Wireless Identification Device, RFID Device With Push-on/Push-off Switch, and Method of Manufacturing Wireless Identification Device

Abstract

A wireless identification device including a housing; circuitry in the housing configured to provide a signal to identify the device in response to an interrogation signal; and a selectively actuated switch supported by the housing and controlling whether the circuitry identifies the device. A method of manufacturing a wireless identification device, the method comprising configuring circuitry to provide a signal to identify the device in response to an interrogation signal; coupling the circuitry to a push-on/push-off switch supported by the housing and controlling whether the circuitry provides the signal to identify the device; and encasing the circuitry in a housing such that the switch is actuable from outside the housing by touching a portion of the housing.

1 - 4 . (canceled)  
     
     
         5 . A method for selectively disabling a radio frequency identification (RFID) wireless device, the method comprising: 
 sending an interrogation signal to the wireless device;    receiving the interrogation signal at the wireless device;    processing the interrogation signal via circuitry of the wireless device;    determining whether to communicate a response to the interrogation signal; and    disabling at least a portion of the wireless device and subsequently communicating the response.    
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said wireless device further comprises an integrated circuit, and said act of disabling comprises disabling at least a portion of said integrated circuit.  
     
     
         7 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said disabling at least a portion of said device comprises interrupting power supplied to circuitry of said RFID device.  
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said disabling comprises disabling circuitry configured to generate a backscatter signal.  
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said disabling is accomplished using at least integrated circuitry that is transitioned from an enabled to a disabled state, said disabled state preventing the transmission of at least one communication containing identity data uniquely identifying said device.  
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said determining comprises determining whether to provide identity data associated with the wireless device in response to the interrogation signal.  
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the device comprises an integrated circuit, and a coil configured to receive power from an interrogator by magnetic coupling, and said method further comprises: 
 receiving power from an interrogator via said coil; and    powering said integrated circuit from said coil using said received power.    
     
     
         12 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said disabling at least a portion of said device comprises interrupting power supplied by said coil to said integrated circuit.  
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the device comprises a microprocessor, transmitter, and receiver, at least a portion of each of said microprocessor, transmitter and receiver comprising an integrated circuit; and 
 wherein said microprocessor performs at least a portion of said act of processing.    
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising storing at least a portion of the interrogation signal in a non-volatile memory.  
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising storing at least a portion of the response in a non-volatile memory.  
     
     
         16 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising storing identity information for the RFID device in a non-volatile memory of said device.  
     
     
         17 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein disabling comprises disabling at least a portion of the RFID device based at least in part on said interrogation signal.  
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said disabling comprises selectively disabling at least a portion of the wireless device so that such disabling cannot be subsequently cancelled.  
     
     
         19 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the wireless device is disposed on a substantially flexible polymer substrate, the substantially flexible polymer substrate comprising a layer that is at least partly transparent; and 
 wherein said act of receiving an interrogation signal at the wireless device comprises receiving at least a portion of said interrogation signal through said at least partly transparent layer.    
     
     
         20 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the wireless device further comprises an antenna, said antenna disposed proximate a substantially flexible transparent polymer substrate and a substantially opaque film covering at least a portion of the substrate; and. 
 wherein said act of receiving an interrogation signal at the wireless device comprises receiving at least a portion of said signal via said antenna.    
     
     
         21 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising providing said wireless device, said act of providing comprising: 
 providing the RFID wireless device on a substantially flexible polymer substrate that comprises an at least partly transparent layer; and    providing at least one substantially opaque film such that viewing of one or more components of said wireless device is obscured, yet said act of receiving the interrogation signal is not substantially impeded.