is attached only to chip A and chip B is not physically present for interrogation by the reader, the reader may not authenticate the product because the database requires responses from both chips. If the physical object contains both chip A and chip B, but chip B may be damaged when opened, the reader may not authenticate the product because chip B is rendered incapable.

[0058]

[73] In one embodiment, as in the example of a physical object having chips A and B, a physical object may have different pairwise or valid pairing indexings via chips C and D. The pairing of chips C and D may be valid, but it may be unique and not equal to the pairing of chips A and B. If a counterfeiter obtains chips A and C and adds them to their package, the reader may be unable to authenticate the chips because chips A and C do not constitute a valid pairing.

[0059]

[74] Enhanced reading distance microtransponder (MTP)

[0060]

[75] Some exemplary MTPs may have limited readability when mounted directly to a metal substrate. The modulated light required to activate the solar cell of the MTP may interact with the metal substrate, which may generate eddy currents in the metal. The generated eddy currents may reduce the RF signal intensity response from the MTP. The ability to successfully acquire and decode the RF signal containing the MTP's unique identity number is a function of the signal distance between the MTP and its reader.

[0061]

[76] Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for enhancing the read distance for MTPs by eliminating eddy currents. The signal distance for microtransponders mounted directly to a metal surface can be reduced by up to 30% compared to non-metallic substrates. Enhanced read distance MTPs can be embedded with durable self-destructing PUF functionality, as described. It may be possible to construct a physical gap between the eddy current-affected object and the metal substrate. Such a scheme may rely on tapes, shims or filler polymer adhesives, laminates or films located outside the integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing and construction. Given the wide range of substrates and mounting methods for the end-use of P-Chip® MTPs, a single high-capacity affordable solution may not be feasible for post-manufacturing isolation of MTPs from metal substrates. Achieving resistance to eddy currents from the metal substrate as part of an on-chip structure may be advantageous.

[0062]

[77] In some embodiments, successful removal of eddy currents can be achieved with active or passive materials and / or combinations thereof. Active materials can absorb, scatter, disrupt, or reflect eddy currents away from the chip and its signals. Filling materials such as ferrite are also known to act as active materials. Passive materials do not interact with eddy currents at all and can provide physical isolation between the substrate and the IC signals. Glass, ceramics, and inorganic media are known materials that provide passive isolation and are compatible with IC manufacturing.

[0063]

[78] In some embodiments, the base layer or near-base layer of the IC design may be fabricated from a passive material or filled with an active material. The base layer may be formed after the foundry by mounting a passive or active substrate to the MTP chip.

[0064]

[79] Various methods or techniques, including but not limited to the following, may be used for the base layer of IC design:

[0065]

[80] Physical construction processes by vapor phase or chemical deposition. Most passivation layers are constructed to remove corrosion of ICs and components, but extending the thickness of the back of the chip by depositing a nonconductive inorganic layer acts as a physical spacer to isolate the IC and its circuit configuration from the metal substrate which can cause interference.

[0066]

[81] Physical layer construction processes from liquid media and subsequent thermal or radiation curing in the field of polysilazane / polysiloxane chemistry. The two chemical properties described make it possible to create durable, nonconductive films and structures with excellent adhesion to other inorganic surfaces. Such sol-gel systems can be applied as liquid coatings by casting, spraying, dipping, or spin-based coating onto precision films.

[0067]

[82] Attachment of active or passive monolithic layers to wafers using liquid, gel, or solid media, and subsequent thermal or radiation curing in the field of polysilazane / polysiloxane chemistry. The same sol-gel systems may be used as adhesives for bonding other structures, such as glass sheets, to the back surface of IC wafers. In some embodiments, the passive monolithic layer may be a glass or filled glass structure.

[0068]

[83] Hybrid organic-inorganic polymer matrices may be seen as having greater flexibility and potentially being an organic pathway to lower temperature applications. One drawback of sol-gel films is that they can be brittle. Adding small amounts of organic material to an inorganic sol-gel system may reduce brittleness. A material trade-off in creating hybrid sol-gels is the degradation of high-temperature resistance.

[0069]

[84] The end use may involve metals, or may include metal-filled layers or particles.

[0070]

[85] This disclosure may identify known or perceived conditions of use, scope or limitations of effectiveness. High-temperature usage conditions are an important feature of P-Chip® MTP, but metallic objects used in low-temperature or ambient temperature applications, such as asset tagging, are equally important. Thus, organic-based eddy current rejection methods may also be used in low-temperature to ambient temperature applications. Various materials may be used, but are not limited to, inorganic films, coatings and adhesives, high-temperature hybrid organic-inorganic matrices and materials, and high-temperature organic insulating materials during the manufacturing process of MTP with enhanced signal distance.

[0071]

[86] Battery Tagant System and Method

[0072]

[87] Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary battery cell 1200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the cell 1200 may include an anode 1208 and a cathode 1206 separated by a separator 1210. For example, the cathode 1206-("internal") separator 1210-anode 1208 combination may be formed as a long sheet and tightly wound with another ("external") separator 1210 providing insulation between them to form a cylindrical cell. The "internal" separator 1210 may have an electrolyte that forms a barrier to electrons but allows positive ions to pass through, so that electron crossing between cathode 1206 and anode 1208 passes through an external circuit. The external circuit may include a load when the cell 1200 is in use and may be a power source when the cell 1200 is being charged. Cathode pole 1202 and anode pole 1204 may provide connection points to the external circuit.

[0073]

[88] Figure 13 illustrates an exemplary battery hierarchy 1300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the lowest level of the hierarchy may be a cell component 1302 (e.g., a cathode 1206, anode 1208, separator 1210, etc., as shown in Figure 12). The next level of the hierarchy may be a cell 1304 (e.g., a cell 1200 as shown in Figure 12). A battery 1306 comprising multiple cells may form the next level of the hierarchy. Moving up, a battery pack 1308 comprising multiple batteries may form another level of the hierarchy. Finally, a battery system 1310 comprising multiple battery packs may form the highest level of the hierarchy. It should be understood that this is an exemplary hierarchical structure and should not be considered limiting to all possible battery hierarchies.

[0074]

[89] Photoactivated microtransponders (MTPs) and all-optical microtransponders (OMTPs)—subclasses of MTPs—are described throughout this disclosure as exemplary security elements. As described in U.S. Patent No. 7,098,394, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0091224, and above, they may be designed to wirelessly transmit a unique, indestructible digital identifier when scanned by a suitable device ("Reader"). The transmitted signal is in the form of a radio frequency (RF) signal in the case of an MTP and in the form of light in the case of an OMTP. These MTPs and OMTPs are described as examples, and other tags having a similar structure and function should be considered within the scope of this disclosure. It should be further understood that the term tag as used throughout this disclosure encompasses MTPs / OMTPs, and / or any other types of tags having a similar structure and function.

[0075]

[90] The small size of the MTP and OMTP (e.g., less than 2 cm × 2 cm × 100 microns) allows them to be attached to the cell components, cells, batteries, and battery packs without causing significant distortion to the shape or performance of the MTP / OMTP or the cell components, cells, batteries, and battery packs. In some embodiments, the MTP and OMTP may be less than 500 microns × 500 microns × 100 microns. These sizes are examples and should not be considered limiting to all possible tags. Furthermore, the MTP may be coupled with a sensor to collect useful information regarding the performance of the cell or battery. In addition, it should be understood that the functions of the MTP described herein are also applicable to the OMTP.

[0076]

[91] As discussed above, MTPs may include silicon chips partially or completely encapsulated in an inert casing such as glass or silicon nitride. This allows MTPs to withstand the harsh chemical conditions of the battery environment, such as strong acids, ionic liquids, or corrosive agents. The electrolyte used in the cell may contain ionic salts in an organic medium. MTPs may be exposed to the electrolyte for extended periods (such as months or years). Furthermore, the electrolyte may undergo chemical changes, physical changes, or both during such periods. Chemical changes may include changes in pH, total ion concentration, conductivity, oxide formation, changes in chemical composition, etc. Physical changes may include changes in viscosity, color, precipitate formation, etc. Unlike conventional RFID and NFCs, MTPs are designed to operate under these harsh and changing chemical and physical conditions.

