Poly-operative remote sensing system and method

• US 20040080429A1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Wolfe, James D.
• Application Number:
  US10/232,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20040080429A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A method for remote sensing includes receiving, at a first module of an array of modules, incident electromagnetic energy from an external source. The incident electromagnetic energy is converted to a source of power for the first module. A value is measured, at the first module, of at least one environmental parameter adjacent the first module. A signal is encoded with the value of the at least one environmental parameter. The signal is transmitted to a central processing subsystem independently of transmissions from other ones of the array of modules.

Claims

1. A method for remote sensing, comprising:

receiving, at a first module of an array of modules, incident electromagnetic energy from an external source;

converting the incident electromagnetic energy to a source of power for the first module;

measuring, at the first module, a value of at least one environmental parameter adjacent the first module;

encoding a signal with the value of the at least one environmental parameter; and

transmitting the signal to a central processing subsystem independently of transmissions from other ones of the array of modules.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

encoding the signal with a unique identification associated with the first module.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

decoding the signal at the central processing subsystem; and

associating the signal with the first module based on the unique identification associated with the first module.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the external source is a narrow-spectrum radio frequency transmitter.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the incident electromagnetic energy comprise radio waves.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the radio waves are received at a miniature cavity-backed spiral antenna.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein converting the incident electromagnetic energy comprises rectifying the incident electromagnetic energy.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one environmental parameter comprises atmospheric pressure.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein a microelectromechanical device is used to measure the at least one environmental parameter.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein encoding the signal comprises imposing the signal on a unique digital sequence stored in Read Only Memory.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, at the central processing subsystem, a plurality of signals from the array of modules, each of the signals being associated with a respective one of the modules.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of signals each include a unique identification associated with the respective module.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

decoding the plurality of signals at the central processing subsystem; and

associating each signal of the plurality of signals with the respective module based on the unique identification associated with the respective module.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the central processing subsystem provides feedback to the external source.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the central processing subsystem performs additional algorithms to format and analyze the plurality of signals.

16. A remote module, comprising:

a power accumulator operable to receive incident electromagnetic energy from an external source;

a converter coupled to the power accumulator and operable to convert the incident electromagnetic energy to a source of power for the remote module;

a parameter measurement sensor coupled to the converter and operable to measure, at the remote module, a value of at least one environmental parameter adjacent the remote module;

an encoder coupled to the power converter and the parameter measurement sensor and operable to encode a signal with the value of the at least one environmental parameter; and

a transmitter operable to transmit the signal to a central processing subsystem independently of transmissions from other ones in an array of modules.

17. A remote module according to claim 16, wherein the encoder is further operable to encode the signal with a unique identification associated with the remote module.

18. A system for remote sensing, comprising:

a plurality of remote modules, each remote module comprising;

a power accumulator operable to receive incident electromagnetic energy from an external source;

a converter coupled to the power accumulator and operable to convert the incident electromagnetic energy to a source of power for the remote module;

a parameter measurement sensor coupled to the converter and operable to measure, at the remote module, a value of at least one environmental parameter adjacent the remote module;

an encoder coupled to the power converter and the parameter measurement sensor and operable to encode a signal with the value of the at least one environmental parameter; and

a transmitter operable to transmit the signal to a central processing subsystem independently of transmissions from other ones of the plurality of modules; and

a central processing subsystem operable to receive at least one signal from at least one remote module.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the encoder of each remote module of the plurality of modules is further operable to encode the signal associated with the respective module;

and to encode each signal with a unique identification associated with the respective module.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the central processing subsystem is further operable to decode a plurality of signals at the central processing subsystem;

and to associate each signal of the plurality of signals with the respective module based on the unique identification associated with the respective module.