Remote power distribution

• US 8,983,386 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Rofougaran, Maryam
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US14/080,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20140080425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/41.3, 455/39, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/22 Longitudinal slot in boundary wall of waveguide or transmission line H01Q13/203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/006 Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0066 said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/23 Combinations of reflecting surfaces with refracting or diffracting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/06 using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens radome H01Q1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

A Method and system for remote power distribution and networking for passive devices is provided. In this regard, a sensor comprising a leaky wave antenna may be powered utilizing energy from a radio frequency signal received via the leaky wave antenna. The sensor may be operable to recover a baseband signal from the received radio frequency signal. The sensor may be operable to generate one or more sensor readings in response to the received baseband signal. The sensor may be operable to communicate the sensor reading to a source of the received radio frequency signal via a backscattered signal. The backscattered signal may be generated by controlling spacing between surfaces of the leaky wave antenna. The backscattered signal may be generated by switching a load in and out of a receive path of the sensor and/or by switching between a plurality of feed points of the leaky wave antenna.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a sensor including a leaky wave antenna, said sensor being powered utilizing energy from a radio frequency signal received via said leaky wave antenna, said sensor being configured to;

recover a baseband signal from said radio frequency signal;

generate a sensor reading in response to said baseband signal;

communicate said sensor reading to a source of said radio frequency signal via a backscattered signal generated by the leaky wave antenna in accordance with one or more of a plurality of feed points of the leaky wave antenna, each situated at a different location with respect to a distance between surfaces of the leaky wave antenna.

2. The communication system of 1, wherein said sensor controls a spacing between the surfaces of said leaky wave antenna via a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch.

3. The communication system of 1, wherein said radio frequency signal comprises a frequency that is at or near 60 GHz.

4. The communication system of 1, wherein said sensor and said leaky wave antenna are integrated within an integrated circuit.

5. The communication system of 1, wherein said sensor and said leaky wave antenna are integrated on an integrated circuit.

6. The communication system of 1, wherein said leaky wave antenna is integrated within an integrated circuit package.

7. The communication system of 1, wherein said leaky wave antenna is integrated on an integrated circuit package.

8. The communication system of 1, wherein said sensor is integrated within an integrated circuit.

9. The communication system of 1, wherein said sensor is integrated on an integrated circuit.

10. A method for communication, said method comprising:

in a sensor including a leaky wave antenna, said sensor being powered utilizing energy from a radio frequency signal received via said leaky wave antenna;

recovering a baseband signal from said radio frequency signal;

generating a sensor reading in response to said baseband signal;

communicating said sensor reading to a source of said radio frequency signal via a backscattered signal generated by the leaky wave antenna in accordance with one or more of a plurality of feed points of the leaky wave antenna, each situated at a different location with respect to a distance between surfaces of the leaky wave antenna.

11. The method of claim 10, Wherein said sensor controls a spacing between the surfaces of said leaky wave antenna via a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said radio frequency signal comprises a frequency that is at or near 60 GHz.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said sensor and said leaky wave antenna are integrated with an integrated circuit.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said sensor and said leaky wave antenna are integrated on an integrated circuit.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said leaky wave antenna is integrated in an integrated circuit package.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said leaky wave antenna is integrated on an integrated circuit package.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said sensor is integrated within an integrated circuit.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said sensor is integrated on an integrated circuit.