Ultrasonic Through-Wall Communication (UTWC) System
First Claim
1. An apparatus for communicating information between an inside and an outside of a wall, comprising:
- at least one outside ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to an outside surface of the wall for sending an ultrasonic carrier signal into the wall and for receiving a reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal from the wall;
at least one inside ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to an inside surface of the wall for receiving the ultrasonic carrier signal and for generating and sending the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal into the wall;
a carrier generator connected to the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer for driving the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer to generate the ultrasonic carrier signal;
detector means connected to the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer for detecting the reflected output information in the information containing ultrasonic signal; and
sensor means connected to the at least one inside ultrasonic transducer for reading information on the inside of the wall and for supplying the information to the inside ultrasonic transducer for generating the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for communicating information across a solid wall has one or two outside ultrasonic transducers coupled to an outside surface of the wall and connected to a carrier generator for sending an ultrasonic carrier signal into the wall and for receiving an output information signal from the wall. One or two inside ultrasonic transducers are coupled to an inside surface of the wall and one of them introduces the output information signal into the wall. When there are two inside transducers inside the wall, one receives the carrier signal and the second transmits the carrier after it is modulated by the output information from the sensor. When there is one inside transducer, the output information from the sensor is transmitted by changing the reflected or returned signal from the inside transducer. A power harvesting circuit inside the wall harvests power from the carrier signal and uses it to power the sensor.
346 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for communicating information between an inside and an outside of a wall, comprising:
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at least one outside ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to an outside surface of the wall for sending an ultrasonic carrier signal into the wall and for receiving a reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal from the wall; at least one inside ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to an inside surface of the wall for receiving the ultrasonic carrier signal and for generating and sending the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal into the wall; a carrier generator connected to the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer for driving the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer to generate the ultrasonic carrier signal; detector means connected to the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer for detecting the reflected output information in the information containing ultrasonic signal; and sensor means connected to the at least one inside ultrasonic transducer for reading information on the inside of the wall and for supplying the information to the inside ultrasonic transducer for generating the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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3. (canceled)
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16. (canceled)
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17. (canceled)
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18. An apparatus for communicating information between an inside and an outside of a wall, comprising:
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at least one outside ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to an outside surface of the wall for sending an ultrasonic carrier signal into the wall and for receiving a reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal from the wall; an inside ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to an inside surface of the wall for generating and sending the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal into the wall; a carrier generator connected to the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer for driving the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer to generate the ultrasonic carrier signal; detector means connected to the at least one outside ultrasonic transducer for detecting the reflected output information in the information containing ultrasonic signal; sensor means connected to the inside ultrasonic transducer for reading information on the inside of the wall and for supplying the information to the inside ultrasonic transducer for generating the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal; and a power harvesting circuit connected to the inside transducer on the inside of the wall, for harvesting power from the ultrasonic carrier signal supplied to the power harvesting circuit by the inside transducer, the power harvesting circuit being connected to the sensor means for powering the sensor means, the power harvesting circuit comprising a voltage rectifier for rectifying the ultrasonic carrier signal from the inside transducer, a storage capacitor connected to the voltage rectifier for storing a charge, a voltage regulator connected to the storage capacitor for supplying a regulated voltage to the sensor means, and a control circuit connected to the voltage regulator to control the voltage regulator to operate in a burst mode for supplying a regulated voltage to the sensor means only when there is enough charge stored in the storage capacitor for operating the sensor means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. (canceled)
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22. An apparatus for communicating information between an inside and an outside of a wall, comprising:
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two outside ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to an outside surface of the wall for respectively sending an ultrasonic carrier signal into the wall, and for receiving a reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal from the wall; two inside ultrasonic transducers acoustically coupled to an inside surface of the wall for respectively receiving the ultrasonic carrier signal, and for sending the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal into the wall; a carrier generator connected to one of the outside ultrasonic transducer for driving the one outside ultrasonic transducer to generate the ultrasonic carrier signal to be supplied to one of the inside transducers; detector means connected to the other outside ultrasonic transducer for detecting the reflected output information in the information containing ultrasonic signal; and sensor means connected to the other inside transducer for reading information on the inside of the wall and for supplying the information to the inside ultrasonic transducer for generating the reflected output information containing ultrasonic signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. (canceled)
Specification