[0077]

[92] The MTPs disclosed herein can be attached to the cell in a variety of ways. For example, the MTP may be placed on the cap, crimp, gasket, or metal casing of the cell over the coating. In certain cases, the MTP may be placed directly below the surface of the coating to conceal the MTP from visual inspection. The MTP may be attached by physical means such as heat crimping the MTP to the polymer coating, placing the MTP in the gaps of the crimp, or by adhesive. Suitable adhesives may be organic, inorganic, one-component, or multi-component, and may be capable of maintaining adhesion during the battery's charge and discharge cycles. Non-limiting examples of one-component adhesives include silicone-based, polyurethane-based, cyanoacrylate, or methacrylate-based compositions. Non-limiting examples of two-component adhesives include epoxy-based, polyurea-based, polyurethane-based, or reactive acrylate-based compositions. In some embodiments, the MTP may be potted with an adhesive, and the potted MTP may be physically attached to a part of the battery.

[0078]

[93] In some embodiments, the MTPs disclosed herein may be attached to accessories of a battery system. Such accessories may include, but are not limited to, cables, connectors, pins, adapters, fittings, clips, or cable ties. For example, certain types of batteries may be connected by cables configured to handle the operating attributes of the battery, such as voltage, operating temperature, chemical resistance, etc. Using cables not configured to handle the operating attributes of the battery may cause problems with battery performance and / or functionality. MTPs may be used to ensure that batteries are paired with the correct cables for optimal performance of the battery system. For example, MTPs in cables may be read as described herein, and the information provided through reading the MTPs can be used to verify whether the cables are suitable for the battery. In another example, MTPs may be used to certify whether accessories are factory standard accessories provided by the original equipment manufacturer or certified replacement parts. In certain cases, the inability to use such certified accessories may result in a loss of warranty, and verification through the MTP placement may be read as a possible safeguard against warranty loss, in addition to ensuring that performance standards are maintained.

[0079]

[94] MTP or OMTP may also be attached by mechanical fasteners without the need for adhesives. For example, MTP or OMTP may be held in place by recesses, notches, or protrusions on a surface. In another example, MTP or OMTP may be molded or potted within a cell component. In yet another example, MTP or OMTP may be heat-crimped within a substrate. In yet another example, MTP or OMTP may be sonic welded and / or ultrasonically welded on a surface. In yet another example, MTP or OMTP may be heat-shrinked onto a cell component or accessory. Heat shrinking may involve temporarily softening the polymer through the application of heat and applying the MTP to the softened polymer, thereby ensuring that the MTP adheres firmly in place upon cooling. In some embodiments, the polymer may be pre-cut to precise dimensions or pre-associated with the MTP.

[0080]

[95] In one or more embodiments, the MTP may be attached to components within the cell. Components of the cell may include, for example, separators, current collectors, electrodes, safety valves, gaskets, current interruption devices, positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors, or electrolytes. The electrolyte may be a liquid, solid, or viscous paste-like substance. The MTP may be installed on the cell components by physical processes such as heat scribing, in-line molding, 3D printing, or by using an adhesive. Suitable adhesives may be one-component or multi-component and may be capable of maintaining adhesion during battery charge and discharge cycles. Non-limiting examples of one-component adhesives include silicone-based, polyurethane-based, cyanoacrylate, or methacrylate-based compositions. Non-limiting examples of two-component adhesives include epoxy-based, polyurea-based, polyurethane-based, or reactive acrylate-based compositions.

[0081]

[96] Figure 3 shows an exemplary component of cell 302 to which the MTP324 may be attached according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the attachment to the component is illustrative and should not be considered to limit all possible attachments and / or component choices. In some embodiments, the MTP324 may be attached to other components of cell 302.

[0082]

[97] As shown, the cell 302 may include tabs 304 (e.g., providing a positive terminal to an external circuit) and / or tabs 306 (e.g., providing a negative terminal to an external circuit). As further shown, the cell 302 may be formed of a separator sheet 308, a positive electrode active material layer 310, a current collector 312 (e.g., formed of aluminum), a positive electrode active material layer 314, a separator sheet 316 (e.g., which may contain an electrolyte), a negative electrode active material layer 318, a current collector 320 (e.g., formed of copper), and a negative electrode active material 322. Tabs 304 may be attached to the current collector 312, and tabs 306 may be attached to the current collector 320.

