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.

A chip card body including a metal plate having at least one slot which defines a current flow path on the metal plate, and having a coupling region to accommodate a chip with an antenna, wherein the coupling region is configured to inductively couple the metal plate to the antenna of the chip, a dielectric layer applied to the metal plate, an electrically conductive layer applied to a side of the dielectric layer opposite the metal plate, and at least one electrically conductive coupling between the metal plate and the electrically conductive layer, wherein the metal plate, the dielectric layer and the electrically conductive layer form a capacitor.

Four concepts relating to holding and packaging food, determining the nutritional content of food packaging and selecting foodstuffs for consumption by a user. A food holder carries multiple foodstuffs to be stored at different environmental conditions in separate regions, the food holder being adapted to afford communication between each region and an external environment for controlling the environment of each region. Food packaging comprises a tag configured to transmit a signal indicative of the preparation of the food packaging for consumption of food contained in the food packaging. A system determines the nutritional content of food packaging by receiving an identifier associated with food packaging and accessing data associated with the identifier, the data comprising an indication of the type of food stored in the food packaging and a parameter relating to the food stored in the food packaging. Selecting foodstuffs for consumption by a user utilises a method comprising: receiving user data relating to the user, accessing food data relating to a group of food items, determining a predicted physiological effect on the user of each food item of the group of food items in dependence on the food data and the user data, and selecting, in dependence on the predicted physiological effect on the user, one or more food item of the group of food items for consumption by the user.

An RFID tag is provided that includes a first planar conductor having a first opening, a second planar conductor partially or entirely facing the first planar conductor and having a second opening, an RFIC, a capacitor, and an inductor. The RFIC, the capacitor, and the inductor form a part of a current closed loop. Moreover, the first opening and the second opening have sizes that do not come into contact with a metal screw inserted into the first opening and the second opening. The first opening is located closer to a center than to an edge of the first planar conductor, and the second opening is located closer to a center than to an edge of the second planar conductor.

A smart card comprising rectification circuitry arranged to receive an alternating electrical signal from a near field RF communications antenna of the smart card, and convert it into DC electrical energy for powering an auxiliary circuit. The rectification circuitry comprises a first inductor arranged so that the alternating electrical signal flows through the first inductor and a second inductor arranged for inductive coupling with the first inductor to provide the alternating electrical signal to a near field RF communicator.

Connection bridges (CBR) for dual-interface transponder chip modules (TCM) 200 may have an area which is substantially equal to or greater than an area of a contact pad (CP) of a contact pad array (CPA). A given connection bridge may be L-shaped and may comprise (i) a first portion disposed external to the contact pad array and extending parallel to the insertion direction, and (ii) a second portion extending from an end of the first portion perpendicular to the insertion direction to within the contact pad array (CPA) such as between C1 and C5. The connection bridge may extend around a corner of the contact pad array, may be large enough to accommodate wire bonding, and may be integral with a coupling frame (CF) extending around the contact pad array. The transponder chip modules may be integrated into a smart card (SC).

Systems and methods for integrating tags with items. The methods comprise: dynamically determining a length of each metal thread to be incorporated into or trace to be disposed on a item to optimize tag performance in view of dielectric and tuning properties of the item. In the metal thread scenarios, the methods also involve: creating a metal thread having the length that was dynamically determined; and sewing the metal thread into the item being produced to form an antenna for a first tag. In the trace scenarios, the methods also involve forming the trace on the item being produced to form an antenna for a first tag. Next, at least a communications enabled device is attached to the item so as to form an electrical coupling or connection between the communications enabled device and the at least one antenna.

A method of using shielded straps with RFID tag designs is disclosed. Specifically, the RFID device, in one embodiment, comprises a bridge conductor which couples the antenna and pair of strap pads together. Thus, the coupling between the bridge conductor and the strap conductor, the coupling between the bridge conductor and the antenna conductor, and the coupling between the antenna conductor and the strap conductor increases the total capacitance of the RFID strap device. Further, the presence of the bridge conductor also reduces the area occupied for a given inductance, and provides a higher effective capacitance when the bridge strap is connected to the antenna.

Methods of RFID tag assembly include affixing an antenna to an integrated circuit (IC) by forming one or more capacitors coupling the antenna and the IC with the dielectric material of the capacitor(s) including a non-conductive covering layer of the IC, a non-conductive covering layer of the antenna such as an oxide layer, and/or an additionally formed dielectric layer. Top and bottom plates of the capacitor(s) are formed by the antenna traces and one or more patches on a top surface of the IC.

A sensor device is provided that includes a fingerprint sensor and an antenna coupled with the fingerprint sensor for inductive coupling of the fingerprint sensor with a booster antenna.