Remote communications devices, wireless communications systems, and wireless communications methods

• US 20060139168A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Pratt, Richard M., Morgan, Gary B., Scott, Jeffrey Wayne, Lind, Michael A., Hughes, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,317,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.220
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Remote communications devices, wireless communications systems, and wireless communications methods are described. In one aspect, a remote communications device includes communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless communication signals externally of the remote communications device, sensor circuitry configured to sense at least one condition with respect to the remote communications device, and wherein the communication circuitry is coupled with the sensor circuitry and is configured to determine a plurality of different moments in time responsive to criteria originating within the remote communications device and to communicate data indicative of the at least one sensed condition externally of the remote communications device to a reader using the wireless communication signals at the different moments in time.

Claims

1. A remote communications device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless communication signals externally of the remote communications device;

sensor circuitry configured to sense at least one condition with respect to the remote communications device; and

wherein the communication circuitry is coupled with the sensor circuitry and is configured to determine a plurality of different moments in time responsive to criteria originating within the remote communications device and to communicate data indicative of the at least one sensed condition externally of the remote communications device to a reader using the wireless communication signals at the different moments in time.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the communications circuitry is configured to implement radio frequency identification device communications.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the data is communicated at the different moments in time independent of communications from the reader.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to determine the different moments in time according to a period.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate an identifier of the device with the data.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one condition is sensed during a first period of time and the communication circuitry is configured to communicate the data at a second period of time.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a triggering event, and wherein the communication circuitry is configured to commence the communication of the data responsive to the detection.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a triggering event, and wherein generation of the data indicative of the at least one sensed condition is commenced responsive to the detection.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a triggering event, and wherein the data is generated according to a first rate before the triggering event and a second rate different than the first rate after the triggering event.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to:

initiate operations of the remote communications device in a first mode at a first moment in time;

detect a triggering event; and

initiate operations of the remote communications device in a second mode having increased power consumption compared with the first mode at a second moment in time and responsive to the detection, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate the data during the second mode.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein processing circuitry of the communication circuitry is operable between the first and the second modes.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the sensor circuitry is operable between the first and the second modes.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising an energy source configured to supply operational energy to the communication circuitry.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a beacon and the communication circuitry is incapable of processing wireless communications received by the remote communications device.

15. A remote communications device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless communication signals externally of the remote communications device;

sensor circuitry configured to sense at least one condition with respect to the remote communications device and to generate data indicative of the at least one sensed condition; and

wherein the communication circuitry is coupled with the sensor circuitry and is configured to communicate the data generated by the sensor circuitry externally of the remote communications device using the wireless communication signals, and wherein the communicated data comprises data sampled according to a first rate during a first period of time and sampled according to a second rate different than the first rate during a second period of time.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to monitor for a presence of a triggering event and to change the sampling from the first rate to the second rate responsive to the presence of the triggering event.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to periodically communicate the data.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to periodically communicate the data according to different periods during the first and second periods of time.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein the first and the second rates are periodic.

20. The device of claim 15 wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to sense the at least one condition comprising humidity of an environment about the remote communications device, temperature of an environment about the remote communications device, tilt of the remote communications device, and electrical continuity of a circuit associated with the remote communications device.

21. A remote communications device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless communication signals externally of the remote communications device;

sensor circuitry configured to sense at least one condition with respect to the remote communications device and to generate data indicative of the at least one sensed condition; and

wherein the communication circuitry is coupled with the sensor circuitry and is configured to communicate the data generated by the sensor circuitry externally of the remote communications device using the wireless communication signals at a plurality of different moments in time determined independently of wireless communication signals received within the remote communications device.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate the data at the different moments in time according to a period.

23. A wireless communications system comprising:

a reader configured to receive wireless communication signals comprising data generated externally of the reader; and

a plurality of remote communications devices configured to output the wireless communication signals, wherein the remote communications devices are individually configured to sense at least one condition with respect to the respective remote communications device and to communicate data corresponding to the at least one sensed condition at a plurality of moments in time responsive to criteria originating within the respective remote communications device.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the remote communications devices comprise radio frequency identification devices.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the criteria is a substantially constant period.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the remote communications devices are configured to detect a triggering event, and wherein the remote communications devices are configured to commence the communication of the data responsive to the detection.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the remote communications devices are configured to detect a triggering event, and wherein generation of the data indicative of the at least one sensed condition is commenced responsive to the detection.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the remote communications devices are configured to detect a triggering event, and wherein the remote communications devices are configured to communicate the data obtained according to a first rate before the triggering event and a second rate different than the first rate after the triggering event.

29. A wireless communications method comprising:

sensing a condition with respect to a remote communications device at a plurality of first moments in time;

providing data regarding the sensed condition at the first moments in time;

outputting a plurality of wireless communication signals using the remote communications device;

receiving the wireless communication signals using a reader; and

using the wireless communication signals, communicating the data externally of the remote communications device at a plurality of second moments in time determined according to criteria independent of operations of the reader.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of second moments in time are determined using criteria originating using the remote communications device.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the first moments in time are periodic.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the second moments in time are periodic.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the wireless communications signals comprise an identifier of the remote communications device.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the second moments in time are determined independent of wireless communications from the reader.

35. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

detecting a triggering event; and

changing a rate of the sensing responsive to the detecting.

36. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

detecting a triggering event; and

changing a rate of the communicating responsive to the detecting.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein the remote communications device comprises a radio frequency identification device transponder.

38. A wireless communications method comprising:

sensing a condition with respect to a remote communications device at a plurality of moments in time;

providing data regarding the sensed condition at the moments in time;

providing a timing reference having a period;

outputting a plurality of wireless communication signals using the remote communications device; and

using the wireless communication signals, periodically outputting the data regarding the sensed condition at a plurality of moments in time determined according to the period.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising receiving the wireless communication signals using a reader.

40. The method of claim 38 further comprising:

detecting a triggering event; and

changing a rate of the sensing responsive to the detecting.

41. The method of claim 38 further comprising:

detecting a triggering event; and

changing a rate of the outputting of the data responsive to the detecting.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the wireless communication signals comprise an identifier which uniquely identifies the remote communications device.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the periodically outputting comprises outputting independent of communications of the reader.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the timing reference is generated using the remote communications device.