[0083]

[98] The MTP324 can be attached to any of these components. For example, the MTP324 can be attached to the separator sheet 308, the current collector 312, the separator sheet 316, and / or the current collector 320. Due to its relatively small size and resilience to electrochemical activity (at least due to its monolithic structure), the MTP324 can be attached to any of these components. Such an attachment does not affect the normal function of the cell 302.

[0084]

[99] Battery malfunction may result from any or a combination of factors, including battery overheating, manufacturing defects, variations over multiple charge-discharge cycles, or simply the end of battery life. Battery malfunction may also result from thermal events followed by discharge of material from the battery. Effective battery tagants may need to be able to withstand such events. MTPs may be well-suited for tagging battery components because they are insensitive to electric shocks and continue to function unaffected in the event of battery malfunction or charge dissipation.

[0085]

[0100] Furthermore, because MTPs are relatively small in size, they can be used to create hierarchical authentication schemes. Taking the example of a battery pack having multiple batteries, each having multiple cells, different MTPs can be organized at different levels of the hierarchy. An MTP for the battery pack may form the first level of the hierarchy, an MTP for an individual battery may form the second level, and an MTP for an individual cell may form the third level. It should be understood that these hierarchies are merely examples, and additional hierarchies should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure. For example, this example can be easily extended to have additional hierarchies having MTPs attached to cell components and / or MTPs attached to a battery system including the battery pack.

[0086]

[0101] Continuing with this exemplary battery pack, different hierarchical combinations of MTPs may be used for authentication. For example, an MTP for the battery pack may be used to authenticate the battery pack, its constituent batteries, and all of their constituent cells. Alternatively, a combination of MTPs for batteries may be used to authenticate the battery and battery pack, for example, by comparing the combination with a stored combination. Or, a hierarchical combination of the cell's MTP and the corresponding battery's MTP may be used to authenticate the battery. Or, at the third level of the hierarchy, the corresponding MTP may be used to authenticate the corresponding cell individually. In some embodiments, a predetermined subset of hierarchical MTPs may be used in combination to authenticate the entire hierarchy. For example, in a battery pack with 10 levels of hierarchy, authenticating the first, third, and eighth levels (or any other multi-level combination) may be sufficient to authenticate the entire battery pack.

[0087]

[0102] Therefore, any individual MTP or combination of MTPs—combinations within the same level of hierarchy or different levels of hierarchy—can be used for authentication. Such combinations may enable stronger authentication. For example, if possible, mimicking or replacing a combination of MTPs to mimic or replace a single MTP can be significantly more difficult. Additionally, this combination can provide redundancy. For example, in a scenario where one or more MTPs are destroyed or damaged, other MTPs can be used to verify the authenticity of the corresponding battery, cell, etc.

[0088]

[0103] A hierarchical arrangement of MTPs can further facilitate battery recycling or repurposing. For example, a subset of cells in a first battery, each having a cell-level MTP associated with a battery-level MTP, can be combined with a subset of cells in a second battery, each similarly having a cell-level MTP and a battery-level MTP, to form a third repurpose battery having its own battery-level MTP and cell-level MTP. For this third repurpose battery, the MTPs from the corresponding subset of cells can be associated with the battery-level MTP. Thus, this hierarchy allows for greater flexibility in combinations, in addition to stronger authentication that incorporates redundancy.

[0089]

[0104] Sometimes, it can be useful to verify the origin of all materials used in the manufacture of a battery. A non-limiting example of this is verifying and certifying that minerals are obtained in a fair manner, do not contain conflict minerals, or do not involve child labor. Using MTP or OMTP can enable such certification and certification.

