EP0966735B1

EP0966735B1 - Identification device having reusable transponder

Info

Publication number: EP0966735B1
Application number: EP98908878A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Walter W. Mosher, Jr.; Michael L. Beigel; Thomas P. Mahoney
Original assignee: Precision Dynamics Corp
Current assignee: Precision Dynamics Corp
Priority date: 1997-03-12
Filing date: 1998-03-03
Publication date: 2003-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2018-03-03
Also published as: ATE244436T1; DK0966735T3; AU6680198A; CA2283504A1; ES2202819T3; DE69816045T2; EP0966735A1; PT966735E; DE69816045D1; JP2001519918A; BR9808229A; WO1998040867A1; EP0966735A4; AU734257B2

Abstract

A radio frequency identification device includes an attachment element (12) which is maintained in operative relationship with an object or individual by a securement element (14). The attachment element (14) is disposable and the securement element (14) is easily separable therefrom for reuse, the securement element (14) including a radio frequency identification circuit (30) which can be reused after the attachment element (12) has been disposed of. One form of the radio frequency identification device is an identification wristband (10) which incorporates attachment element (12) and securement element (14) for the attachment element (12), the securement element (14) incorporating an RFID such as a chip (30) which is removed from operative relationship with the attachment element (12) when the securement element (14) is removed to permit reuse of the securement element (14) and chip (30).

