Communications system and method with A/D converter
First Claim
1. A system for remotely sensing, using radio frequency signals comprising:
- an interrogator operable for transmitting radio frequency signals and for receiving radio frequency signals and for communicating with remotely located radio frequency identification (RFID) tags via radio frequency signals within range of the interrogator; and
a plurality of articles remote from the interrogator, each article having associated with it an RFID tag, each tag comprising;
one or more antennas,a single monolithic integrated circuit having a digital input and comprising;
a radio frequency signal receiver configured to receive a radio frequency interrogation signal transmitted from the interrogator,a radio frequency signal transmitter,a microprocessor, anda memory for persistent storage of data,an analog to digital converter comprising an analog input and a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit,a power source operable to supply power, anda measuring device coupled to the analog input of the analog to digital converter, wherein the measuring device is configured to sense a physical characteristic selected from the group of temperature, pressure, water level, voltage, magnetic field and combinations thereof, wherein a signal indicative of the sensed physical characteristic is provided to the analog input of the analog to digital converter for conversion to the digital signal;
wherein the interrogator receives radio frequency signals from one or more of the RFID tags including data indicative of a sensed physical characteristic including the digital signal from the analog to digital converter, in response to the transmitted radio frequency interrogation signal transmitted from the interrogator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system includes a radio frequency identification device including an integrated circuit having a single die including a microprocessor, a receiver coupled to the microprocessor, and a backscatter transmitter coupled to the microprocessor, the integrated circuit having a digital input, and the receiver being configured to receive wireless communications from a remote interrogator; and an analog to digital converter external of the single die and having a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit, and having an analog input configured to be coupled to an analog measuring device, wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the analog input using the backscatter transmitter. A communications method includes coupling an analog to digital converter to a radio frequency identification device.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A system for remotely sensing, using radio frequency signals comprising:
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an interrogator operable for transmitting radio frequency signals and for receiving radio frequency signals and for communicating with remotely located radio frequency identification (RFID) tags via radio frequency signals within range of the interrogator; and a plurality of articles remote from the interrogator, each article having associated with it an RFID tag, each tag comprising; one or more antennas, a single monolithic integrated circuit having a digital input and comprising; a radio frequency signal receiver configured to receive a radio frequency interrogation signal transmitted from the interrogator, a radio frequency signal transmitter, a microprocessor, and a memory for persistent storage of data, an analog to digital converter comprising an analog input and a digital output coupled to the digital input of the integrated circuit, a power source operable to supply power, and a measuring device coupled to the analog input of the analog to digital converter, wherein the measuring device is configured to sense a physical characteristic selected from the group of temperature, pressure, water level, voltage, magnetic field and combinations thereof, wherein a signal indicative of the sensed physical characteristic is provided to the analog input of the analog to digital converter for conversion to the digital signal; wherein the interrogator receives radio frequency signals from one or more of the RFID tags including data indicative of a sensed physical characteristic including the digital signal from the analog to digital converter, in response to the transmitted radio frequency interrogation signal transmitted from the interrogator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for remote sensing characteristics of an article comprising:
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providing an RFID tag affixed to the article, the RFID tag comprising; a substrate, one or more antennas disposed on the substrate, a radio frequency transceiver circuit coupled to the one or more antennas comprising; a single monolithic integrated circuit having a digital input and comprising a radio frequency receiver, a radio frequency transmitter, a microprocessor, a memory for persistent data storage, a power supply coupled to the radio frequency transceiver circuit, and a measuring device for sensing a physical characteristic selected from the group of temperature, pressure, water level, voltage and combinations thereof and outputting an analog signal indicative of the sensed characteristic, and an analog-to-digital converter for receiving the analog signal from the measuring device at an analog input, converting the received signal to a digital signal, and outputting the digital signal to the radio frequency transceiver circuit via the digital input of the integrated circuit; receiving a radio frequency signal including an interrogatory message in the radio frequency receiver; collecting data from the digital signal resulting from the analog-to-digital converter converting voltages from the measuring device, wherein the collected data is indicative of the characteristic sensed by the measuring device; and transmitting the collected data by communicating a radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitter to a radio frequency interrogator within range of the transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for remotely determining the temperature of an article, comprising:
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providing a radio frequency identification (RFID) device affixed to the article, the RFID device comprising; a substrate, one or more antennas disposed on the substrate, a single monolithic integrated circuit having a digital input and comprising; a radio frequency receiver coupled to the one or more antennas, a radio frequency transmitter coupled to the one or more antennas, a microprocessor, and a memory coupled to the microprocessor, a measuring device for sensing temperature coupled to the microprocessor via an analog to digital converter circuit, wherein the measuring device outputs an analog signal indicative of the sensed temperature to the analog to digital converter circuit, the analog to digital converter circuit converting the analog signal to a digital signal and outputting the digital signal to the integrated circuit via the digital input, and a power supply; receiving in the radio frequency receiver a radio frequency signal including an interrogatory message requesting transmission of data indicative of temperature sensed by the measuring device; collecting digital data indicative of temperature sensed by the measuring device; and transmitting a radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitter including the collected data. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device for transmitting sensed conditions to a remote receiver, comprising:
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a substrate; one or more antennas disposed over the substrate; radio frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to the one or more antennas and disposed adjacent the substrate, the radio frequency transceiver circuitry comprising a single monolithic integrated circuit comprising; a digital input, a radio frequency signal receiver, a radio frequency transmitter for communicating radio frequency signals, a memory for persistent storage of data, and a microprocessor; a power source for supplying power to the radio frequency transceiver circuitry; a measuring device for measuring a condition and generating an analog signal indicative of the measured condition; and an analog to digital converter coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the analog to digital converter is configured to receive the analog signal from the measuring device, convert the analog signal to a digital signal, and output the digital signal to the digital input of the integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for determining the temperature and pressure of an article remotely, comprising:
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providing in the article a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising; a substrate, one or more antennas disposed on the substrate, a single monolithic integrated circuit comprising; a radio frequency receiver coupled to the one or more antennas, a radio frequency transmitter coupled to the one or more antennas, a microprocessor, and a memory coupled to the microprocessor for the persistent storage of data, a measuring device for sensing temperature and outputting an analog temperature signal, a measuring device for sensing pressure and outputting an analog pressure signal, an analog to digital converter coupled to the microprocessor and configured to receive the analog temperature signal and the analog pressure signal, convert the analog temperature signal to a digital temperature signal, convert the analog pressure signal to a digital pressure signal, and output the digital temperature signal and the digital pressure signal to the integrated circuit, and a power supply; receiving in the radio frequency receiver a radio frequency signal including an interrogatory message requesting transmission of data indicative of at least one of the characteristics of temperature, pressure, and the combination thereof, sensed by the measuring devices; collecting digital data indicative of the characteristic sensed by the measuring devices, wherein the digital data comprises at least one of the digital temperature signal and the digital pressure signal; and transmitting a radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitter including the collected data. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification