INTERNAL COAXIAL CABLE CONNECTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

• US 20110077884A1
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Bowman, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,414,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/42 comprising impedance matching means or electrical components, e.g. filters or switches

Abstract

A structure is provided. The structure includes a signal retrieval circuit formed within a disk located within a coaxial cable connector. The signal retrieval circuit is located in a position that is external to a signal path of an electrical signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector. The signal retrieval circuit is configured to extract an energy signal from the electrical signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector. The energy signal is configured to apply power to an electrical device located within the coaxial cable connector.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a sensing circuit mechanically connected to a disk structure located within a coaxial cable connector, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to sense a parameter of the coaxial cable connector; and

an integrated circuit mechanically connected the disk structure and electrically connected to the sensing circuit, wherein the integrated circuit is positioned within the connector, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to receive a parameter signal from the sensing circuit, wherein the parameter signal indicates the parameter of the coaxial cable connector, and wherein the integrated circuit is configured to convert the parameter signal into a data acquisition signal readable by the integrated circuit.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to receive power for operation from an energy signal retrieved from an electrical signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to monitor a quality of a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the connector.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the sensing circuit is formed within the disk structure, wherein the semiconductor device is configured to receive power for operation from the sensing circuit configured to retrieve an energy signal from the RF signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

5. The structure of claim 4, wherein the sensing circuit comprises a metallic structure formed within the disk structure.

6. The structure of claim 5, wherein the metallic structure comprises a first cylindrical structure and a second adjacent cylindrical extending from a bottom surface of the disk structure through a top surface of the disk structure, and wherein the first cylindrical structure in combination with the second cylindrical structure is configured to retrieve the energy signal from the RF signal flowing through the connector.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to sense a parameter of the RF signal, and wherein the parameter of the RF signal comprises an RF power level of the RF signal.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to report the data acquisition signal to a computer processor at a location external to the connector.

9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the disk structure comprises a metallic signal path structure connected between the sensing circuit and the integrated circuit.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to communicate a status using a telemetry that is compatible with and transparent to a coaxial cable system comprising the coaxial cable connector.

11. The structure of claim 1, wherein sensing circuit is comprised by a transducer, and wherein the data acquisition signal comprises a DC voltage signal.

12. The structure of claim 1, wherein the sensing circuit comprises a sensor device configured to sense a condition of the connector when connected to an RF port, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to convert a signal indicating the condition into an additional data acquisition signal readable by a computer processor, and wherein the additional data acquisition signal comprises a DC voltage signal.

13. The structure of claim 12, wherein the sensor device comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting a mechanical connector tightness sensor for detecting mating forces of the connector when connected to the RF port, a relative humidity sensor, a capacitive sensor structure, an RF coupler structure, a temperature sensor, an optical/electric sensor, a resistance based sensor, and a strain connection tightness sensor for detecting mating forces of the connector when connected to the RF port.

14. The structure of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit comprises an energy harvesting and power management circuit configured to receive power for operation from an energy signal retrieved from an electrical signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector, and wherein energy harvesting and power management circuit is configured to convert the energy signal into a regulated DC power supply voltage.

15. The structure of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit comprises an impedance matching circuit, an RF power sensing circuit, a multiplexer circuit, an analog to digital convertor circuit, and a digital control logic/clock generation circuit.

16. The structure of claim 1, wherein the disk structure comprises a faraday cage structure formed surrounding the integrated circuit, and wherein the faraday cage structure is configured to shield the integrated circuit from specified frequencies.

17. The structure of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit stores a location address associated disk structure, and wherein the location address is configured to allow the disk structure to be queried from a remote data acquisition system.

18. A structure comprising:

a disk structure located within a coaxial cable connector; and

an integrated circuit mechanically connected the disk structure, wherein the integrated circuit is positioned within the connector, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to receive a parameter signal from a sensing circuit, wherein the parameter signal indicates a parameter of the coaxial cable connector, and wherein the integrated circuit is configured to convert the parameter signal into a data acquisition signal readable by the integrated circuit.

19. The structure of claim 18, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to receive power for operation from an energy signal retrieved from an electrical signal flowing through the coaxial cable connector.

20. The structure of claim 18, wherein the integrated circuit is comprised by a semiconductor device.

21. A conversion method comprising:

providing a sensing circuit and an integrated circuit mechanically connected to a disk structure located within a coaxial cable connector, wherein the integrated circuit is electrically connected to the sensing circuit;

sensing, by the sensing circuit, a parameter of the coaxial cable connector;

receiving, by the integrated circuit, a parameter signal from the sensing circuit, wherein the parameter signal indicates the parameter of the coaxial cable connector; and

converting, by the integrated circuit, the parameter signal into a data acquisition signal readable by the integrated circuit.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving, by the integrated circuit, power for operation from an energy signal retrieved from an electrical signal flowing through the connector.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

monitoring, by the integrated circuit, a quality of a radio frequency (RF) signal flowing through the connector.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving, by the semiconductor device, power for operation from the sensing circuit configured to retrieve an energy signal from the RF signal flowing through the connector.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the sensing circuit comprises a metallic structure formed within the disk structure.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

reporting, by the integrated circuit to a computer processor at a location external to the connector, the data acquisition signal.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the integrated circuit is comprised by a semiconductor device.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the sensing circuit comprises a sensor device, and wherein the method further comprises:

sensing, by the sensor device, a condition of the connector when connected to an RF port;

reporting, by the sensor device to the integrated circuit, a signal indicating the condition; and

converting, by the integrated circuit, the signal indicating the condition into an additional data acquisition signal readable by a computer processor, wherein the additional data acquisition signal comprises a DC voltage signal.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the integrated circuit comprises an energy harvesting and power management circuit, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the energy harvesting and power management circuit from an energy signal retrieved from an electrical signal flowing through the connector, power for operation; and

converting, by the power extraction circuit, the energy signal into a regulated DC power supply voltage.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the disk structure comprises a faraday cage structure formed surrounding the integrated circuit, and wherein the method further comprises:

shielding, by the faraday cage, the integrated circuit from specified frequencies.