Microwave date transmission apparatus

• US 5,021,790 A
• Filed: 05/14/1990
• Issued: 06/04/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Hiroshi, Yamamoto, Hirohiko, Higashi, Kazutada, Ohta, Tomozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/522,581
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 342/44, 342/51, 342/42
• US Class Current: 342/44
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A microwave data transmission apparatus adapted to transmit and receive information by microwaves, in which an identification tag is made smaller in size and lighter in weight to considerably improve the convenience in a setting operation for use in many applications. The apparatus can be applied for production control within a factory or can be used to recognize whether a person wearing an identification tag has entered or left a room.

Claims

1. A microwave data transmission apparatus comprising:

interrogator means including first transceiving means for transmitting modulated microwave signals during a modulation period and non-modulated microwave carrier signals during a non-modulation period and for receiving microwave signals; and

identification tag means including memory means, second transceiving means and control processing means, with built-in power supply means which periodically renders said control means operational upon receipt of a power starting signal transmitted from said interrogator during a first sub-period of said modulation period, for controlling said identification tag,

said control means operable in response to a control signal of a first or second state, transmitted from said interrogator during a second sub-period of said modulation period to

store data transmitted from said interrogator during a third sub-period of said modulation period into said memory means in response to said control signal of said first state, and

read data previously stored in said memory means to modulate said non-modulated microwave carrier signals, transmitted from said interrogator during said non-modulation period, with said stored data for transmission by said second transceiving means back to said interrogator means in response to said control signal of said second state.

2. The microwave data transmission apparatus of claim 1 wherein said modulated microwave signals and said non-modulated microwave carrier signals are of mutually different first and second type polarizations respectively.

3. The microwave data transmission apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first and second type polarizations comprise mutually different circular type polarizations.

4. The microwave data transmission apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mutually different circular type polarizations include right-hand and left-hand circular polarizations.

5. The microwave data transmission apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first and second type polarizations include circular polarization and linear polarization respectively.

6. The microwave data transmission apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first and second type polarizations comprise mutually different type linear polarizations.

7. The microwave data transmission apparatus of claim 6 wherein one of said mutually different type linear polarizations comprises a 0°

direction linear polarization and the other of said mutually different type linear polarizations comprises a 90°

direction linear polarization.

8. A microwave data transmission apparatus comprising:

interrogator means including first transceiving means for transmitting in time sequence a modulation signal of frequency F and a first polarization and a non-modulation carrier signal of a frequency f and a second polarization and for receiving a modulation signal of frequency f and said second polarization; and

responder means including memory means, second transceiver means, and control means operable in response to a control signal, of a first or second state, transmitted from said interrogator means during a first sub-period of said modulation signal to

store data transmitted from said interrogator means, during a second sub-period of said modulation signal, into said memory means in response to said control signal of said first state, and

read data previously stored in said memory means to modulate said non-modulated carrier signal, transmitted from said interrogator means, with said stored data for transmission back to said interrogator means as a return modulation signal, of frequency f and said second polarization, in response to said control signal of said second state.

9. The microwave data transmission apparatus of claim 8 wherein said control means comprises built-in power supply means which periodically renders said control means operable upon receipt of a power starting signal transmitted from said interrogator means during a third sub-period of said modulation signal.

10. An interrogator/responder comprising:

interrogator means including first transceiving means for transmitting modulated microwave signals of a first type polarization during a modulation period and non-modulated microwave carrier signals of a second type polarization during a non-modulation period and for receiving microwave signals of said second type polarization; and

responder means including memory means, second transceiver means, and control means wherein said control means is responsive to a control signal, of a first or second state, transmitted from said interrogator during a first sub-period of said modulation period to

store data transmitted from said interrogator during a second sub-period of said modulation period into said memory means in response to receipt of said first control signal of said first state by said second transceiving means, and

read data previously stored in said memory means to modulate said non-modulated microwave carrier signals with said stored data for transmission back to said interrogator means, by said second transceiver means, as a return microwave signal of said second type polarization in response to said control signal of said second state by said second transceiving means.

11. The interrogator/responder of claim 10 wherein said first and second type polarizations comprise mutually different circular type polarizations.

12. The interrogator/responder of claim 11 wherein said mutually different circular type polarizations include right-hand and left-hand circular polarizations.

13. The interrogator/responder of claim 10 wherein said first and second type polarizations include circular polarization and linear polarization, respectively.

14. The interrogator/responder of claim 10 wherein said first and second type polarizations comprise mutually different type linear polarizations.

15. The interrogator/responder of claim 14 wherein one of said mutually different type linear polarizations comprises a 0°

direction linear polarization and the other of said mutually different type linear polarizations comprises a 90°

direction linear polarization.

16. The interrogator/responder of claim 10 wherein said control means comprises built in power supply means which periodically renders said control means operable upon receipt of a power starting signal transmitted from said interrogator means during a third sub-period of said modulation signal.