Patent ID: 8441355

Claim:
A host article and electronic tag assembly, of the tag type having an electronic device storing article-specific data and an antenna coupled to the electronic device for transmitting stored data to a remote reader device, the assembly comprising: an article portion composed at least partially of a material composition including rubber; the electronic device and antenna attaching to the article portion and having external contact means, the antenna being flexible and at least partially composed of a flexible conductive material, the flexible conductive material at least partially including conductive rubber; wherein the antenna comprises flexible antenna arms secured to the article portion whereby the antenna arms are surrounded at least partially by a rubber composed article portion extending to an adjacent ambient air mass; wherein the ambient air mass resides within a cavity in the article; wherein the pressure of the air mass within the cavity compresses the article portion material by a compressive force, whereby the compressive force within the article portion is directed against the antenna arms; and wherein a change in the magnitude of compressive force against the antenna arms changes electrical impedance characteristics of the antenna arms and the change of electrical impedance characteristics of the antenna arms results in a detectable variation in the strength of a signal transmitted from the tag.