Use of a Tag and Reader Antenna for a Simulated Theremin Effect

• US 20150186702A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pletcher, Nathan, Otis, Brain
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10217 parameter settings controlling the transmission power of the interrogator
• 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: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for providing an audible feedback based on a proximity or a link quality between an external reader and a tag. The external reader transmits power to the tag with a radio frequency electromagnetic signal. The tag may rectify the radio frequency electromagnetic signal and create a rectified voltage. This rectified voltage may be used to power various components of the tag. Once it receives power from the reader, the tag may communicate information back to the external reader. The information communicated back to the reader is communicated by modulating an antenna impedance of the tag. By modulating the impedance, the tag will backscatter radiation transmitted by the reader. The reader is able to create an audio output based on determining the proximity or link quality from the reader to the tag based on the backscatter radiation it receives from the tag.

Claims

1. A reader apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to;

transmit electromagnetic radiation having a power level, and

receive backscatter electromagnetic radiation;

a control unit configured to;

analyze the backscatter electromagnetic radiation to determine at least one of (i) a proximity between a device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader and (ii) a link quality between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader; and

generate a signal based on the at least one of the determined proximity and the determined link quality; and

an audio unit configured to generate an audio output based on the generated signal.

2. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the proximity based on at least one of:

a received power of the backscatter electromagnetic radiation;

data related to a voltage of the device that caused the backscatter radiation, wherein the data is communicated via the received backscatter radiation; and

reducing the power level of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation until no backscatter electromagnetic radiation is received.

3. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to alter the generated signal based on a change in the determined proximity.

4. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the backscatter electromagnetic radiation provides data and the control unit determines the proximity based on the data.

5. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to alter the power level based on at least one of (i) the proximity between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader and (ii) the link quality between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation comprises an eye-mountable device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated signal provides an indication of a functionality of the device that caused the backscatter.

8. A method comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic radiation having a power level via an antenna;

receiving backscatter electromagnetic radiation via the antenna;

analyzing the backscatter electromagnetic radiation to determine at least one of (i) a proximity between a device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader and (ii) a link quality between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader; and

generating an audio signal based on at least one of (i) the proximity and (ii) the link quality.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising determining the proximity based on at least one of:

a received power of the backscatter electromagnetic radiation;

data related to a voltage of the device that caused the backscatter radiation, wherein the data is communicated via the received backscatter radiation; and

reducing the power level of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation until no backscatter electromagnetic radiation is received.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising altering the audio output based on a change in the determined proximity.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the proximity is determined based on data provided by the backscatter electromagnetic radiation.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to alter the power level based on at least one of (i) the proximity between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader and (ii) the link quality between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the generated audio signal provides an indication of a functionality of the device that caused the backscatter.

14. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor in a radio-frequency system, cause the radio-frequency system to perform operations comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic radiation having a power level via an antenna;

receiving backscatter electromagnetic radiation via the antenna;

analyzing the backscatter electromagnetic radiation to determine at least one of (i) a proximity between a device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader and (ii) a link quality between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader; and

generating an audio signal based on at least one of (i) the proximity and (ii) the link quality.

15. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise determining the proximity based on at least one of:

a received power of the backscatter electromagnetic radiation;

data related to a voltage of the device that caused the backscatter radiation, wherein the data is communicated via the received backscatter radiation; and

reducing the power level of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation until no backscatter electromagnetic radiation is received.

16. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise altering the audio output based on a change in the determined proximity.

17. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the proximity is determined based on data provided by the backscatter electromagnetic radiation.

18. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise altering the power level based on at least one of (i) the proximity between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader and (ii) the link quality between the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation and the reader.

19. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the generated audio signal provides an indication of a functionality of the device that caused the backscatter.

20. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the device that caused the backscatter electromagnetic radiation comprises an eye-mountable device.