[0090]

[0105] Figure 15 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method 1500 for tagging a battery cell or its components according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the steps of method 1500 are merely examples and should not be considered limiting. Methods having additional, alternative, or fewer steps should be considered within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0091]

[0106] In step 1502, a battery cell or component may be prepared. As described throughout this disclosure, a battery cell may include a variety of elements and / or structures. The preparation of the battery cell should be understood to include any type of processing required to enable the attachment of the tagant(s) to the intended component and / or location, such as applying adhesive or making any mechanical adjustments necessary to accept the tagant(s).

[0092]

[0107] In step 1504, a tagant(or multiple tagants) may be associated with a battery cell. The tagant may include, for example, a photo-triggered microtransponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit, which is encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix. In some embodiments, the monolithic circuit may have maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

[0093]

[0108] As used herein, association of a Tagant battery cell (or any other component) should be understood to include any one of the following: physical mounting, embedding, placement in the same location, adjacent placement, proximity placement, placement in the same box or container, digital association, and / or similar. Similarly, association of an MTP with a battery cell (or any other component) should be understood to include any one of the following: physical mounting, embedding, placement in the same location, adjacent placement, proximity placement, placement in the same box or container, digital association, and / or similar. Thus, association should be understood as a broader embodiment of a physical or non-physical functional combination of two components.

[0094]

[0109] In some embodiments, multiple tagants may be associated with a battery cell. Each tagant may include an optically triggered microtransponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit, which is encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix. Multiple tagants may form a tagant system (as described, for example, with reference to Figure 14), and in some embodiments, any combination of tagants, including a hierarchical form, may be used to determine the origin of the battery cell.

[0095]

[0110] When associated with a battery cell, the tagants may be scanned as described herein. Each scan may include information such as the identity of the scanned item, the time of the scan, the location of the scan, the identity of the equipment and processing parameters, and / or the person performing the scan, the position of the scanned item relative to other objects scanned, and information about the packaging holding the object, all of which may form a data packet. A chronological record of multiple such scans and the resulting data packets may be created and stored on a computer-readable medium and, in addition, may be accessed and verified as needed by an authorized user. Furthermore, such records may be prevented from being edited, thereby avoiding any possibility of tampering. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the records may be stored on the MTP itself. In some embodiments, the records may be securely stored in a blockchain or other secure storage medium.

[0096]

[0111] While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that these are presented as examples only and not as limitations. Those skilled in the art will see that various modifications of form and detail can be made within these embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope. Indeed, by reading the above description, those skilled in the art will see how alternative embodiments can be implemented. For example, other steps may be provided or steps may be omitted from the described flow, and other components may be added to or removed from the described system. Therefore, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

[0097]

[0112] Furthermore, it should be understood that any diagrams emphasizing functions and benefits are presented for illustrative purposes only. Each disclosed methodology and system is sufficiently flexible and configurable to be used in ways other than those shown.

[0098]

[0113] The term "at least one" may often be used in this specification, the claims, and the drawings, but terms such as "a," "an," "the," and "said" also mean "at least one" or "the at least one" in this specification, the claims, and the drawings.

[0099]

[0114] Finally, the applicant intends that only claims containing the expression language “means for” or “step for” should be interpreted as means-plus-function limitations (for example, under Section 112(f) of the U.S. Patent Act). Claims that do not explicitly contain the phrase “means for” or “step for” should not be interpreted as means-plus-function limitations (for example, under Section 112(f) of the U.S. Patent Act).

Claims

1. A tagant for a battery cell, wherein the tagant is A tagant comprising a microtransponder attached to at least one component of a battery cell and configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate the battery cell.

2. The tagant according to claim 1, wherein the components comprise at least one of a separator, a current collector, an electrode, a safety valve, a gasket, a current interruption device, a covering, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor, and an electrolyte.

3. The Tagant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the microtransponder comprises an integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

4. The tagant according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the microtransponder comprises an optically triggered microtransponder.

5. A tagant for a battery cell, wherein the tagant is A tagant comprising a microtransponder mounted on and / or within the battery cell and configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate the battery cell.

6. The tagant according to claim 5, wherein the location comprises at least one of a cap, a crimp, a gasket, and a covering portion.

7. The tagant according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the location is directly below the visible surface of the battery cell.

