Systems and methods for providing tags adapted to be incorporated with or in items
Systems and methods for integrating tags with items. The methods comprise: turning a reel by an amount that allows a portion of an elongate narrow substrate that includes a first tag of a plurality of tags to be paid out (where each of the plurality of tags comprises at least one antenna formed of a trace or wire disposed on the elongate narrow substrate and a communication enabled device coupled to the elongate narrow substrate so as to have an electrical coupling or connection with the at least one antenna); dynamically tuning the first tag to optimize tag performance in view of dielectric and tuning properties of a first item being fabricated; cutting the elongate narrow substrate so as to cause the first tag to be placed on the first item being fabricated; and coupling the first tag to the item being fabricated.
1. A method for integrating tags with items, comprising:
turning a reel by an amount that allows a portion of an elongate narrow substrate that includes a first tag of a plurality of tags to be paid out, where each of the plurality of tags comprises at least one antenna formed of a trace or wire disposed on the elongate narrow substrate and a communication enabled device coupled to the elongate narrow substrate so as to have an electrical coupling or connection with the at least one antenna;
dynamically tuning, by decreasing a thickness of the trace disposed on the elongate narrow substrate, the first tag to optimize tag performance in view of dielectric and tuning properties of a first item being fabricated;
cutting the elongate narrow substrate so as to cause the first tag to be placed on the first item being fabricated; and
coupling the first tag to the first item being fabricated.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining the dielectric and tuning properties of the first item using a look up table or sensor data, prior to when the first tag is dynamically tuned.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one side of the elongate narrow substrate is sewn to the first item during the coupling.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate narrow substrate is pushed into the first item during the coupling.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate narrow substrate is enclosed within a cavity formed between the first item and a layer of cloth during the coupling.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising validating that the first tag is operating properly after the first tag has been coupled to the first item.
7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising replacing the first tag with a second tag of the elongate narrow substrate when a validation is not made that the first tag is operating properly.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adding color to a flexible fluid resistive material.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the color added to the flexible fluid resistive material matches a color of the first item.
10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising painting the portion of the elongate narrow substrate that includes the first tag using paint with a color that matches a color of the first item.
11. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising coating the elongate narrow substrate with the plurality of tags using the flexible fluid resistive material.
12. A system, comprising:
a reel on which an elongate narrow substrate is wound, the elongate narrow substrate comprising a plurality of tags coupled thereto, each of the plurality of tags comprising at least one antenna formed of a trace or wire disposed on the elongate narrow substrate and a communication enabled device coupled to the elongate narrow substrate so as to have an electrical coupling or connection with the at least one antenna;
a first device that dynamically tunes, by sewing a metal thread into a first item at a location where the first tag is to reside, a first tag of the plurality of tags so as to optimize tag performance in view of dielectric and tuning properties of the first item being fabricated;
a second device that cuts the elongate narrow substrate so as to cause the first tag to be placed on the first item being fabricated; and
a third device that couples the first tag to the first item being fabricated.
13. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising a computing device that determines the dielectric and tuning properties of the first item using a look up table or sensor data, prior to when the first tag is dynamically tuned.
14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein at least one side of the elongate narrow substrate is sewn to the item by the third device.
15. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the elongate narrow substrate is pushed into the item by the third device.
16. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the elongate narrow substrate is enclosed within a cavity formed between the item and a layer of cloth by the third device.
17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the metal thread is a first metal thread and the layer of cloth has a second metal thread for tuning an operating frequency of the first tag.
18. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising a fourth device configured to validate that the first tag is operating properly after the first tag has been coupled to the item.
19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the first tag is replaced with a second tag of the elongate narrow substrate when a validation is not made that the first tag is operating properly.
20. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the elongate narrow substrate with the plurality of tags is coated using a flexible fluid resistive material.
21. The system according to claim 20 , wherein the flexible fluid resistive material has a color that matches a color of the first item.
22. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the portion of the elongate narrow substrate that includes the first tag is painted using paint with a color that matches a color of the item.