Adhesive IoT Tracking Tape Battery Control for End-of-Life Disposal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Internet of Things (IoT) tracking devices continuously communicate data, leading to high power consumption, especially when using wireless communication, and do not efficiently manage battery life, posing challenges in tracking devices that only require limited functionalities or have reached the end of their useful life.
Innovation Solution
An adhesive tape platform with a battery management system that determines the end of its useful life, drains remaining battery life, and sends a notification for disposal, incorporating features like air-activated batteries, mechanism-activated power sources, and wireless transducing circuits to optimize battery usage and ensure safe disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If continuous communication is implemented in tracking devices, then data availability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device transitions from continuous communication to periodic communication, where data is transmitted at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This reduces power consumption while maintaining data availability, as the device can operate in low-power sleep modes between transmission periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication pattern is made dynamic and adaptive, allowing the device to adjust its transmission frequency based on operational needs, battery status, and data priority. This enables the system to optimize between data availability and power consumption in real-time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If full functionality is provided in tracking devices, then versatility is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device implements functional segmentation where different components are activated based on local needs. Instead of running all functions continuously, the device activates specific sensors, processors, or communication modules only when required, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining full functionality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed with multi-functional components that can serve different purposes. For example, the same processor handles sensing, processing, and communication tasks, and the same power management circuitry controls both activation and deactivation of various functions, allowing full versatility with reduced power requirements.
3Ease of operation
If battery is activated at manufacture, then operational readiness is improved, but shelf life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is prepared for activation but not fully activated during manufacture. Pre-activation steps such as circuit preparation, contact establishment, or preliminary charging are performed, while the actual power consumption begins only when the device is deployed or activated by the user, thereby extending shelf life while maintaining operational readiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery activation process is separated into distinct phases: manufacture phase where the battery is installed but isolated, and deployment phase where activation occurs. This extraction of the activation moment from the manufacture process allows the battery to remain dormant during storage, extending shelf life while ensuring operational readiness when needed.
4Loss of energy
If tracking devices are disposed of with remaining battery life, then resource waste is reduced, but safety hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device incorporates battery monitoring and communication systems that provide feedback about battery status to the central system. When the device reaches end-of-life or is disposed of, the system can remotely detect the battery status and initiate controlled depletion protocols, ensuring that batteries are depleted before disposal to eliminate safety hazards while minimizing resource waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harm of leftover battery energy causing safety issues during disposal is converted into a benefit by implementing controlled battery depletion. The system intentionally drains the battery through scheduled operations or remote commands before disposal, transforming the harmful residual energy into a useful resource that powers final data transmissions or status reports, thereby eliminating hazards while minimizing waste.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces power consumption by managing battery life and ensures safe disposal of tracking devices by depleting batteries at the end of their useful life, preventing potential hazards and extending the operational phases of the adhesive tape platform.
Implementation Method 1
an air-activated battery positioned in the internal chamber
Implementation Method 2
air-activated battery
Implementation Method 3
a barrier element preventing activation of the primary battery
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods prepare an adhesive tape platform with a battery for disposal at an end of its useful life. The adhesive tape platform determines when it is at the end of its useful life and performs an action to drain remaining battery life of the battery. When remaining life in the battery is less than a threshold level, the adhesive tape platform transmits a ready for disposal notification to an Internet of Things (IOT) system of the adhesive tape platform. The adhesive tape platform may determine its life expectancy and operational phases of the adhesive tape platform and assign battery usage for each of the operational phases such that the battery is depleted at an end of a last one of the operational phases. The adhesive tape platform may activate battery draining circuitry to drain the remaining battery life of the battery.