IP Library Granted Patent US 12,367,357
Granted Patent B1
US 12,367,357 · App. 18/071,579 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Activating a smart label via contact

Inventors: Pankaj Patel (Santa Clara, CA); Vidya Subramanian (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: ROAMBEE Corporation
G06K7/10425G06K7/10376G06K19/07749
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,367,357
App. No.
18/071,579
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

One example method may include detecting a radio enabled label moving through an area, performing one or more contact operations to the radio enabled label, activating a power source embedded in the radio enabled label responsive to the one or more contact operations, and performing one or more of receiving and transmitting a radio signal via the radio enabled label while the power source is activated.

Claims (30)

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a radio-enabled label moving through an area; and

performing one or more contact operations on the radio-enabled label, wherein the one or more contact operations physically contact the radio-enabled label to activate a power source embedded in the radio-enabled label to enable the radio-enabled label to at least one of transmit or receive a radio signal, wherein tearing a first edge of the radio-enabled label enables a first mode of operation by the radio-enabled label, wherein tearing a second edge of the radio-enabled label enables a second mode of operation by the radio-enabled label.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the area is a printer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the one or more contact operations further comprises:

tearing the radio-enabled label away from an additional radio-enabled label along an axis,

wherein the tearing removes a shorted electrical connection, activating of the power source.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the one or more contact operations further comprises:

applying pressure to a portion of the radio-enabled label comprising a switch via an actuating movement, wherein the actuating movement enables the switch to activate the power source.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mode of operation comprises broadcasting the radio signal for a first period of time, and

the second mode of operation comprises broadcasting a radio signal for a second period of time that is a longer duration than the first period of time.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor that, when executing instructions stored by a memory, is configured to:

detect a radio-enabled label moving through an area; and

perform one or more contact operations on the radio-enabled label, wherein the one or more contact operations physically contact the radio-enabled label to activate a power source embedded in the radio-enabled label to enable the radio-enabled label to at least one of transmit or receive a radio signal, wherein a first edge of the radio-enabled label is torn to enable a first mode of operation, wherein a second edge of the radio-enabled label is torn to enable a second mode of operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the area is a printer.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein to perform the one or more contact operations to the radio-enabled label comprises the radio-enabled label being torn away from an additional radio-enabled label along an axis, and wherein the tear removes an electrical short connection to enable the activation of the power source.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein when the processor performs the one or more contact operations, the processor is further configured to:

control the apparatus to apply pressure to a portion of the radio-enabled label comprising a switch via an actuating movement, wherein the actuating movement enables the switch to activate the power source.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first mode of operation comprises broadcasting a radio signal for a first period of time, and

the second mode of operation comprises broadcasting the radio signal for a second period of time that is a longer duration than the first period of time.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

detecting a radio-enabled label moving through an area; and

performing one or more contact operations on the radio-enabled label, wherein the one or more contact operations physically contact the radio-enabled label to activate a power source embedded in the radio-enabled label to enable the radio-enabled label to at least one of transmit or receive a radio signal, wherein tearing a first edge of the radio-enabled label enables a first mode of operation by the radio-enabled label, wherein tearing a second edge of the radio-enabled label enables a second mode of operation by the radio-enabled label.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the area is a printer.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the performing of the one or more contact operations further comprises:

tearing the radio-enabled label away from an additional radio-enabled label along an axis,

wherein the tearing removes a shorted electrical connection, activating of the power source.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the performing of the one or more contact operations further comprises:

applying pressure to a portion of the radio-enabled label comprising a switch via an actuating movement, wherein the actuating movement enables the switch to activate the power source.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2022
From: PATEL, PANKAJ; SUBRAMANIAN, VIDYA
To: ROAMBEE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061914/0682 →
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