Passive RFID Tag with Functional Dye for Environmental Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional IoT devices with wireless and sensor components require large power sources due to high power consumption, making them expensive and bulky, and they cannot detect environmental changes outside the communication range of a reader/writer.
Innovation Solution
A passive RFID tag with a functional dye material that changes optical properties in response to environmental changes, allowing detection and storage of luminance data without a power source, using an optical sensor and communication control unit to transmit detection results when power is available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a passive RFID tag without a power source is used, then power consumption and device size are reduced, but the sensor device cannot operate outside the communication area of the reader/writer
Solution Approach 1:
The functional dye material performs preliminary detection of environmental changes (temperature, humidity, etc.) and maintains the post-change optical property without requiring power. The optical sensor and communication control unit then read this stored detection result when power is supplied, enabling the system to report environmental changes that occurred outside the reader/writer communication area.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional dye material acts as an intermediary that converts environmental changes into optical property changes. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to detect and store environmental information passively, which is then read by the optical sensor and transmitted when communication is available, bridging the gap between passive operation and active reporting.
2Volume of moving object
If a passive RFID tag without a power source is used, then power consumption and device size are reduced, but the sensor device cannot operate outside the communication area of the reader/writer
Solution Approach 1:
The functional dye material performs preliminary detection of environmental changes and maintains the post-change optical property without requiring power. The optical sensor and communication control unit then read this stored detection result when power is supplied, enabling the system to report environmental changes that occurred outside the reader/writer communication area.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional dye material acts as an intermediary that converts environmental changes into optical property changes. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to detect and store environmental information passively, which is then read by the optical sensor and transmitted when communication is available, bridging the gap between passive operation and active reporting.
3Reliability
If power is supplied continuously to enable sensor operation, then environmental detection is always possible, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system operates periodically rather than continuously. The passive detection occurs continuously through the functional dye material's optical property changes, but active reading and communication occur periodically when the device enters the reader/writer communication area and power is supplied. This periodic active operation maintains detection capability while minimizing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional dye material serves itself by passively changing optical properties in response to environmental changes without requiring external power. This self-service detection mechanism eliminates the need for continuous power supply to the sensing function, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining reliable environmental monitoring.
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
Enables detection and reporting of environmental changes with reduced power consumption and size, eliminating the need for a battery and allowing operation outside the reader/writer's communication area.
Implementation Method 1
a member or layer containing a functional dye material that changes an optical property thereof in accordance with a change in surrounding environment and that maintains the post-change optical property
Implementation Method 2
an optical sensor having a light-receiving portion and disposed such that the light-receiving portion receives light that has passed through the member, the optical sensor detecting a luminance of light that is received by the light-receiving portion
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is aiming at providing a communication apparatus that is lower in power consumption and that can detect a change in surrounding environment and send out information indicating the detection result, and a method to detect a change in surrounding environment.A communication apparatus of the present invention includes: a member containing a functional dye material that changes an optical property thereof in accordance with a change in surrounding environment and that maintains a post-change optical property; an optical sensor having a light-receiving portion and disposed such that the light-receiving portion receives light that has passed through the member, the optical sensor detecting a luminance of light that is received by the light-receiving portion; and a communication control unit that transmits information indicating the luminance detected by the optical sensor.