Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-22
2004-12-28
La, Anh V. (Department: 2636)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S572800, C156S060000, C283S075000, C283S109000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06836215
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed generally to a printable identification band that can accommodate a thin radio frequency identification (RFID) chip (alternatively referred to as a tag) therein, and more particularly to a top strip used in conjunction with the identification band so that the RFID tag can be affixed to the identification band after user-unique information is printed onto the band from a conventional automated printer device.
Identification bands that include various types of information are in common use. For example, information relating to a wearer of a wristband, such as a hospital patient, personnel requiring access to sensitive or secure areas, or an event attendee is placed on the band to convey information germane to the wearer to a third party. Similar uses could also apply to goods in transit (such as airline baggage) and animals (such as veterinary patients, tagged wildlife or herds of semi-domesticated sheep, cattle, horses or the like). By way of example, information specific to the person to which the band is attached can include (for health-care related matters) name, social security number, primary physician, health insurance coverage, allergies and related known health history, and the nature of the ailment, while security information can include employee numbers and level of access, and proper seating assignments (for event attendees), just to name a few. Prior to the advent of electronic data processing and printing equipment, such information would be manually written or typed, then transcribed to a bracelet that could be placed on a wearer's extremity, such as wrist or ankle, for ease of identification by appropriate personnel. Errors in transcription and legibility of the printed indicia on the wristband could result in incorrect identification of vital wearer information. The availability of modern computing and printing equipment, as well as data storage and communication means has significantly reduced the likelihood of such errors occurring, as information entered into a database is automatically processed and printed directly onto a sheet-like form that includes an elongate strip that can be formed into an identification band. Simultaneously, some or all of the same information can be printed onto labels situated on the same form. The form is typically made from multiple plies, where the top (or face) ply capable of accepting printing thereon is adhesively bonded to a release layer (such as a conventional silicone coating) disposed on a liner ply. An example of a form with cut-outs for labels and wristbands that can be fed into a printer to accept patient-unique information is U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,472 to Huddleston et al., owned by the assignee of the present invention.
One frequently-used way to include automated, machine-readable data onto the identification band is through bar codes, where appropriate information can be printed from a conventional printer onto a surface of the band such that it can be later read by a bar code scanner. These devices, while inexpensive and useful for small amounts of information, have drawbacks. For example, the range of the scanner is such that the reader must be in close proximity to the bar code. In addition, the scanner must be oriented relative to the bar code in a limited number of angles to effect a proper reading. In addition, the scanner must maintain a direct line-of-sight with the bar code. Not only does this necessitate the proper orientation discussed above, but also that no obstructions be placed in the path of the scanning laser. For example, if the bar code is obscured by dirt, grime or other optically opaque materials, the scanner will not be able to pick up the information embedded in the bar code. These limitations reduce the ability to efficiently extract information from the identification band.
These limitations in bar code scanning prompted research into a more effective form of information storage and retrieval for identification devices, such as RFID tags. The tags are electrically conductive circuits that include encoding circuitry (such as a memory device that can be programmed to hold unique information) and signal-generating circuitry (including an antenna) to facilitate the transfer of information between the encoding circuitry and a remote reader. These tags are thin, and can either be fabricated from discrete components or placed directly onto a substrate through deposition of conductive inks or foils. RFID tags can further be active or passive devices. With active devices, which include an onboard source of power (typically from a battery), greater detection ranges and information storage capacity are possible. With passive devices, the power comes from the electromagnetic field produced by the remote reader; consequently, they typically have less range than the active devices, but are simpler and cheaper to build, and don't suffer from life limitations in the same way a battery-based device would. The thin construction of the RFID tag permits application to flexible substrates where space is critical and significant amounts of flexure in the substrate can be accommodated without damage to the electronic circuitry.
Nevertheless, disadvantages associated with the use of RFID tags for identification bands persist. For example, RFID tags have little or no compatibility with existing high speed automated printing devices such as laser and thermal printers common to most business, commercial and professional environments. The heat and pressure of a typical laser printer is sufficient to jeopardize the integrity of an RFID circuit. Similarly, the additional thickness of the form making up the identification band caused by the presence of an RFID circuit may score the print drum or print head of a conventional laser or thermal printer, respectively. The increases in productivity afforded by modem printing devices, which is not something users are going to readily forego, would be severely curtailed if special accommodations had to be made every time an RFID tag were to be generated, or if the equipment suffered increases in down-time due to damaged print heads and drums. While these accommodations could conceivably be somewhat meliorated through the introduction of robust circuitry or post-attachment quality check devices (such as a read head designed to sense and compare information placed on the RFID tag), such approaches involve significant increases in the production cost of identification bands.
One way to avoid damage to either the RFID tag or the printer is to apply the RFID tag after the identification band has received printed indicia on its surface. This technique alone does not, however, circumvent the cost disadvantage of the RFID approach vis-à-vis the conventional bar code device, which due to being typically nothing more than bands of printed ink applied to a label, is inherently inexpensive. Current methods of applying the RFID tag to the identification band after indicia has been printed thereon by a conventional printer require an additional piece of automated equipment that either attaches to or is integral with the printer. Such additional componentry introduces greater expense and complexity to the process. Similarly, the application of an RFID tag to an identification band often results in permanent (in the case of deposited films or foils) or semi-permanent (in the case of embedded devices between laminated label layers) adhesion of the latter to the former. This is disadvantageous in that in the event the identification bands become damaged or soiled, they would have to be discarded, thus wasting the integrated or laminated tag. Accordingly, RFID tags, even if possessive of superior information storage capacity to bar codes, will never be cost-competitive as long as they require additional support hardware or cannot be easily removed from the identification band and reused.
Accordingly, there is a need for an identification band that can easily accommodate an electrically conductive circuit such as an RFID tag. Th
Cairns Gary M.
Konkol Patrick A.
Laurash David F.
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
La Anh V.
The Standard Register Company
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