8. The tagant according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the microtransponder is disposed openly or discreetly on and / or within the visible surface of the battery cell.

9. The tagant according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the microtransponder is attached to the battery cell by heat crimping the microtransponder into the polymer coating portion of the battery cell.

10. The tagant according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the microtransponder is attached to the battery cell by placing the tagant in the gap between the crimps.

11. The tagant according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the microtransponder is attached to the battery cell by fabricating the microtransponder within the cell casing or cover of the battery.

12. The tagant according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the microtransponder is attached to the battery cell by using an adhesive and / or label.

13. The Tagant according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive comprises a one-component adhesive.

14. The Tagant according to claim 13, wherein the one-component adhesive comprises at least one of a silicone-based composition, a polyurethane-based composition, a cyanoacrylate-based composition, and a methacrylate-based composition.

15. The Tagant according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive comprises a two-component adhesive.

16. The tagant according to claim 15, wherein the two-component adhesive comprises at least one of an epoxy-based composition, a polyurea-based composition, a polyurethane-based composition, and a reactive acrylate-based composition.

17. The Tagant according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive is UV curing and / or pressure-sensitive.

18. The tagant according to any one of claims 5 to 17, wherein the microtransponder comprises an integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

19. The tagant according to any one of claims 5 to 18, wherein the microtransponder comprises an optically triggered microtransponder.

20. A battery tagant system in a battery environment, wherein the battery tagant system is The battery tagant system includes at least one first microtransponder that forms at least a first level of hierarchy, The battery tagant system includes at least one second microtransponder forming at least a second level of hierarchy A battery tagant system comprising, wherein each of the first and second microtransponders is configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to individually or hierarchically authenticate corresponding portions of the battery environment.

21. The battery tagant system according to claim 20, wherein the battery environment comprises a single battery cell, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery cell, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a cell component within the battery cell.

22. The battery tagant system according to claim 20, wherein the battery environment comprises a battery, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a battery cell in the battery.

23. The battery tagant system according to claim 20, wherein the battery environment comprises a battery pack, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery pack, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a battery in the battery pack.

24. The battery tagant system according to claim 20, wherein the battery environment comprises a battery system, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery system, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a battery pack within the battery system.

25. The battery tagant system according to claim 20, wherein the battery environment comprises at least one accessory component of the battery system, and at least one of at least one of the first microtransponder and at least one of the second microtransponder is attached to at least one accessory component of the battery system.

26. The battery tag system according to claim 25, wherein at least one of the accessories of the battery system comprises at least one of a cable, connector, pin, adapter, mounting fixture, clip, and cable tie.

27. The battery tagant system according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein each of the authentications comprises a corresponding microtransponder that authenticates the corresponding portion without being combined with other microtransponders.

28. The battery tagant system according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein the hierarchical authentication comprises a corresponding microtransponder that authenticates the corresponding portion in combination with at least another microtransponder at different levels of the hierarchy.

29. The battery tagant system according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein the hierarchical authentication comprises a corresponding microtransponder that authenticates the corresponding portion in combination with at least another microtransponder at the same level of the hierarchy.

30. The battery tagant system according to any one of claims 20 to 29, wherein at least one of the at least one first microtransponder and at least one second microtransponder comprises an integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

31. The battery tagant system according to any one of claims 20 to 30, wherein at least one of the at least one first microtransponder and at least one second microtransponder is an optically triggered microtransponder.

32. It is a method, A method comprising mounting a microtransponder on and / or in a battery cell, or on and / or in an accessory of the battery cell, wherein the microtransponder is configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate the battery cell.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the location comprises at least one of a cap, a crimp, a gasket, and a covering portion.

34. The method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the location is directly below the visible surface of the battery cell.

35. The method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the attachment of the microtransponder comprises openly or discreetly placing the microtransponder on and / or inside the visible surface of the battery cell.

36. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the attachment of the microtransponder comprises heat crimping the microtransponder into the polymer coating of the battery cell.

37. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the attachment of the microtransponder comprises attaching the microtransponder to the location by a process including thermal shrinking of the location.

38. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the installation of the microtransponder comprises positioning the tagant in the gap of the crimp.

39. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the installation of the microtransponder comprises fabricating the microtransponder within the cell casing or cover of the battery.

40. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the attachment of the microtransponder is performed using an adhesive and / or a label.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the adhesive comprises a one-component adhesive.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the one-component adhesive comprises at least one of a silicone-based composition, a polyurethane-based composition, a cyanoacrylate-based composition, and a methacrylate-based composition.

43. The method according to claim 40, wherein the adhesive comprises a two-component adhesive.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the two-component adhesive comprises at least one of an epoxy-based composition, a polyurea-based composition, a polyurethane-based composition, and a reactive acrylate-based composition.

45. The method according to claim 40, wherein the adhesive is UV curing and / or pressure-sensitive.

46. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 45, wherein the microtransponder comprises an integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

47. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 46, wherein the microtransponder comprises an optically triggered microtransponder.

48. It is a method, Attaching at least one first microtransponder to at least one first battery component, wherein at least one of the first microtransponders forms at least one first level of hierarchy in the battery tagant system. Attaching at least one second microtransponder to at least one second battery component, wherein at least one of the second microtransponders forms at least a second level of hierarchy in the battery tagant system. A method comprising, wherein each of the first and second microtransponders is configured to provide digital information to a reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate corresponding portions of the battery environment individually or hierarchically.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the battery environment comprises a single battery cell, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery cell, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a cell component within the battery cell.

50. The method according to claim 48, wherein the battery environment comprises a battery, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a battery cell in the battery.

51. The method according to claim 48, wherein the battery environment comprises a battery pack, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery pack, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a battery in the battery pack.

52. The method according to claim 48, wherein the battery environment comprises a battery system, at least one of the first microtransponders is attached to the battery system, and at least one of the second microtransponders is attached to a battery pack within the battery system.

53. The method according to any one of claims 48 to 52, wherein at least one of the at least one of the first microtransponder and the at least one of the second microtransponders comprises an integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

54. The method according to any one of claims 48 to 53, wherein at least one of the at least one of the at least one of the first microtransponder and the at least one of the second microtransponders is an optically triggered microtransponder.

55. It is a method, The reader reads digital information provided by at least one microtransponder mounted at at least one location on and / or within the battery cell, The reader authenticates the battery cell using the digital information. A method that includes [a certain feature].

56. At least one of the microtransponders comprises an optically triggered microtransponder, The reading includes activating the light-triggered microtransponder by emitting light, and receiving the digital information in response to the activation. The method according to claim 55.

57. The method according to claim 55 or 56, wherein the microtransponder comprises an integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

58. The method according to any one of claims 55 to 57, wherein the microtransponder comprises an optically triggered microtransponder.

59. At least one of the microtransponders comprises at least one first microtransponder and at least one second microtransponder. At least one of the first microtransponders is attached to at least one first battery component, and at least one of the first microtransponders forms at least a first level of hierarchy in the battery tagant system. At least one of the second microtransponders is attached to at least one second battery component, and at least one of the second microtransponders forms at least a second level of hierarchy in the battery tagant system. Each of the first and second microtransponders is configured to provide digital information to the reader, thereby enabling the reader to authenticate corresponding parts of the battery environment individually or hierarchically. The method according to claim 55.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein the authentication comprises a corresponding microtransponder that authenticates the corresponding portion without being combined with other microtransponders.

61. The method according to claim 59, wherein the authentication comprises a corresponding microtransponder that authenticates the corresponding portion in combination with at least another microtransponder at different levels of the hierarchy.

62. The method according to claim 59, wherein the authentication comprises a corresponding microtransponder that authenticates the corresponding portion in combination with at least another microtransponder at the same level of the hierarchy.

63. The method according to any one of claims 59 to 62, wherein at least one of the at least one of the first microtransponder and the at least one of the second microtransponders comprises an integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm in length, 2 mm in width, and 0.2 mm in thickness.

64. The method according to any one of claims 59 to 63, wherein at least one of the at least one of the at least one of the first microtransponder and the at least one of the second microtransponders is an optically triggered microtransponder.

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