Description

The present application relates to a radio frequency device according to the preamble of claims 1 and 2 and a reusable securement means according to the preamble of claim 5.
This invention relates to RF identification devices and, more particularly, to RF identification devices designed to permit the transmission of information about a person or thing to whom or which the RF identification devices are secured. The RF identification devices of the invention have particular application in the identification of individuals and the transmission of relevant information about said individuals to a master receiving and transmitting station whereby, when said master station addresses the RF identification devices on particular individuals, it will be able to ascertain various aspects of relevant data pertinent to the condition, situation, or other pertinent information about the individual.
Of course, a hand-held reader capable of receiving information from the identification device and, in certain instances, of transmitting information to the memory of the identification device for storage therein, can be used in substitution for the master station referred to hereinabove.
At the present time, identification devices such as wristbands or the like are widely used in hospitals to identify patients and to provide information regarding the patients. Such wristbands are also utilized in various other applications, including prisoner identification and crowd control. Initially, such wristbands were confined to providing the bare minimum of the patient's name and, possibly, the nature of the patient's illness. Recently, such wristbands have been provided with encoded information in the form of bar codes or the like whereby considerable additional information about the patient can be ascertained, including such relevant data as medication, the patient's condition, or the like.
In utilizing such wristbands, bar code readers are provided to the nursing or other staff members and the nurse or other staff member reads the bar code before administering medication or performing various therapeutic measures.
While the use of bar codes or other encoded materials has constituted a considerable advance, once the bar code has been applied to the identification wristband, the alteration of the information on the wristband entails the substitution of a new wristband. In addition, because of physical limitations, the information imparted by bar codes or the like is necessarily limited.
A possible solution which would overcome the limitations of identification wristbands which are bar-coded or the like would be to provide an RF circuit in the wristband which would incorporate a semi-conductor circuit with logic, memory, and an RF circuit connected to an antenna capable of receiving and transmitting information so that a nurse or other staff member carrying a transponder could query the RF circuit of the wristband to elicit a wide spectrum of information not presently available in conventional wristbands.
Unfortunately, available RF circuits are relatively expensive and, since conventional wristbands are disposable after use, such circuits would have to be discarded if they were integral components of the wristband.
US-A-4,718,374 discloses an ear tag assembly for mounting on the ear of a bovine-type animal or the like having an upper ear portion, a rear end portion; and a front ear portion with a central pocket beneath said upper ear portion between said front ear portion and said rear ear portion, and the assembly comprising:
a one-piece tag retaining member made of molded plastic material,
a one-piece identification member made of flexible plastic material with an enlarged identification portion located in front of the animal ear,
said retaining member comprising:
a base portion having a thickness such as to be relatively inflexible;
a pair of relatively thin flexible flange portions located on opposite sides of said central slot means for flexible outward movement.
US-A-5,581,924 describes an identification wristband, comprising a first transparent, flexible lamina incorporating a transparent window portion and a strap portion; a second continuous, one-piece flexible lamina having a surface co-extensive with the surface of said first lamina, said surfaces other than adjacent said window portion being adhesively and permanently secured to each other for the entire areas of said first and second laminae, the unsecured areas of said first and second laminae defining a pocket between the underside of said window portion and the adjacent upper surface of said second lamina; and an opening in the unsecured area of one of said laminae communicating with said pocket.
The radio frequency is defined in the characterizing part of claims 1 and 2, and the reusable securement means is defined in the characterizing part of claim 5.
An object of the invention is the provision of an RF identification device which includes attachment means for attaching the RF identification device on a person or object to be identified and securement means for said attachment means whereby said attachment is retained in operative relationship with said person or object. For instance, the attachment means for hospital patient use can be in the form of a wristband and the wristband can be maintained in operative relationship with the wrist of the patient by securement means which holds the wristband on the patient's wrist, ankle or the like.
The RF circuit is located in the securement means and, when the wristband is discarded, the securement means can be sterilized and reused, thus permitting the reuse of the RF circuit with the consequent economies resulting from such reuse.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an RF identification device of the aforementioned character wherein said attachment means incorporates an antenna and said securement means incorporates a transponder operatively connected to said antenna for receiving and transmitting information relating to the person or thing on which said attachment means is retained by said securement means.
A further object of the invention is the provision of an RF identification device in which said attachment means is constituted by the strap of an identification wristband and said securement means maintains said strap in operative relationship with a person or object to be identified.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an identification wristband incorporating an RF identification device, said wristband having an attachment portion constituted by an elongated strap and a securement means for maintaining said attachment portion in operative relationship with an object or person to be identified, said strap incorporating an antenna and said securement means incorporating a transponder operatively connected to said antenna whereby said wristband can receive and transmit signals imparting information regarding said person or object.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a wristband of the aforementioned character wherein said securement means is demountably associated with said strap to permit said strap to be discarded and said securement means to be reused, thus permitting repeated utilization of said transponder in said securement means.
An additional object of the invention is the provision of a wristband of the aforementioned character wherein the securement means incorporates a complete RFID tag including the antenna so that the necessity for securing the RFID device to a separate antenna is eliminated.
other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings.
In order that; the application may be fully understood, reference is made on the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1: is a partially sectional view of a wrist-band strap or body demountably connected to the securement means therefor;
Fig. 2: is a partially sectional view of a wristband strap and securement means with the strap portion secured by the securement means;
Fig. 3: is a view showing an alternative securement means and securement means construction; and
Fig. 4: is a sectional view of the securement means disposed in operative relation-ship with the extremities of the attachment means.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1-2 thereof, I show a portion of an identification wristband 10 which includes an attachment means 12 and a securement means 14. The securement means 14 is demountably secured to the attachment means 12 by a boss 16. The boss 16 has a slightly enlarged upper extremity which is larger than the mating opening 17 provided in the adjacent extremity of the wristband 10.
Therefore, the opening 17 in the wristband 10 can be forced over the slightly enlarged extremity of the boss 16 to hold the wristband in operative relationship with the securement means 14. However, when the use of the wristband by a patient or other person is finished, the wristband can be removed from operative relationship with the boss 16 by prying the extremity of the wristband 10 from operative engagement with the boss 16.
The attachment means is constituted by the strap or body portion 18 of the wristband 10, said body portion incorporating a space 22 between two laminae 24 and 26.
The structure and operation of the wristband 10 are more fully described in US-A-5,479,797, the present description being limited to the incorporation in the securement means 14 of an RF circuit 30 shown in phantom in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The securement means is fabricated by any suitable process from synthetic plastic material. For instance, high-density polyethylene can be used to fabricate the securement means 14 by the injection molding process with the boss 16 formed as an integral component thereof. During the injection molding process an IC chip 30 or RFID module is molded into the securement means 14.
Alternatively, a receptacle can be formed in the securement means 14 and the IC chip 30 or RFID module can be located in the receptacle for reuse in conjunction with the securement means 14.
Formed in the space 22 between the laminae 24 and 26, is an antenna 33 which can be electrically connected to the IC chip 30 by conductive bosses 32 engaging corresponding conductors, not shown, on the antenna 33. The antenna 33 can be fabricated in conjunction with the fabrication of the wristband 10 by various methods including foil strips, the use of conductive inks or conductive wires. The showing in Fig. 1 is not intended to indicate the requisite length of the antenna 33 since this is determined by the characteristics of the IC chip 30 or RFID module.
The conductive bosses 32 can be fabricated in any desirable configuration and are not limited to the buss configuration shown in the drawings. For instance, the conventional cylindrical contacts can be substituted for the buss bar configuration.
Consequently, the securement means 14 can be separated from the strap or body portion of the attachment means 12 by disengaging it from the boss 16. The strap or body portion 18 of the attachment means 12 can be discarded and the securement means 14 can be sterilized and returned to a point of use, such as an admittance desk. At the admittance desk, when a patient is admitted, the IC chip 30 can be loaded with relevant data and associated with the attachment means 12 by forcing the opening 17 in the attachment means over the boss 16 of the securement means 14 to bring the contacts, not shown, of the antenna into engagement with the corresponding contacts 32 of the IC chip or RFID module 30.
Therefore, the continued repeated usage of the securement means 14 and the IC chip 30 materially reduces the per-patient cost of the RF identification device 10. Although the use of an antenna 33 in conjunction with the RFID module 30 has been disclosed, it is to be understood that a self-contained RFID module can be utilized with said module incorporating its own antenna, thus eliminating the necessity for providing an antenna, such as the antenna 33 in the wristband 10.
Other than the conductive means between the antenna 33 and the chip 30, it is also possible to utilize the capacitative circuit disclosed in the co-pending application, Serial No. 60/040,143 filed March 10, 1997, entitled REACTIVELY COUPLED ELEMENTS IN CIRCUITS ON FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATES (not published, not part of the present application). The capacitative circuits of the two embodiments of that application can be applied with equal cogency to the RF circuit or chip 30.
Furthermore, the antenna 33 can also be incorporated in the securement means 14 if the design parameters of the circuitry permit.
An alternative form of RFID is shown at 40 in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings as including an attachment means 42 constituted by an elongated tubular strip or band 44 having an internal chamber 46 provided therein. The construction and mode of operation of the band 44 and the securement means 60 provided for usage therein are disclosed more fully in co-pending application Serial No. 08/787,757, filed January 28, 1997, entitled TUBULAR IDENTIFICATION WRISTBAND (not published, not part of the present application).
The securement means 60 is fabricated from a suitable synthetic plastic and has an RFID chip module 62 incorporated therein with a conductive contact or contacts 64 provided on the surface of the securement means 60 for engagement with one or more conductors of an antenna 66 located in the chamber 46 of the band or body 44.
The chip 62 is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings with the opposite extremities 68 of the body 44 secured on the opposite extremities of the securement means 60.
Where an antenna 66 is used, it is located in one extremity of the chamber 46 and that extremity is marked to indicate the location of the extremity 68 of the band or body 44 which incorporates the antenna. The antenna 66 can also be imprinted or otherwise applied to the wall of the chamber 46, if desired. The chip 62 is located internally of the securement means 60 and has a contact 64 engagable with a corresponding conductor, not shown, on the antenna 66.
Therefore, when the securement means 60 and the attachment means 42 are assembled in the manner of Fig. 4, the chip 62 is electrically connected to the antenna 66 and the chip 62 and antenna can serve to receive and transmit signals in response to a suitably designed READER. When the patient is discharged from the hospital, the band or body 44 is disposed of for sanitary, reasons and the securement means 60 can be sterilized and reused, thus achieving the economies incident to reuse of the chip 62.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a chip can be inserted in the internal chamber 46 of the tubular strip or band 44 of the attachment means 42. The chip can be associated with the identification card conventionally located in the chamber 46 as shown in the above-referenced application, Serial No. 08/787,757, filed January 28, 1997 (not published, not part of the present application). In an alternative embodiment, a complete RFID tag with antenna can be incorporated into securement means 60.
Moreover, it is also possible to incorporate an RFID chip in the pocket of pocket-style wristbands such as that disclosed in US-A-5,581,924. After the wristband has been utilized, the chip can be removed from the pocket and the Wristband discarded. The chip can be sterilized and re-used in the same manner as the chip of the previously-discussed embodiment of the invention.
The teachings of the invention relating to reuse of a significant component portion of an identification wristband or the like can be applied with equal cogency to a wide variety of devices to be attached to an object or person whose identity and other significant data must be detected for various reasons.

