Communications system and method with A/D converter
First Claim
1. A communications system comprising:
- an integrated circuit including a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the processor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, and the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator; and
an analog to digital converter external of the integrated circuit, having a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit, and having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog measuring device, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the analog input.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system includes a radio frequency identification device including an integrated circuit having a single die including a microprocessor, a receiver coupled to the microprocessor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the microprocessor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, and the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator; and an analog to digital converter external of the single die and having a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit, and having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog measuring device, wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the analog input using the backscatter transmitter. A communications method includes coupling an analog to digital converter to a radio frequency identification device.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A communications system comprising:
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an integrated circuit including a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the processor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, and the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator; and
an analog to digital converter external of the integrated circuit, having a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit, and having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog measuring device, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the analog input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A communications system comprising:
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a radio frequency identification device including a first integrated circuit having a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, a backscatter transmitter coupled to the processor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator; and
an analog to digital converter integrated circuit having a digital output coupled to the digital input of the first integrated circuit, having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog device, and having a chip select input which is configured to initiate, when triggered, an analog to digital conversion, wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the analog input using the backscatter transmitter, and wherein the first integrated circuit has a wakeup output, coupled to the chip select input, at which a signal is produced configured to trigger the chip select input in response to the receiver receiving a wireless communication. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A communications system comprising:
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an integrated circuit having a single die including a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the processor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, the receiver being configured to receive wireless commands from a remote interrogator;
an analog to digital converter external of the single die and having a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit, having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog device, and having a chip select input which is configured to initiate, when triggered, an analog to digital conversion, wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to transmit a digital signal indicative of the analog input using the backscatter transmitter, and wherein the integrated circuit has a wakeup output at which a trigger signal is produced configured to trigger the chip select input in response to the receiver receiving a predetermined-wireless command; and
a binary counter coupled to the wakeup output and to the chip select input. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A communications system for use with a remote interrogator, the system comprising:
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a wireless communication device including;
a semiconductor integrated circuit, including a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the processor, and a digital input coupled to the processor, the transmitter being configured to transmit in response to the receiver receiving a carrier signal from an interrogator; and
a power source electrically coupled to the integrated circuit and configured to generate operating power for the communications device;
an analog measuring device; and
an analog to digital converter external of the integrated circuit and having a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit, having an analog input configured to be coupled to the analog measuring device, and having a chip select input configured to initiate an analog to digital conversion when triggered, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to transmit a digital signal indicative of the analog input using the backscatter transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A communications method comprising:
coupling an analog to digital converter to an integrated circuit having a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, and a transmitter coupled to the processor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, and the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator, the analog to digital converter having a digital output and having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog measuring device, the coupling of the analog to digital converter to the integrated circuit comprising coupling the digital output of the analog to digital converter to the digital input of the integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A communications method comprising:
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coupling an analog to digital converter to a radio frequency identification device including an integrated circuit having a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the processor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, and having a wakeup output at which a signal is produced in response to the receiver receiving a wireless communication, and the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator, the analog to digital converter having a digital output, having an analog input, and having a chip select input which is configured to initiate, when triggered, an analog to digital conversion, the coupling of the analog to digital converter to the radio frequency identification device comprising coupling the digital output of the analog to digital converter to the digital input of the integrated circuit and coupling the chip select input to the wakeup output; and
coupling the analog input to an analog sensor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A communications method comprising:
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coupling an analog to digital converter to an integrated circuit having a single die including a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the processor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, and having a wakeup output at which a signal is produced in response to the receiver receiving a wireless communication, and the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator, the analog to digital converter having a digital output, having an analog input, and having a chip select input which is configured to initiate, when triggered, an analog to digital conversion, the coupling of the analog to digital converter to the integrated circuit comprising coupling the digital output of the analog to digital converter to the digital input of the integrated circuit and coupling the chip select input to the wakeup output;
coupling the analog input to an analog measuring device; and
causing the integrated circuit to receive, from the analog to digital converter, multiple conversions from analog to digital per trigger signal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of manufacturing and using a communications system with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:
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coupling a battery to an integrated circuit including a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, a transmitter coupled to the processor, a wakeup output configured to produce a trigger signal in response to the receiver receiving a wireless communication, and a digital input coupled to the processor, the transmitter being configured to transmit in response to the receiver receiving a carrier signal from an interrogator; and
coupling an analog to digital converter to the integrated circuit, the analog to digital converter having a digital output, having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog voltage, and having a chip select input which, when triggered, initiates an analog to digital conversion, the coupling of the analog to digital converter to the integrated circuit comprising coupling the digital output to the digital input. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method comprising:
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measuring a parameter with an analog sensor to produce one of a voltage and current signal indicative of the magnitude of the parameter;
converting the signal to a digital value;
reading the digital value with a digital input of a wireless communications device having an integrated circuit including a processor, a receiver coupled to the processor, a transmitter coupled to the processor, the transmitter being configured to transmit in response to the receiver receiving a carrier signal from an interrogator; and
transmitting the digital value to a remote interrogator using the transmitter by modulating onto a carrier transmitted by the interrogator.
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Specification