Patent Publication Number: US-2007102529-A1

Title: Information devices

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/735,010 filed on Nov. 8, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      Information devices have long been used to associate information with a variety of objects. Conventional information devices include information stamped or printed on a relatively small size sheet of metal, plastic, or paper. Those information devices have been able to carry only a relatively small amount of information due to the small space available for printing the information. However, it may be desirable to provide more information than that which may be printed on the information device, or to periodically update the information that is available from the device.  
      For example, information relevant to maintenance applications may require considerable space and periodic updates. Information relevant to maintenance applications may include identification and configuration information for various types of machinery or equipment, such as motors, pumps, or aircraft components. Conventional information devices do not accommodate recording large amounts of information, and are not suited to modification once the information has been stamped or printed on the device. Additionally, printed or stamped information devices generally are accessible and reviewable by anybody, and thus are not suitable for use in maintaining confidentiality of information.  
      Information devices may be attached directly to objects. Although information may be stored electronically in any of a variety of memory modules, these devices generally have been configured for use in a computer, and thus have not been practical for use in physically associating information with objects. However, in recent years, with the decrease in size and cost of memory modules, it has become increasingly practical to physically associate information devices, including memory modules, with objects. Information devices have also been incorporated into fasteners, such as bolts, screws, or plugs.  
      Exemplary fasteners configured to employ information devices are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,252 to Brorby, entitled FASTENER WITH ONBOARD MEMORY. Fasteners with onboard memory modules also are described in US Patent Publication No. US 2004/0135668 to Hoffer et al., entitled CLOSURE SYSTEM AND METHOD. U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,252 and US Patent Publication No. US 2004/0135668 are incorporated herein by this reference thereto.  
      Additional examples of information devices are described in the following references, which are each incorporated herein by reference for all purposes: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,939,984, 6,046,676, 6,147,604, 6,356,197, 7,009,517, and 7,106,198; U.S Published Applications 20060009856, 20060208853, 20060097847, 20060113371, 20060133609, 20060145876, and 20060208089.  
      Although the aforementioned information devices having a memory module have proven suitable for use in associating information with objects, they have generally not been adapted to integrally include remotely accessible data devices. In addition, the information devices have not generally included means to broadcast their stored information. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an information device according to the present disclosure.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a cross section of the information device shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the circuitry that may be used in the information device of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of an alternative example of an information device according to the present disclosure.  
       FIG. 5  is a top view of an alternative example of an information device according to the present disclosure.  
       FIG. 6  is a top view of an alternative example of an information device according to the present disclosure.  
       FIG. 7  is a top view of an alternative example of an information device according to the present disclosure.  
       FIG. 8  is a top view of an alternative example of an information device according to the present disclosure.  
       FIG. 9  is a top view of an external device interacting with the information device shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an external device contacting the information device shown in  FIG. 1  with a portion of the external device and the information device enlarged for clarity.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , an information device  10  for storing and retrieving data that can be selectively secured to an item  12  is described. Information device  10  may include a casing or housing  14 , a memory device  16 , a circuit  18 , and a remotely accessible data device  20 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , information device  10  typically includes casing or housing  14  providing structure and housing other components. Casing  14  may be a single-piece tubular metal casing, which defines a channel  21  between opposite casing ends. In some examples, casing  14  takes the form of an eyelet, such as a Stimpson A37 eyelet. Casing  14  may include a barrel  22  with a lower perimeter flange  24 .  
      Information device  10  may include an attachment region  27  for fastening information device  10  to item  12 . Attachment region  27  is typically located at an end of information device  10  distal from contact surfaces  38 , such as on an underside of information device  10  as depicted in  FIG. 2 . An adhesive, a resilient snap ring, or other fastener may be used to fasten information device  10  to item  12 .  
