Spatially distributed remote sensor

• US 7,948,380 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Free, M. Benton, Kuhns, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US11/383,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.5, 340/572.7, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 340/604, 340/605, 340/444, 340/447, 340/448, 600/300, 600/398, 600/405
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0672 with resonating marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A remote sensing device includes a plurality of components arranged to form a resonant electrical circuit. The plurality of components includes at least one sensing component having sensing elements distributed among regions of an area of interest. The sensing elements are arranged so that a resonant characteristic of the resonant circuit is modifiable by an external event affecting an element associated with a region. The sensing component may be a capacitor having spatially distributed capacitive elements or an inductor having spatially distributed inductive elements.

Claims

1. A remote sensing system, comprising:

a device comprising a plurality of components including at least an inductor and a capacitor arranged to form a sensing circuit having a resonant characteristic, at least one component of the plurality of components comprising elements respectively associated with regions of an area of interest, the elements arranged so that a resonant characteristic of the sensing circuit is modifiable by an external event affecting an element associated with a region; and

an interrogator configured to detect the resonant characteristic, wherein the regions comprise ticket objects and the interrogator is disposed in a dispenser of the ticket objects.

2. A remote sensing system, comprising:

a device comprising a plurality of components including at least an inductor and a capacitor arranged to form a sensing circuit having a resonant characteristic, at least one component of the plurality of components comprising elements respectively associated with regions of an area of interest, the elements arranged so that a resonant characteristic of the sensing circuit is modifiable by an external event affecting an element associated with a region; and

an interrogator configured to detect the resonant characteristic, wherein the regions comprise accessible sections of a blister pack and the interrogator is disposed in a blister pack dispenser.