Capacitive Information Carrier Using Conductive Touch Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing capacitive information carriers face challenges such as high costs, difficulty in mass production, complex structure leading to poor recyclability, ease of copying, and inefficient integration with digital systems, as well as position-dependent readout methods that are cumbersome and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive information carrier system featuring an electrically conductive touch structure on a non-conductive substrate, which simulates the properties of fingertips to interact with capacitive area sensors, allowing for secure and reliable reading through structured conductive layers and touch points, enabling mass production and versatile application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If independent capacitive reading devices are used for individual applications, then information can be read and processed, but device complexity and costs increase due to multiple separate readers being required
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive information carrier is designed to work with standard capacitive touch screens that are already present in most smartphones and tablets. The touch structure on the information carrier can be read by any device with a capacitive area sensor, eliminating the need for application-specific readers. This universal compatibility resolves the contradiction by allowing information reading capability while reducing device complexity through reuse of existing hardware.
2Adaptability or versatility
If barcodes are used to link printed information with digital information, then information can be called up digitally, but the system requires additional optical scanners or cameras and suffers from positioning and reading accuracy issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical barcode scanning with capacitive sensing. Instead of using optical scanners or cameras to read barcodes, the system uses the device's existing capacitive touch screen to detect the capacitive coupling between the touch structure on the information carrier and the touch screen electrodes. This substitution eliminates the need for separate optical reading devices and improves reading accuracy by utilizing the precise positional detection capabilities of capacitive sensors.
3Adaptability or versatility
If barcodes are used for information storage, then digital content can be accessed, but the information can be copied indefinitely and is difficult to individualize with sufficient quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements unique identification by varying the capacitive properties at specific locations on the information carrier. The touch structure includes conductive elements with specific geometries, positions, and configurations that create a unique capacitive signature. This local variation in capacitive characteristics allows each information carrier to be individually identified and authenticated, preventing unauthorized copying while maintaining digital content access capabilities.
4Quantity of substance
If capacitive information carriers use structured conductive layers, then information can be stored and read, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses printing techniques to apply conductive ink or conductive material patterns to the information carrier substrate. These conductive patterns can be mass-produced using standard printing processes, allowing complex capacitive structures to be manufactured cost-effectively at scale. The printing approach enables information storage capacity through structured conductive layers while maintaining ease of manufacture through conventional production methods.
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
This solution enables secure, reliable, and cost-effective production of capacitive information carriers that can be easily integrated with capacitive sensors, enhancing data processing systems and allowing for complex information storage and retrieval, while simplifying the linking of physical and digital information.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive information carrier in which at least one electrically conductive layer is arranged on an electrically non-conductive substrate and a surface sensor, both of which are present in contact
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention discloses a system that comprises a capacitive information carrier in which an electrically conductive layer is arranged upon an electrically non-conductive substrate, and a surface sensor, said information carrier being in contact with the surface sensor. In addition, the invention comprises a method for acquiring information and which consists of a capacitive information carrier, a capacitive surface sensor, a contact between the two elements, and an interaction which makes it possible for a data-processing system connected to said surface sensor to evaluate a touch structure of the information carrier, and which interaction can trigger events that are associated with said information carrier.