      Casing  14  may take any shape convenient for a given object  12  to which it is attached, such as machinery, avionics, containers, weapons, or equipment. Some examples of different form factors for casing  14  are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 - 8 . In some examples, casing  14  has a horizontal cross section and is generally circular, oblong, oval, square, or rectilinear. In an alternative example, shown in  FIG. 5 , casing  14  may have a curved end  28  and a straight end  30  opposite curved end  28 . Such a configuration provides a smaller footprint than some of the other configurations depicted in  FIGS. 1, 4 , and  6 - 8 .  
      Casing  14  may support any number of electronic or other devices, including (but not limited to) a memory device  16 . Memory device  16  may include nonvolatile memory, volatile memory, or microprocessors. As should be apparent, memory device  16  may utilize any of a variety of memory technologies, including semiconductor memory, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, etc. Other devices that may be supported in casing  14  include clocks; sensors, such as temperature, vibration, or other sensors; or tracking devices; etc.  
      As used herein, “store” and “stored” means that information or data is at least temporarily placed in memory for retrieval later. Stored information may be temporarily stored or permanently stored. Temporarily stored information may be subsequently erased or overwritten with other information, while permanently stored information may not be subsequently erased or overwritten with other information. Information may be stored in any suitable format, with or without compression and/or encryption.  
      Information device  10  may include a circuit  18  electrically coupled to memory device  16  as depicted schematically in  FIG. 3 . Circuit  18  may be formed on a rigid, generally planar, printed circuit board  32  formed to fit somewhat closely within barrel  22 . A first side  34  of the printed circuit board  32  may include a through-hole  44 , which can be used to access information stored in memory device  16 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , memory device  16  and circuitry  18  may electrically couple to a second side  35  of printed circuit board  32 .  
      Printed circuit board  32  may include one or more electrically conductive contact surfaces  38 . Contact surfaces  38  may be substantially planar and conform to a variety of form factors. For example, information device  10  depicted in  FIG. 1  has six contact surfaces  38  separated into two groups of three. Information device  10  depicted in  FIG. 4  includes three contact surfaces  38  in the shape of concentric circles. Contact surfaces  38  having shapes other than circles or having a different arrangement is contemplated to conform to different form factors, such as shown in  FIGS. 5-8 .  
      Contact surfaces  38  may be electrically isolated from each other, and from casing  14 , to provide distinct electrical contact surfaces. Information device  10  may include nonconductive insulation boundaries  40  that facilitate electrical isolation of contact surfaces  38 . One or more of insulating boundaries  40  may be defined by printed circuit board etching.  
      A plurality of through-holes  44  may be used to electrically connect contact surfaces  38  to components mounted on printed circuit board  32 . Through-holes  44  may be arranged in a pattern to facilitate alignment of an external device  46  with contact surfaces  38 . Any number of through holes  44  may be used.  
      Non-conductive potting material  42  is typically provided to maintain printed circuit board  32  of information device  10  in desired positions. Further, potting material  42  may seal, for example hermetically seal, components of information device  10  from environmental conditions, such as moisture. Potting material  42  may be added, for example while in a partially liquid or pourable state, to channel  21  after casing  14  has been press fit around printed circuit board  32 . Potting material  42  added in this manner may fill in voids between components, such as memory device  16  and circuitry  18 , electrically coupled to second side  35  of printed circuit board  32 . Potting material  42  may subsequently harden and provide structure for the components, such as memory device  16  and circuitry  18 , and seal them from the environment. In some examples, components of information device, such as a remotely accessible data device  20 , may be disposed within potting material  42  when it is in a partially liquid or pourable state. Remotely accessible data device  20  added to potting material  42  may then remain imbedded in potting material  42  when it subsequently hardens.  
      Information device  10  may include one or more remotely accessible data devices  20  adapted to transfer data to external device  46  without contacting external device  46 , such as shown in  FIG. 9 . Remotely accessible data device  20  may couple with or be applied to printed circuit board  32  in various positions such as between or adjacent one or more of contact surfaces  38  as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 - 9 . Additionally or alternatively, remotely accessible data device  20  may couple with or be applied to flange  24 . In other examples, such as shown in  FIG. 4 , information device  10  may include an extended flange tab  50  on which remotely accessible data device  20  may couple or be applied.  
