Abstract:
A RFID packaging material packaging method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a conductive layer covered thereon, processing the conductive layer of the substrate to form an antenna, electrically connecting a chip to the antenna via a pad, and covering the substrate onto a product for enabling the product to provide a RFID recognition function. The invention relates also to the RFID packaging material made subject to this RFID packaging material packaging method.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a radio frequency anti-fake packaging material and its packaging method, which uses the inner packaging material of a product as the substrate and has the antenna directly formed in the substrate, thereby saving the manufacturing cost. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In order to get a high profit, many evil persons provide fake products to cheat consumers, threatening the safety of human life and property. Counterfeit packages of cigarettes are widely seen on market, causing the real manufacturers to suffer big loss. Further, counterfeit packages of cigarettes commonly have a bad quality that threatens consumers&#39; health. Therefore, an anti-fake measurement in this regard is an urgent problem. 
         [0005]    A RFID (radio-frequency identification) tag is to be applied to or incorporated into a product for the purpose of identification using radiowaves. A RFID tag can record product provider, manufacturing process, product flow quality, and etc., for different control purposes. By means of a specific code, a RFID tag provides an anti-fake function. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a RFID tag incorporated into a package of cigarettes according to the prior art. As illustrated, the RFID tag  100  is directly adhered to the outer surface of the cigarette package  140 . The RFID tag  100  comprises a substrate  110 , an antenna circuit  120 , and a chip  130 . The substrate  110  and the antenna circuit  120  take about 70% of the cost of the RFID tag  100  while the rest 30% is for the chip  130 . During application, the shielding effect of the internal aluminum foil  150  of the cigarette package  140  limits the reading distance of the RFID scanner. Further, because the cost for the substrate  110  and the antenna circuit  120  is about 70% of the total cost of the RFID tag  100 , it is difficult to lower the cost of the RFID tag  100 . 
         [0007]    Therefore, it is desirable to design a cost effective RFID anti-fake packaging material and its packaging method that overcomes the aforesaid problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a RFID packaging material and its packaging method, which uses the inner packaging material of a product as the substrate and has the antenna directly formed in the substrate, thereby saving the manufacturing cost. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a RFID packaging material and its packaging method, which uses the inner packaging material of a product as the substrate and has the antenna directly formed in the inner packaging material to prevent a shielding effect during of the RFID tab by a RFID scanner at a distance. 
         [0010]    To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the RFID packaging material packaging method comprises the steps of: providing a substrate having a conductive layer covered thereon, processing the conductive layer to form an antenna, mounting a RFID chip in the substrate for electrically connecting the chip to the antenna via a pad, and covering the substrate onto a product. 
         [0011]    To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the RFID packaging material comprises a substrate covered with a metal layer for packaging a product, an antenna formed in the substrate, and a chip electrically connected to the antenna via a pad for receiving and transmitting data. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing showing a RFID tag incorporated into a cigarette package according to the prior art. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a RFID packaging method according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of a RFID packaging material according to the present invention, showing the antenna disposed at the front side. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates an alternate form of the RFID packaging material according to the present invention, showing the antenna disposed at one lateral side. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates the RFID packaging material packed inside a cigarette package according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates the RFID packaging material incorporated into the cap of a bottle according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a RFID packaging method in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of: (1) providing a substrate  10  with a conductive layer (not shown) covered thereon, (2) processing the conductive layer of the substrate  10  to form an antenna  11 , (3) mounting a RFID chip  20  in the substrate  10  for electrically connecting the chip  20  to the antenna  11  via a pad, and (4) covering the substrate  10  onto a product  30 . 
         [0019]    In the aforesaid step (1) providing a substrate  10  with a conductive layer covered thereon, the substrate  10  can be an aluminum coated inner packaging material used in a cigarette package, or an aluminum coated packaging paper for bottle wine. Any packaging paper coated with tin or any other metal can also be used. 
         [0020]    In the aforesaid step (2) processing the conductive layer of the substrate  10  to form an antenna  11 , the substrate  10  is trimmed, etched, stamped or cut subject to a predetermined antenna pattern so as remove a part of the metal layer corresponding to the antenna pattern, thereby providing the desired antenna  11  that does not interfere with the reading of a RFID scanner. The antenna  11  can be, for example, a slot antenna at any location on the substrate  10 , for example, at the front or lateral side of the substrate  10  as desired. 
         [0021]    During the aforesaid step (3) mounting a RFID chip  20  in the substrate  10  for electrically connecting the chip  20  to the antenna  11  via a pad (not shown). The chip  20  can be, for example, a RFID chip having a specific ID (identification) code. The chip  20  can be electrically connected to the antenna  11  via a pad by an adhesive. Through the antenna  11 , the chip  20  is readable by a RFID scanner. 
         [0022]    During the aforesaid step (4) covering the substrate  10  onto a product  30 , the substrate  10  is packaged inside or on the product  30 . The product  30  can be, for example, a cigarette package. When packed, the product  30  has a unique ID. 
         [0023]    The RFID packaging method further comprises a step of packaging the substrate in an outer box  40 . The outer box  40  can be a hard paper box that protects the substrate  10 , the antenna  11 , the chip  20 , and the product  30 . 
         [0024]    Therefore, a cigarette manufacturer can cut each inner packaging material (substrate  10 ) for cigarette package to form an antenna in it, thereby lowering the cost for RFID tag. Because the chip  20  carries a unique ID (identification) code, the authenticity of the product (package of cigarettes) can be recognized by means of a RFID scanner. Therefore, the application of the present invention protects the manufacturer&#39;s benefits and consumers&#39; health, and eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art design. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of a RFID packaging material according to the present invention, showing the antenna disposed at the front side.  FIG. 4  illustrates an alternate form of the RFID packaging material according to the present invention, showing the antenna disposed at one lateral side.  FIG. 5  illustrates the RFID packaging material packed inside a cigarette package according to the present invention.  FIG. 6  illustrates the RFID packaging material incorporated into the cap of a bottle according to the present invention. As illustrated in  FIGS. 3˜6 , the RFID packaging material is comprised of a substrate  10 , an antenna  11 , and a chip  20 . 
         [0026]    The substrate  10  covered with a conductive layer (not shown) can be an aluminum coated inner packaging material used in a cigarette package, or an aluminum coated packaging paper for bottle wine. Any packaging paper coated with tin or any other metal can also be used. Further, the substrate  10  is for packaging a product  30 , for example, a set of cigarettes. 
         [0027]    The antenna  11  is, for example, a slot antenna formed in the substrate  10 . The substrate  10  is trimmed, etched, stamped or cut subject to a predetermined antenna pattern so as remove a part of the metal layer corresponding to the antenna pattern, thereby providing the desired antenna  11  that does not interfere with the reading of a RFID scanner. The antenna  11  can be at any location on the substrate  10 , for example, at the front (see  FIG. 3 ) or one lateral side of the substrate  10  (see  FIG. 4 ) as desired. 
         [0028]    The chip  20  can be, for example, a RFID chip having a specific ID (identification) code. The chip  20  can be electrically connected to the antenna  11  via a pad (not shown) by an adhesive. Through the antenna  11 , the chip  20  is readable by a RFID scanner. 
         [0029]    By means of a trimming or cutting process, the desired antenna  11  is formed in the substrate  10 . After electrically connecting the chip  20  to the antenna  11  via a pad, the substrate  10  is wrapped about a predetermined number of cigarettes  30 . Thus, the chip  20  at the substrate  10  provides the cigarettes  30  with a unit ID (identification) code. 
         [0030]    The RFID packaging material is then packed in an outer box  40 . The outer box  40  can be a hard paper box that protects the substrate  10 , the antenna  11 , the chip  20 , and the product  30 . 
         [0031]    According to the present invention, a cigarette manufacturer can cut each inner packaging material (substrate  10 ) for cigarette package to form an antenna in it, thereby lowering the cost for RFID tag. Because the chip  20  carries a unique ID (identification) code, the authenticity of the product (package of cigarettes) can be recognized by means of a RFID scanner. Therefore, the application of the present invention protects the manufacturer&#39;s benefits and consumers&#39; health, and eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art design. 
         [0032]    Because the antenna  11  is directly formed in the substrate  10  by means of a trimming or cutting process, the cost of the RFID packaging material is low. Because the chip  20  of the RFID packaging material carries a unique ID (identification) code, the authenticity of the product packaged with the RFID packaging material can be recognized by means of a RFID scanner. 
         [0033]    Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.