MULTI-POWER SOURCE PERISHABLE ITEM SENSOR APPARATUS

• US 20180328903A1
• Filed: 05/12/2017
• Published: 11/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: VON NOVAK, III, William Henry
• Application Number:
  US15/593,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20180328903A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 Food
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/48 in circuits for connecting transmitter and receiver to a common transmission path, e.g. by energy of transmitter H04B1/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for implementing a sensor apparatus for a perishable item. The sensor apparatus may include a lower frequency (LF) power receiver that is configured to receive power from a LF wireless transmission, a higher frequency (HF) power receiver that is configured to receive power from a HF wireless transmission, and a LF transmitter configured to transmit sensor data using the power received by the HF power receiver from the HF wireless transmission.

Claims

1. A sensor apparatus for a perishable item, the sensor apparatus comprising:

a lower frequency (LF) power receiver that is configured to receive power from a LF wireless transmission;

a higher frequency (HF) power receiver that is configured to receive power from a HF wireless transmission; and

a LF transmitter configured to transmit sensor data using the power received by the HF power receiver from the HF wireless transmission.

2. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one food spoilage sensor configured to collect the sensor data relating to the perishable item.

3. The sensor apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one food spoilage sensor is powered by the power received by at least one of the LF power receiver or the HF power receiver.

4. The sensor apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one food spoilage sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor or a pH sensor.

5. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LF transmitter is configured to transmit the sensor data concurrently with the HF power receiver receiving power from the HF wireless transmission and powering the LF transmitter.

6. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a HF power transmitter configured to transmit the sensor data using power collected by the LF power receiver.

7. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery that is configured to store power collected from at least one of the LF power receiver or the HF power receiver;

a LF antenna configured to at least one of receive the LF wireless transmission or transmit the sensor data; and

a HF antenna configured to receive the HF wireless transmission.

8. The sensor apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the LF power receiver comprises a resonant coil coupled to a rectifier circuit.

9. The sensor apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the HF power receiver comprises a rectenna-style power receiver that includes a tuning circuit and a set of rectifiers.

10. The sensor apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the LF power receiver is configured to receive the power from an induction device transmission, and

wherein the HF power receiver is configured to receive the power from a microwave device transmission.

11. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to detect one or more spoilage indicators of the perishable item.

12. The sensor apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the HF power receiver is configured for the HF wireless transmission at 2.4 GHz, and

wherein the LF transmitter is configured to transmit the sensor data at 6.78 MHz.

13. A method for powering a sensor apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, using at least one of a lower frequency (LF) power receiver or a higher frequency (HF) power receiver, power at the sensor apparatus from at least one of a LF wireless transmission or a HF wireless transmission, respectively; and

powering, using the HF power receiver, a LF transmitter to transmit sensor data using the power received from the HF wireless transmission.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

collecting, using at least one food spoilage sensor, the sensor data relating to the perishable item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one food spoilage sensor is powered by the power received by at least one of the LF power receiver or the HF power receiver.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one food spoilage sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor or a pH sensor.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting the sensor data using the LF transmitter concurrently with the HF power receiver receiving power from the HF wireless transmission and powering the LF transmitter.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting, using a HF power transmitter, the sensor data using power collected by the LF power receiver.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

storing power collected from at least one of the LF power receiver or the HF power receiver in a battery;

receiving the LF wireless transmission or transmitting the sensor data using a LF antenna; and

receiving the HF wireless transmission using a HF antenna.

20. The method of claim 13,

wherein the LF power receiver comprises a resonant coil coupled to a rectifier circuit.

21. The method of claim 13,

wherein the HF power receiver comprises a rectenna-style power receiver that includes a tuning circuit and a set of rectifiers.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising

receiving, at the LF power receiver, the power from an induction device transmission, and

receiving, at the HF power receiver, the power from a microwave device transmission.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting one or more spoilage indicators of the perishable item.

24. The method of claim 13,

wherein the HF power receiver is configured for the HF wireless transmission at 2.4 GHz, and

wherein the LF transmitter is configured to transmit the sensor data at 6.78 MHz.

25. An apparatus for sensing a perishable item, comprising:

first means for receiving power via a lower frequency (LF) wireless transmission;

second means for receiving power via a higher frequency (HF) wireless transmission;

means for sensing data; and

means for transmitting an indication of the sensed data, the second means for receiving power being configured to power the means for transmitting using the power received from the HF wireless transmission.