Chemical and biological sensors, systems and methods based on radio frequency identification

• US 20070090927A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Leach, Andrew, Potyrailo, Radislav, Welles, Kenneth, Pris, Andrew, Morris, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,318,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.41
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3275 Sensing specific biomolecules, e.g. nucleic acid strands, based on an electrode surface reaction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3278 involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanogaps or nanoparticles nanopores G01N33/48721; magnetic beads G01N27/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a wireless sensor, such as an RFID tag, that includes a substrate, an antenna disposed on the substrate, and an environmentally sensitive sensor material disposed over at least a portion of said substrate. Other embodiments an RFID tag and at least one antibody coupled to the RFID tag. The RFID tag includes a substrate, circuitry disposed on the substrate, and an antenna coupled to the substrate. The at least one antibody is capable of affecting the signals emanating from the RFID tag. Further embodiments include a detection system that includes a reader. Yet other embodiments include a method for detecting specific analytes. The method includes providing an RFID tag which emanates a first signal having a first frequency, and enabling the REID tag to emanate a second signal having a second frequency upon attraction of a specific analyte to the RFID tag.

Claims

1. A wireless sensor adapted for sensor-to-reader positional independent sensing, comprising:

a substrate;

a radio frequency antenna disposed on said substrate; and

an environmentally sensitive sensor material disposed over at least a portion of said substrate;

wherein said sensor generates multiple measured parameters.

2. The wireless sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an RFID tag.

3. The wireless sensor of claim 1, further comprising a capacitor in operational combination with the wireless sensor disposed on said substrate, wherein said environmentally sensitive sensor material is disposed between plates of said capacitor.

4. The wireless sensor of claim 1, wherein said environmentally sensitive sensor material is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of said antenna.

5. The wireless sensor of claim 1, wherein said environmentally sensitive sensor material comprises inorganic, polymeric, biological, metallic, semiconducting, composite, structured materials, or materials which are capable of changing an electrical environment when appropriately stimulated.

6. A wireless sensor adapted for sensor-to-reader positional independent sensing, comprising:

a substrate; and

a radio frequency antenna disposed on said substrate, wherein said radio frequency antenna is formed of environmentally sensitive materials and wherein said sensor generates multiple measured parameters.

7. The wireless sensor of claim 6, wherein said radio frequency antenna comprises a resistive portion formed of environmentally sensitive materials.

8. The wireless sensor of claim 6, wherein said radio frequency antenna comprises a capacitor portion formed of environmentally sensitive materials.

9. The wireless sensor of claim 6, wherein said environmentally sensitive materials are sensitive to species in liquid, gas, or any combinations thereof.

10. The wireless sensor of claim 6, further comprising a cell culture friendly material disposed immediately adjacent to said radio frequency antenna.

11. The wireless sensor of claim 10, wherein as cell growth occurs, a chemical composition of an environment immediately surrounding said cell culture friendly material and including said radio frequency antenna causes a change in power gathering efficiency of said radio frequency antenna.

12. The wireless sensor of claim 6, further comprising a second radio frequency antenna, said second radio frequency antenna that is not responsive to environmental changes.

13. The wireless sensor of claim 12, further comprising a second substrate, wherein said second radio frequency antenna is disposed upon said second substrate.

14. A wireless sensor adapted for sensor-to-reader positional independent sensing, comprising:

a substrate;

an antenna circuit disposed on said substrate and having a first resonant frequency; and

a sensor circuit disposed on said substrate and having a second resonant frequency different than said first resonant frequency;

wherein said sensor generates multiple measured parameters.

15. The wireless sensor of claim 14, wherein said first resonant frequency is higher than said second resonant frequency.

16. The wireless sensor of claim 14, wherein said second resonant frequency is adapted to vary with a sensed environmental condition.

17. The wireless sensor of claim 14, wherein said antenna circuit and said sensor circuit are connected such that upon reception of AC current by said antenna circuit, said antenna circuit applies DC current to said sensor circuit.

18. The wireless sensor of claim 17, further comprising a diode and a capacitor configured to apply AC current from said antenna circuit as DC current to said sensor circuit.

19. The wireless sensor of claim 14, wherein said antenna circuit and said sensor circuit are connected such that voltage from said sensor circuit modulates the impedance of said antenna circuit.

20. The wireless sensor of claim 19, further comprising a transistor configured to enable said sensor circuit to modulate the impedance of said antenna circuit.

21. The wireless sensor of claim 14, wherein said sensor circuit includes an LC tank circuit.

22. A detection system adapted for sensor-to-reader positional independent sensing, comprising:

an RFID tag; and

a reader for receiving and processing signals from said RFID tag, wherein said reader is configured to measure a signal from said RFID tag and at least one additional parameter from which a signal is derived and wherein said reader is adapted to provide position independent responses to said RFID tag.

23. The detection system of claim 22, wherein said at least one additional parameter from which a signal is derived is related to a nature and a concentration of analyte species derived from multivariate analysis.

24. The detection system of claim 22, wherein said RFID tag comprises:

a substrate;

an antenna disposed on said substrate; and

an environmentally sensitive sensor material disposed over at least a portion of said substrate.

25. The detection system of claim 24, wherein said RFID tag further comprises a capacitor disposed on said substrate, wherein said environmentally sensitive sensor material is disposed between plates of said capacitor.

26. The detection system of claim 24, wherein said environmentally sensitive sensor material is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of said antenna.

27. The detection system of claim 22, wherein said RFID tag comprises:

a substrate;

RF circuitry disposed on said substrate; and

an antenna coupled to said substrate.

28. The detection system of claim 22, wherein said reader includes a multivariate pattern recognition subcomponent.

29. The detection system of claim 22, wherein a distance between said RFID tag and said reader is kept constant.

30. A detection system insensitive to repositioning of the sensor reader in relation to the RF wireless sensor, comprising;

an RF wireless sensor;

a sensor reader configured to transmit RF energy to said RF wireless sensor, configured to receive and process signals from said RF wireless sensor, and configured to measure real and imaginary parts of the complex impedance of said RF wireless sensor at least three frequencies; and

a multivariate signal processor that derives the concentration of species of interest from multivariate analysis of the measured and computed parameters and provides quantification of the species independent of the relative position of said sensor reader in relation to said RF wireless sensor.

31. The detection system of claim 30, wherein said sensor reader is configured to measure at least two parameters from which a signal, related to a nature and a concentration of analyte species, is derived.

32. The detection system of claim 31, wherein said signal is derived from multivariate analysis of the at least two parameters.

33. The detection system of claim 30, wherein said RF wireless sensor comprises:

a substrate;

an antenna disposed on said substrate; and

an environmentally sensitive sensor material disposed over at least a portion of said substrate.

34. The detection system of claim 30, wherein said RF wireless sensor comprises:

a substrate;

RF circuitry disposed on said substrate; and

an antenna coupled to said substrate.

35. A method for detecting specific analytes, comprising:

providing a wireless sensor which emanates a first signal having a first frequency; and

enabling the wireless sensor to emanate a second signal having a second frequency upon attraction of a specific analyte to the wireless sensor.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising providing a sensor reader to receive said first and second signals, wherein one of said first and second wavelengths is outside of a range of detectable wavelengths of the sensor reader.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said sensor reader utilizes multivariate analysis to ascertain the presence of the specific analyte.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said sensor reader includes a pattern recognition subcomponent.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said providing a wireless sensor comprises providing an RFID tag.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein a distance between the RFID tag and the sensor reader is kept constant.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the wireless sensor includes at least one material capable of changing an electrical environment to attract the specific analyte.