Claims

A radio frequency device (10;40) comprising: disposable attachment means (12;42) for locating said device on an object or an individual to be identified, said attachment means (12;42) being a disposable wristband (10;44), said wristband (10;44) having opposite extremities characterized by reusable securement means (14;60) demountably engageable with the opposite extremities of said wristband (10;44) to maintain said wristband (10;44) in temporary operative relationship with and being separable from said extremities when said wristband (10;44) is discarded;and
radio frequency identification circuit (30;62) embedded in said securement means (14;60) for reuse with said securement means (14;60) with a replacement wristband (10;44) after the disposable wristband (10;44) has been discarded.
A radio frequency identification device (10;40) comprising:

disposable attachment means (12;42) having opposite extremities characterized by a securement means (14;60) separably connected to said opposite extremities of said attachment means (12;42) for maintaining said attachment means (12;42) in temporary operative relationship with an object or individual to be identified; and

radio frequency identification circuit means (30;62) embedded in said securement means (14;60) and being removable with said securement means (14;60) from said attachment means (12;42) for subsequent use with replacement attachment means (12;42).
The device of claim 2 in which said attachment means (12;42) is a disposable identification wristband (10;44), whose extremities are demountably secured to said securement means (14;60), securement means (14;60) and radio frequency identification circuit means (30;62) being reusable with a replacement wristband (10;44) after having been separated from operative relationship with said wristband (10;44).
The device of claim 2 in which said attachment means (42) is an elongated wristband (44) and said wristband (44) has opposite extremities (68), said securement means (60) having opposite extremities receivable in the opposite extremities (68) of said wristband (44) to maintain said wristband (44), said securement means (60) and said radio frequency identification circuit means (62) in operative relationship with the object or individual to be identified.
Reusable securement means (14;60) having a body with securement portions thereupon, said securement portions being demountably engageable with opposite extremities of disposable attachment means (12;42) to maintain said attachment means (12;42) on an object or individual, characterized in that said body has a radio frequency identification circuit means (30;62) embedded therein.
The securement means (14;60) of claim 5 in which said body has opposite extremities demountably engageable with said extremities of said attachment means (12;42).
The securement means (14;60) of claim 5 in which said body has a recess for the reception of said opposite extremities of said attachment means (12;42).