Active wireless tagging system on peel and stick substrate

1. A method comprising:

providing a flexible peel-and-stick RFID device that includes a multi-bit identifier value, an RF-activated switch, and a thin-film battery deposited on a flexible substrate;

pressure-adhering the RFID device to an article;

receiving RF energy at the RFID device;

based on the reception of the RF energy, coupling battery power through the RF-activated switch to the RFID device to activate a circuit and initiate a task in the RFID device using the power from the battery, wherein the task includes transmitting an identifier (ID) value based on the multi-bit identifier of the RFID;

receiving an interrogation code into the RFID device from a remote RF transmitter device;

performing an analysis of the interrogation code;

transmitting the ID value from the RFID device to a remote RF receiver device based upon the analysis of the interrogation code;

storing a timestamp for an event based on receiving the interrogation code into the RFID device;

storing a first timestamp to mark a shipping event;

storing a second timestamp to mark a receiving event; and

comparing the first and second stored timestamps to determine the duration of shipping related events.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery, and wherein the method further includes recharging the battery using the received RF energy.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the task includes:

running a self-check in the RFID device; and

storing the result of the self-check.

4. A flexible peel-and-stick battery-operated device comprising:

a plurality of layers wherein the layers are held to one another as a single package, wherein the layers include:

a flexible substrate;

an electronic circuit and an RF-activated switch;

a thin-film battery deposited as a series of layers, the series of layers including a cathode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an anode layer, operatively coupled by the RF-activated switch upon receipt of RF energy to the electronic circuit to provide power;

a radio frequency (RF) antenna operatively coupled to the electronic circuit; and

a peel-and-stick adhesive layer configured to connect the battery-operated device to a surface, wherein the layers are stacked in the order comprising:

the adhesive layer wherein the adhesive layer is pressure sensitive and covered by a peel-able release layer;

the flexible substrate;

the thin-film battery deposited on the flexible substrate;

the wiring layer including an RF antenna deposited on the previous layers; and

the electronic circuit including an RF-enabled switch deposited on the wiring layer.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery, and wherein device is configured such that the battery is recharged when energy is transmitted from a remote device through the RF antenna and the electronic circuit.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the electronic circuit includes the RF-activated switch.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein the RF-activated switch includes a MEMS device.

8. The device of claim 4 , wherein the RF antenna is integrated into the substrate.

9. The device of claim 4 , wherein the battery is rechargeable.

10. A rolled release layer having releasably affixed thereon a plurality of the device according to claim 4 .

11. The device of claim 4 , further comprising:

a printed label on the device.

12. A system for making an RFID device, the system comprising:

one or more supply reels that feed one or more source substrates;

one or more supply reels that feed one or more electronic circuits, an RF-activated switch, and an RF antenna;

one or more deposition stations that deposit a series of layers onto the one or more substrates, wherein the series of layers include:

(i) layers to form a solid-state lithium-based battery, the battery layers including:

a) a cathode layer;

b) an electrolyte layer;

c) an anode layer;

(ii) a wiring layer to couple the battery to the electronic circuit layer, and to couple the RF antenna to the electronic circuit; and

a supply reel that feeds a peel-and-stick adhesive layer; and

a vacuum chamber that contains the supply reels and the deposition station, wherein the RF-activated switch is operable to connect electrical power and activate the one or more electronic circuits upon receipt of RF energy.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising one or more stations that deposit the one or more substrates onto a release layer with a single pressure-sensitive adhesive layer therebetween, wherein one face of the adhesive layer is attached to the substrate and an opposite face of the adhesive layer is attached to the release layer.