Sensor-activated transponder

• US 8,717,180 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Recco Systems AB
• Original Assignee: Recco Systems AB
• Inventors: Granhed, Magnus, Forssn, Karl-Gsta
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US13/639,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/584, 340/632, 340/669, 340/10.1, 340/10.34, 340/10.51, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.26, 340/539.32, 340/426.1, 340/988, 340/989, 342/51, 342/42, 455/403, 455/404.1, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 3/00 Devices or single parts for facilitating escape from buildings or the like, e.g. protection shields, protection screens; Portable devices for preventing smoke penetrating into distinct parts of buildings A62B1/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2029/022 with means for automatically activating signal means in case of an avalanche
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 29/021 Means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transponder comprising an antenna structure (31) configured to receive an incoming signal with RF power of a first frequency f₁ and to retransmit the incoming signal as a transparent output signal with RF power of a second frequency f₂ when hit by the incoming signal. The transponder further comprises: an amplifier (39) configured to provide an amplified transparent output signal based on the incoming signal; a frequency converter (35) configured to frequency convert the incoming signal into the transparent output signal; and a first frequency filter (33) connected to the antenna structure. The first frequency filter is tuned to the first frequency f₁ to avoid amplifying incoming signals with RF power of frequencies other than the first frequency f₁. The transponder further comprises a sensor (S) configured to respond to physical stimulus for generating a control signal as output response, and an activator for selectively activating or deactivating the possibility to retransmit based on the control signal of the sensor.

Claims

1. A transponder, comprising:

an antenna structure configured for receiving an incoming signal with radio frequency (RF) power of a first frequency f₁ and for retransmitting the incoming signal as a transparent output signal with RF power of a second frequency f₂, different from the first frequency f₁, when hit by the incoming signal;

an amplifier configured to provide an amplified transparent output signal based on the incoming signal;

a frequency converter configured to convert the incoming signal into the transparent output signal;

a first frequency filter connected to the antenna structure and tuned to the first frequency f₁ for avoiding amplifying incoming signals with RF power of frequencies other than the first frequency f₁;

a sensor configured to respond to physical stimulus for generating a control signal as an output response, wherein the sensor includes a motion sensor; and

an activator configured for selectively activating or deactivating retransmission based on the control signal, wherein the activator deactivates retransmission if the motion sensor detects that the transponder is moving, and activates retransmission if the motion sensor detects that the transponder is stationary.

2. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the amplifier comprises a first amplifying circuit configured for amplifying the incoming signal before the incoming signal is converted by the frequency converter.

3. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the amplifier comprises a second amplifying circuit configured to amplify the transparent output signal before retransmission of the incoming signal.

4. The transponder of claim 1, further comprising a second frequency filter connected to the antenna structure and tuned to the second frequency f₂ for avoiding transmitting signals with RF power of frequencies other than the second frequency f₂.

5. The transponder of claim 4, wherein the first frequency filter and the second frequency filter are implemented as a duplex filter connected to the antenna structure.

6. The transponder of claim 4, wherein the antenna structure comprises a single antenna configured to receive incoming signals having the first frequency f₁ and to transmit signals having the second frequency f₂.

7. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the antenna structure comprises a receive antenna configured for receiving signals having the first frequency f₁ and a transmit antenna configured for transmitting signals having the second frequency f₂.

8. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is configured for controlling a switch in order to:

deactivate retransmission if the motion sensor detects that the transponder is moving, and

activate retransmission if the motion sensor detects that the transponder is stationary.

9. The transponder of claim 8, wherein the motion sensor is configured for controlling power supplied to the amplifier in order to deactivate or activate retransmission.

10. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the frequency converter is configured for performing frequency multiplication on the incoming signal to convert the incoming signal into the transparent output signal, whereby the transponder is configured for retransmitting the incoming signal as the transparent output signal with RF power of a harmonic frequency of the first frequency.

11. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the frequency converter is configured for performing frequency division on the incoming signal to convert the incoming signal into the transparent output signal, whereby the transponder is configured for retransmitting the incoming signal as the transparent output signal with RF power of a sub-harmonic frequency of the first frequency.

12. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the frequency converter is configured for performing frequency mixing on the incoming signal to convert the incoming signal into the transparent output signal, whereby the transponder is configured for retransmitting the incoming signal as the transparent output signal with RF power of the second frequency that differs from the first frequency.

13. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a pressure sensor, and a gyroscopic sensor.

14. A transponder, comprising:

an antenna structure configured for receiving an incoming signal with radio frequency (RF) power of a first frequency f₁ and retransmitting the incoming signal as a transparent output signal with RF power of a second frequency f₂, different from the first frequency f₁, when hit by the incoming signal;

an amplifier configured for generating an amplified transparent output signal based on the incoming signal;

a frequency converter configured for frequency converting the incoming signal into the transparent output signal;

a first frequency filter connected to the antenna structure and tuned to the first frequency f₁ for avoiding amplifying incoming signals with RF power of frequencies other than the first frequency f₁;

a sensor configured for responding to a physical stimulus for generating a control signal as an output response, wherein the sensor includes a gas sensor; and

an activator configured for selectively activating or deactivating retransmission based on the control signal, wherein the activator deactivates retransmission if the gas sensor does not detect a predetermined gas or combination of gasses, and activates retransmission if the gas sensor detects the predetermined gas or combination of gasses.

15. A transponder, comprising:

an antenna structure configured for receiving an incoming signal with radio frequency (RF) power of a first frequency f₁ and retransmitting the incoming signal as a transparent output signal with RF power of a second frequency f₂, different from the first frequency f₁, when hit by the incoming signal;

an amplifier configured for generating an amplified transparent output signal based on the incoming signal;

a frequency converter configured for frequency converting the incoming signal into the transparent output signal;

a first frequency filter connected to the antenna structure and tuned to the first frequency f₁ for avoiding amplifying incoming signals with RF power of frequencies other than the first frequency f₁;

a sensor configured for responding to a physical stimulus and generating a control signal as output response, wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor; and

an activator for selectively activating or deactivating retransmission based on the control signal, wherein the activator carries out either one of the following;

deactivates retransmission if the temperature sensor detects that a temperature is lower than a first threshold value, and activates retransmission if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature is higher than a second threshold value;

or

deactivates retransmission if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature is higher than the first threshold value, and activates retransmission if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature is lower than the second threshold value.

16. The transponder of claim 15, wherein the activator includes a controllable switch, and the sensor is configured for controlling the switch.

17. The transponder of claim 15, further comprising at least one additional sensor configured for responding to an additional physical stimulus and generating an additional control signal, and a microprocessor configured for controlling the activator based on control signal and the at least one additional control signal.