Communications System and Method with A/D Converter
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
21 Citations
88 Claims
-
1-36. -36. (canceled)
-
37. A system for remotely sensing, using radio frequency signals comprising:
-
an interrogator operable for transmitting radio frequency signals and for receiving radio frequency signals and for communicating with remotely located radio frequency identification (RFID) tags via radio frequency signals within range of the interrogator; and
a plurality of articles remote from the interrogator, each article having associated with it an RFID tag, each tag comprising one or more antennas, a radio frequency signal receiver, a radio frequency signal transmitter, a microprocessor, a memory for persistent storage of data, at least two selected from the group of the microprocessor, memory, receiver, transmitter being disposed in a single monolithic integrated circuit, and further comprising an analog to digital converter, a power source operable to supply power, and a measuring device coupled to the analog to digital converter for sensing a physical characteristic selected from the group of temperature, pressure, water level, voltage, magnetic field and combinations thereof;
wherein the interrogator receives radio frequency signals from one or more of the RFID tags including data indicative of a sensed physical characteristic, in response to a transmitted radio frequency interrogation signal transmitted from the interrogator. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
-
61. A method for remote sensing characteristics of an article comprising:
-
providing an RFID tag affixed to the article comprising a substrate, one or more antennas disposed on the substrate, a radio frequency transceiver circuit coupled to the one or more antennas comprising a radio frequency receiver, a radio frequency transmitter, a microprocessor, a memory for persistent data storage, at least two of the radio frequency transmitter, the microprocessor, the memory and the receiver formed in a single monolithic integrated circuit, and further comprising a power supply coupled to the radio frequency transceiver circuit, and a measuring device for sensing a physical characteristic selected from the group of temperature, pressure, water level, voltage and combinations thereof and outputting a signal indicative of the sensed characteristic, and an analog-to-digital converter receiving the signal, converting the signal, and outputting a digital signal to the radio frequency transceiver circuit;
receiving a radio frequency signal including an interrogatory message in the radio frequency receiver;
collecting data from the digital signal resulting from the analog-to-digital converter converting voltages from the measuring device; and
transmitting the collected data by communicating a radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitter to a radio frequency interrogator within range of the transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64)
-
-
65. A method for remotely determining the temperature of an article, comprising:
-
providing a radio frequency identification (RFID) device affixed to the article, the RFID device comprising a substrate, one or more antennas disposed on the substrate, a radio frequency receiver coupled to the one or more antennas, a radio frequency transmitter coupled to the one or more antennas, a microprocessor, a memory coupled to the microprocessor, a measuring device for sensing temperature coupled to the microprocessor via an analog to digital converter circuit, and a power supply, wherein at least two of the radio frequency receiver, radio frequency transmitter, memory, microprocessor, are formed in a single monolithic integrated circuit;
receiving in the radio frequency receiver a radio frequency signal including an interrogatory message requesting transmission of data indicative of temperature sensed by the measuring device;
collecting digital data indicative of temperature sensed by the measuring device; and
transmitting a radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitter including the collected data. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69)
-
-
70. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device for transmitting sensed conditions to a remote receiver, comprising:
-
a substrate;
one or more antennas disposed over the substrate;
radio frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to the one or more antennas and disposed adjacent the substrate comprising a radio frequency signal receiver, a radio frequency transmitter for communicating radio frequency signals, a memory for persistent storage of data, and a microprocessor, at least two of the radio frequency signal receiver, radio frequency transmitter for communicating radio frequency signals, memory, and microprocessor formed on a single monolithic integrated circuit;
a power source for supplying power to the radio frequency transceiver circuitry;
an analog to digital converter coupled to the microprocessor and receiving an input signal from a measuring device; and
a measuring device generating an analog signal indicative of a measured condition. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
-
-
83. A method for determining the temperature and pressure of an article remotely, comprising:
-
providing in the article a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag further comprising a substrate, one or more antennas disposed on the substrate, a radio frequency receiver coupled to the one or more antennas, a radio frequency transmitter coupled to the one or more antennas, a microprocessor, a memory coupled to the microprocessor for the persistent storage of data, a measuring device for sensing temperature coupled to the microprocessor via an analog to digital converter circuit, a measuring device for sensing pressure coupled to the microprocessor via an analog to data converter circuit, and a power supply, wherein at least two of the radio frequency receiver, radio frequency transmitter, memory, and microprocessor, are formed in a single monolithic integrated circuit;
receiving in the radio frequency receiver a radio frequency signal including an interrogatory message requesting transmission of data indicative of at least one of the characteristics of temperature, pressure, and the combination thereof, sensed by the measuring devices;
collecting digital data indicative of the characteristic sensed by the measuring devices; and
transmitting a radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitter including the collected data. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
-
Specification