IP Library Granted Patent US 12677702
Granted Patent B2
US 12677702 · App. 18/094,276 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Hybrid documents

Inventors: Ronald S. Cok (Rochester, NY); António José Marques Trindade (Cork, IE); Pierluigi Rubino (Cork, IE)
Assignee: X-Celeprint Limited
H10W90/00B42D25/29B42D25/305B42D25/355G06K19/025G06K19/0713G06K19/07705H10N39/00H10W70/093H10W90/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12677702
App. No.
18/094,276
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hybrid document includes a flexible document and a component having a component substrate disposed in or on the flexible document. One or more inorganic light-emitting diodes, a controller electrically connected to the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes for controlling the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes, and a piezoelectric power source are disposed on the component substrate. The power source can include a plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric power-source elements electrically connected to the controller, the inorganic light-emitting diodes, or both. Each of the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes, the controller, the component substrate, or each of the individual piezoelectric power-source elements can comprise a broken or separated tether. The component substrate can be a flexible substrate that is more flexible than any one of the inorganic light-emitting diodes, the controller, and the individual piezoelectric power-source elements.

Claims (38)

1 . A hybrid document, comprising:

a flexible document comprising a flexible document substrate having visible markings; and

a component comprising:

a component substrate different from the flexible document substrate;

one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes disposed on the component substrate;

a controller disposed on or in the component substrate and electrically connected to the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes for controlling the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes;

a plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric power-source elements disposed on the component substrate, wherein the plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric power-source elements comprise a piezoelectric power source operable to provide electrical power and is electrically connected to the controller, the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes, or both;

wherein (i) each of the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes comprises a broken tether, (ii) the controller comprises a broken tether, (iii) the component substrate comprises a broken or separated tether, (iv) each of the plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric power-source elements comprises a broken tether, or (v) any one or combination of (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv); and

wherein the component substrate is a flexible substrate that is more flexible than any one of the inorganic light-emitting diodes, the controller, and the individual piezoelectric power-source elements,

wherein the component substrate is disposed on the flexible document substrate.

2 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the flexible document is more flexible than the component substrate.

3 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , further comprising electrically conductive wires disposed at least partly on the component substrate that electrically connect the piezoelectric power source to one or more of the inorganic light-emitting diodes and the controller.

4 . The hybrid document of claim 3 , wherein the electrically conductive wires are disposed exclusively on the component substrate and any one combination of the piezoelectric power source, the inorganic light-emitting diodes, and the controller.

5 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a power converter disposed on the component substrate connected to the piezoelectric power source and connected to at least one of the controller and the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes,

wherein the power converter converts the electrical power provided from the piezoelectric power source to a form that is used by at least one of the controller and the inorganic light-emitting diodes.

6 . The hybrid document of claim 5 , wherein the power converter comprises (i) a unitary capacitor, (ii) a disaggregated capacitor comprising multiple capacitors electrically connected in parallel, (iii) a diode, or (iv) any one or combination of (i), (ii), and (iii).

7 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the flexible document substrate comprises paper, plastic, or impregnated paper.

8 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric power-source elements are adjacent to each other on the component substrate.

9 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric power-source elements are disposed on the component substrate within an area of from 0.1 cm 2 to 4.0 cm 2 .

10 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , further comprising one or more light pipes located in association with the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes to transmit light emitted by the inorganic light-emitting diode into the one or more light pipes and emit the transmitted light from the one or more light pipes.

11 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes forms a display or a two-dimensional array.

12 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the component substrate comprises polyimide.

13 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of components, wherein each of the components comprises:

a respective component substrate different from the flexible document substrate;

one or more respective inorganic light-emitting diodes disposed on the respective component substrate;

a respective controller disposed on or in the respective component substrate and electrically connected to the one or more respective inorganic light-emitting diodes for controlling the one or more respective inorganic light-emitting diodes;

a plurality of electrically connected individual respective piezoelectric power-source elements disposed on the respective component substrate, wherein the plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric respective power-source elements comprise a respective piezoelectric power source operable to provide electrical power and is electrically connected to the respective controller, the one or more respective inorganic light-emitting diodes, or both;

wherein (i) each of the one or more respective inorganic light-emitting diodes comprises a respective broken tether, (ii) the respective controller comprises a respective broken tether, (iii) the respective component substrate comprises a respective broken or separated tether, (iv) each of the plurality of electrically connected individual piezoelectric respective power-source elements comprises a respective broken tether, or (v) any one or combination of (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv); and

wherein the respective component substrate is a flexible substrate that is more flexible than any one of the respective inorganic light-emitting diodes, the respective controller, and the individual piezoelectric respective power-source elements,

wherein the respective component substrate is disposed on the flexible document substrate.

14 . The hybrid document of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of components are arranged to form a pattern or graphic.

15 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light-emitting diodes comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes that are arranged to form a pattern or graphic or wherein the one or more light-emitting diodes are in optical communication with a plurality of light pipes that are arranged to form a pattern or graphic.

16 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a protective layer disposed over the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes, the controller, and the power source.

17 . The hybrid document of claim 16 , comprising an adhesive disposed on the protective layer, wherein the adhesive adheres the component substrate to the flexible document substrate.

18 . The hybrid document of claim 16 , wherein the one or more light-emitting diodes are disposed to emit light through the protective layer.

19 . The hybrid document of claim 16 , wherein the one or more light-emitting diodes are disposed to emit light through the component substrate.

20 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein at least the one or more light-emitting diodes are disposed between the flexible document and the component substrate.

21 . The hybrid document of claim 1 , comprising a component tether in physical contact with and extending from the component substrate.