      In some examples, such as shown in  FIG. 1 , information device  10  may include a first remotely accessible data device  52  and/or a second remotely accessible data device  54 . First remotely accessible data device  52  may include a symbology element  56  that is optically readable by external device  46 . For instance, symbology element  56  may be a machine readable barcode, such as a 2D Datamatrix barcode. External device  46  may read symbology element  56  by emitting light at symbology element  56  and processing the returning light reflected from symbology element  56 .  
      Symbology element  56  may be applied to various parts of information device  10 , such as printed circuit board  32 , casing  14 , and/or extended flange tab  50 , in multiple ways. For example, symbology element  56  may be formed onto an adhesive label, which may then be applied to a desired portion of information device  10 . Additionally or alternatively, symbology element  56  may be etched onto a metal insert, such as with laser etching, and the metal insert may be secured to a desired portion of information device  10 . In some examples, symbology element  56  is directly etched onto a portion of information device  10 , such as printed circuit board  32  or extended flange tab  50 . Laser etching is one possible means of directly marking symbology element  56  onto a portion of information device  10 . Additionally or alternatively, symbology element  56  may be added by chemical etching, chemical marking, mechanical engraving, dot peening, or printing, etc. Symbology element  56  may be applied by a manufacturer of information device  10  or may be applied by any user of information device  10  after it has been manufactured, which may provide certain functionality and flexibility for any such user.  
      Second remotely accessible data device  54  may include a transceiver  58  for transmitting and receiving data using an electromagnetic signal, such as depicted in  FIG. 9 . Electromagnetic signals may include radio frequency waves, infrared light, and/or magnetic fields. In some examples, transceiver  58  may be electrically connected to memory device  16  to facilitate data exchange between external device  46  and memory device  16 .  
      Transceiver  58  may comprise a radio frequency identification tag  60 . Radio frequency identification tag  60  may include an antenna  62  to transmit and/or receive a signal and an integrated circuit  64  to generate and/or process a signal. Radio frequency identification tag  60  may optionally include internal memory for storing data.  
      Radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag  60  may be active, passive, or a combination of operating modes known as semi-active. An active RFID tag typically includes an internal power source to power signal generation by the integrated circuit. A passive RFID tag typically does not include an internal power supply, but instead is powered by the electrical current induced in antenna  62  by a carrier signal sent by external device  46 . Integrated circuit  64  in a passive RFID tag may backscatter the carrier signal to transmit information using less power than an active RFID tag.  
      First and second remotely accessible data devices  52 ,  54  may couple with or be applied to printed circuit board  32  or other components of information device  10  in a variety of ways, including in layers. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , second remotely accessible data device  54  may be disposed in layered fashion between first remotely accessible data device  52  and printed circuit board  32 . Alternative arrangements are possible, for instance, first remotely accessible data device  52  may couple with or be applied to first side  34  of printed circuit board  32  and second remotely accessible data device  54  may be positioned inside casing  14 . However, both first and second remotely accessible data devices  52  and  54  may be positioned on first side  34  of printed circuit board  32 . For example, second remotely accessible data device  54  may be coupled with or applied to first side  34  of printed surface board  32  adjacent to first remotely accessible data device  52  also coupled with or applied to first side  34  of printed circuit board  32 .  
      In some examples, such as shown in  FIG. 2 , second remotely accessible data device  54  is a RFID tag  60  that couples with both first side  34  and second side  35  of printed circuit board  32 . Antenna  62  of RFID tag  60  may couple with first side  34  of printed circuit board  32 . In some examples, antenna  62  may be integrally formed in printed circuit board  32 . Integrated circuit  64  of RFID tag  60  may couple with second side  35  of printed circuit board  32 . In an alternative example, RFID tag  60  is positioned within potting material  42 .  
      In some examples, external device  46  is configured to interface with information device  10  in multiple ways. For example, external device  46  may exchange information by contacting contact surfaces  38  (shown in  FIG. 10 ), by optically reading information from symbology element  56 , and/or by sending or receiving electromagnetic signals to or from second remotely accessible data device  54  (shown in  FIG. 9 ).  
      As shown in  FIG. 10 , external device  46  may include pins  61  to contact the contact surfaces  38  of information device  10  so that it can read data from and/or write data to memory device  16 . Contact between external device  46  and contact surfaces  38  in the desired orientation may allow external device  46  to exchange information with memory device  16 .  
      Additionally or alternatively to contacting contact surfaces  38 , external device  46  may read data from and/or write data to information device  10  remotely using a variety of wireless data transfer methods. For example, external device  46  may exchange information by optically reading information from symbology element  56 . Further, external device  46  may transmit and receive electromagnetic signals with transceiver  58  of information device  10  to read and write data to memory device  16 .  
      In some examples, external device  46  may include a microprocessor configured to read data from and write data to information device  10 . External device  46  also may include a user interface for operating external device  46  and for programming information device  10 . Additionally or alternatively, external device  46  may be a peripheral of another device configured to send data to and/or receive data from information device  10 .  
      The same type or different types of information may be exchanged by each different data exchange method. For example, the same information can be exchanged by contacting external device  46  with memory device  16  via contact surfaces  38 , reading information from first remotely accessible data device  52 , or exchanging information with second remotely accessible data device  54 . Thus, each method may provide redundancy in the event that any one information exchange method was not functioning properly. However, different types of information may be exchanged by the different information exchange methods as well. Differentiating the information exchanged with each method may simplify and speed information exchange in certain applications.  
      In operation, a user may store information on information device  10 , secure information device  10  to item  12 , and retrieve the stored information using external device  46 . In addition, information can be modified, erased, rewritten, or supplemented as desired. Further, information device  10  can be selectively removed and attached to different items as needed.  
      Information may be stored in information device  10  in various ways. A user may contact external device  46  to contact surfaces  38  and input information into memory device  16 . An additional or alternative method includes positioning a first remotely accessible data device  52 , which typically includes stored information, on printed circuit board  32  or other component of information device  10 . Moreover, a user may input information into memory device  16  by remotely sending information to information device  10  using electromagnetic signals. In some applications, information may be stored in information device  10  by the manufacturer of information device  10 . In other applications, any user may store desired information in information device  10 .  
      A user may retrieve information from information device  10  using external device  46  in numerous ways. Information may be retrieved by contacting external device  46  to contact surfaces  38 . Another way to retrieve information involves remotely reading information from first remotely accessible data device  52  with external device  46 . Yet another way to retrieve information includes receiving electromagnetic signals sent from second remotely accessible data device  54 . One external device  46  may be configured to retrieve information using each of the multiple ways discussed, or, additionally or alternatively, separate devices may be used.  
      Information device  10  may be secured to item  12  by a variety of means. For example, information device  10  may be secured to item  12  with adhesives or by welding information device  10  to item  12 . Additionally or alternatively, information device  10  may be snap fitted to item  12  with a resilient ring. Attaching information device  10  to item  12  may be selective and reversible, i.e. in some examples information device  10  may be secured and removed from item  12  multiple times.  
      While embodiments of an information device and methods of use thereof have been particularly shown and described, many variations may be made therein. This disclosure may include one or more independent or interdependent inventions directed to various combinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties, one or more of which may be defined in the following claims. Other combinations and sub-combinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed later in this or a related application. Such variations, whether they are directed to different combinations or directed to the same combinations, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure. An appreciation of the availability or significance of claims not presently claimed may not be presently realized. Accordingly, the foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element, or combination thereof, is essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application. Each claim defines an invention disclosed in the foregoing disclosure, but any one claim does not necessarily encompass all features or combinations that may be claimed.  
      Where the disclosure recites “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such recitations include one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Further, ordinal indicators, such as first, second or third, for identified elements are used to distinguish between the elements, and do not indicate a required or limited number of such elements, and do not indicate a particular position or order of such elements unless otherwise specifically stated.  
      Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of claims in a related application. Such claims, whether they are directed to different inventions or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the other claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.