LOOSELY-COUPLED OSCILLATOR
First Claim
1. An oscillator comprising:
- a sensor circuit comprising an inductor and a capacitor, the sensor circuit being adapted to resonate at a resonant frequency;
an electronic device physically disconnected from the sensor circuit, the electronic device comprising an input and an output, the input being connected to electrical ground through an electronic device coil, the electronic device being adapted to amplify an input signal to produce an output signal at the electronic device output; and
wherein the sensor circuit and the electronic device are electromagnetically coupled to obtain the input signal at the electronic device input, the output signal having characteristics associated with the resonant frequency of the sensor circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects and embodiments of the present invention provide a loosely-coupled oscillator including a sensor circuit and an electronic device that are not physically connected. In some embodiments, the electronic device includes an amplifier stage and a feedback network and the sensor circuit includes one or more LC circuits. When electromagnetically connected, the sensor circuit and electronic device form an oscillator that is adapted to output an oscillation signal. The resonant frequency of the sensor circuit can be obtained based on the oscillation signal. The sensor circuit may be implanted into an object and the resonant frequency of the sensor circuit can be used to determine characteristics of the object.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An oscillator comprising:
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a sensor circuit comprising an inductor and a capacitor, the sensor circuit being adapted to resonate at a resonant frequency; an electronic device physically disconnected from the sensor circuit, the electronic device comprising an input and an output, the input being connected to electrical ground through an electronic device coil, the electronic device being adapted to amplify an input signal to produce an output signal at the electronic device output; and wherein the sensor circuit and the electronic device are electromagnetically coupled to obtain the input signal at the electronic device input, the output signal having characteristics associated with the resonant frequency of the sensor circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for obtaining a resonant frequency of a sensor circuit, comprising:
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providing a sensor circuit having a resonant frequency; providing an electronic device comprising an input and an output; connecting the electronic device input to electrical ground via an electronic device coil; electromagnetically coupling the electronic device to the sensor circuit to obtain an output signal at the electronic device output, wherein the electronic device and the sensor circuit are disconnected; and determining the resonant frequency of the sensor circuit based on the output signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification