Method for forming a medium having data storage and communication capabilities
A method for forming a medium having a substrate is formed have a patterned surface with a channel pattern and a transponder having a memory is provided in the channel pattern. A conductive material is deposited in the channel pattern with the conductive material operatively associated with the transponder.
1. A method for forming a medium comprising the steps of:
forming a substrate having a patterned surface with a channel pattern thereon;
providing a transponder having a memory in the channel pattern;
depositing a conductive material in the channel pattern with the conductive material operatively associated with the transponder;
applying an overcoat to the patterned surface, the overcoat layer having a bottom surface in contact with the patterned surface of the substrate and a top surface having an overcoat channel pattern formed therein; and
depositing a conductive material in the overcoat channel pattern, wherein the overcoat comprises at least one contact aperture between the conductive material in the channel pattern on the substrate and the conductive material of the overcoat channel pattern whereby conductive material in the channel pattern on the substrate can electrically engage conductive material from the overcoat channel pattern.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transponder has a thickness within a predefined range and wherein the step of forming the channel pattern comprises forming at least one channel having a depth that is greater than the thickness of the transponder and adapted to receive the transponder.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the channel pattern has a width dimension that is smaller in size than a width dimension of the transponder and the step of providing the transponder in the channel pattern recess comprises elastically deforming the substrate in the smaller portion to receive the transponder.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an overcoat layer on at least one side of the substrate said overcoat layer adapted to permit the formation of an image thereon.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing an overcoat layer on at least one of the substrate, channel pattern, conductive material and transponder.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing an overcoat layer on at least one of the substrate, channel pattern, conductive material and transponder the overcoat layer having a surface energy that is greater than 44 dynes per cm 2 .
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing an overcoat layer on at least one of the substrate, channel pattern, conductive material and transponder to form a generally uniform outer surface.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing an overcoat layer on at least one of the channel pattern, conductive material and transponder to form a generally uniform outer surface adapted to receive an image.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing an overcoat layer on the channels, the substrate, the transponder, and the conductive material with the overcoat layer adapted to permit the formation of an image thereon.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is formed from a material upon which an image can be formed.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the channel pattern forms an antenna pattern so that an antenna is formed by conductive material deposited in the antenna pattern.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is optically transparent.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material has a light transmission of at least 75%.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is polythiophene.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a substrate comprises passing a moldable thermoplastic material between a pressure roller and a patterned roller so that the moldable thermoplastic material is formed into a substrate having a channel pattern conforming to the roller pattern.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a substrate comprises passing a base material and a moldable thermoplastic material between a pressure roller and a pattern roller having a roller pattern, so that the moldable thermoplastic material is joined to the base and has a channel pattern conforming to the roller pattern.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a substrate comprises forming a substrate having a base surface adapted to receive an image and a patterned surface having the channel pattern.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of depositing an additional transponder in the overcoat channel pattern.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a substrate further comprises forming a substrate having a base surface with a base channel pattern thereon.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of depositing conductive material and a second transponder in the base channel pattern.
21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing an overcoat layer to protect at least one of the conductive material, transponder and substrate against at least one of chemical, radiation, mechanical, electrical or thermal damage.
22. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming the medium into at least one roll with each roll having at least one transponder and antenna.
23. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming the medium into at least one sheet with each sheet having at least one transponder and antenna.
24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of recording data in the memory.
25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the transponder in the channel pattern comprises forming at least a part of the transponder using the conductive material.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of positioning a transponder in the channel pattern comprises providing electrical components in the channel pattern and wherein conductive material deposited in the channel pattern forms electrical connections between the electrical components to form the transponder.
27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of positioning a transponder in the channel pattern comprises positioning a transponder having an antenna in the channel pattern with the transponder electrically associated with an antenna formed by conductive material deposited in the channel pattern.
28. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel pattern is patterned to form an antenna pattern and a transponder pattern, wherein the transponder is formed at least in part by using the transponder pattern.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the transponder pattern includes at least one resistor portion formed using conductive material.
30. The method of claim 28 wherein the transponder pattern includes at least one capacitor portion formed using conductive material.
31. A method for forming a medium comprising the steps of:
forming a substrate web with a patterned surface having a channel pattern;
providing a transponder having a memory in the channel pattern;
coating a conductive material into the channel pattern with the conductive material electrically contacting the transponder, wherein said channel pattern includes an antenna pattern and wherein conductive material coated into the antenna pattern forms an antenna operatively associated with the transponder; applying an overcoat to the patterned surface, the overcoat layer having a bottom surface in contact with the patterned surface of the substrate and a top surface having an overcoat channel pattern formed therein; and
depositing a conductive material in the overcoat channel pattern, wherein the overcoat comprises at least one contact aperture between the conductive material in the channel pattern on the substrate and the conductive material of the overcoat channel pattern whereby conductive material in the channel pattern on the substrate can electrically engage conductive material from the overcoat channel pattern.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the substrate web also comprises a base surface and wherein the step of forming the substrate web comprises forming a channel pattern having raised areas at a constant separation from the base surface.
33. The method of claim 31 , further comprising the step of providing an overcoat on at least one of the substrate, channel pattern, conductive material and transponder so that a common plane is formed on the medium.
34. The method of claim 31 , wherein the conductive material is optically transparent.
35. The method of claim 31 , wherein the conductive material has a light transmission of at least 75%.
36. The method of claim 31 , wherein the step of forming a substrate web comprises passing a moldable thermoplastic material between a pressure roller and a patterned roller so that the moldable thermoplastic material is formed into a substrate having a channel pattern conforming to the roller pattern.
37. The method of claim 31 , wherein the step of forming a substrate web comprises passing a base material and a moldable thermoplastic material between a pressure roller and a pattern roller having a roller pattern, so that the moldable thermoplastic material is joined to the base and has a channel pattern conforming to the roller pattern.
38. The method of claim 31 , wherein the step of positioning the transponder in the channel pattern comprises forming at least a part of the transponder using the channel pattern and conductive material.
39. The method of claim 31 , wherein the step of positioning a transponder in the channel pattern comprises providing electrical components in the channel pattern and wherein conductive material deposited in the channel pattern forms electrical connections between the electrical components to form the transponder.
40. The method of claim 31 , wherein the step of positioning a transponder in the channel pattern comprises positioning a transponder having an antenna in the patterned recess with the transponder antenna electrically associated with an antenna formed by conductive material deposited in the channel pattern.
41. The method of claim 31 , wherein the channel pattern is shaped at least in part in an antenna pattern and wherein conductive material is applied to the base in a pattern to form the antenna.
42. The method of claim 31 , wherein the web substrate comprises more than one channel pattern, wherein the step of providing a transponder in the web substrate comprises providing a transponder for each channel pattern on the web substrate.
43. The method of claim 42 , further comprising the step of separating the web substrate into portions with each portion having at least one transponder and channel pattern.
44. The method of claim 31 , further comprising the step of applying an adhesive layer to the medium.