ILLUMINATED POWERED DEVICES SUCH AS CARDS AND METHODS OF USE
Compact powered devices are provided. The powered devices include a substrate, a battery, an activation element and an output device in electrical or optical communication. The compact powered device can be a card that, when subjected to an outside influence or stimulus, displays a message or illumination. The illumination can be circumscribed within a graphical design of the card. The card can be a gift card, a loyalty card, a novelty card, a financial card, an identification card or a smart card. The output device can be a light guide film that distributes light from an illumination device such as an LED which, when activated, illuminates a side of the light guide film. The output device is configured to display a number, a graphic, a logo, or another pattern or message in response to the stimulus.
1 . A powered device comprising:
a substrate;
a battery in or on the substrate;
an activation element in or on the substrate and in electrical communication with the battery; and
an output device in or on the substrate and in electrical and/or optical communication with the battery and the activation element, wherein the output device comprises a light-guide film;
wherein the activation element activates the output device in response to a stimulus and the output device outputs a message and/or illumination upon activation.
2 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the output device further comprises an illumination device which, when activated, illuminates a side of the light guide film.
3 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the powered device meets at least the mechanical flexibility requirements of the international standard specifications of ISO/IEC 7810:2003.
4 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the powered device is card selected from the group consisting of a gift card, a loyalty card, a novelty card, a financial card, an identification card and a smart card.
5 . The powered device of claim 4 , wherein the output of the output device comprises information related to the card.
6 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the activation element is a motion sensor, a remote control sensor, an accelerometer or a touch sensitive sensor.
7 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the activation element is a capacitive touch sensitive sensor, a resistive touch sensitive sensor or a combination capacitive and resistive touch sensitive sensor.
8 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises printed material thereon.
9 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein an image is illuminated in the light-guide film when activated.
10 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a polymer.
11 . The powered device of claim 10 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), plastic and paper.
12 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the powered device is 80-90 mm long, 50-60 mm wide and 0.5 to 1.5 mm thick.
13 . The powered device of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a thin film battery.
14 . The powered device of claim 13 , wherein the battery is 0.3+/−0.05 mm thick
15 . The powered device of claim 13 , wherein the battery comprises a polymer matrix electrolyte (PME).
16 . The powered device of claim 1 , further comprising a circuit on or in the substrate.
17 . The powered device of claim 15 , wherein the powered device meets at least the mechanical flexibility requirements of the international standard specifications of ISO/IEC 7810:2003.
18 . The powered device of claim 3 , wherein the powered device has dimensions of 85.60×53.98 mm and a thickness of 0.64 mm to 0.84 mm and corners rounded with a radius of 3.18 mm.
19 . A method comprising:
providing a powered device according to claim 1 ; and
applying a stimulus to the activation element of the powered device to activate the output device, wherein the output device produces illumination or outputs a message upon activation.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the stimulus is applied by a consumer and wherein the output device outputs an advertizing message and/or illumination to the consumer.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the output device produces illumination upon activation and wherein the illumination is circumscribed within a graphical design on the card.
22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the stimulus is light, motion, disruption, bending, micro-currents or touch.