Wireless electrical device using open-circuit elements having no electrical connections

• US 8,179,203 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Woodard, Stanley E., Taylor, Bryant Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Takaoka, Dean O
• Application Number:
  US12/569,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20100109818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 333/24.R, 333/175, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.5
• US Class Current: 333/24.R
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils

Abstract

A wireless electrical device includes an electrically unconnected electrical conductor and at least one electrically unconnected electrode spaced apart from the electrical conductor. The electrical conductor is shaped for storage of an electric field and a magnetic field. In the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, the electrical conductor so-shaped resonates to generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses. Each electrode is at a location lying within the magnetic field response so-generated and is constructed such that a linear movement of electric charges is generated in each electrode due to the magnetic field response so-generated.

Claims

1. A wireless electrical device, comprising:

an electrical conductor having first and second ends and shaped to define a single spiral between said first and second ends for storage of an electric field and a magnetic field, said first and second ends remaining electrically unconnected at all times such that said electrical conductor so-shaped defines an unconnected open-circuit having inductance and capacitance wherein, in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, said electrical conductor so-shaped resonates to generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses, each of which has a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated therewith; and

at least one electrode spaced apart from said electrical conductor at a location lying within at least said magnetic field response so-generated, wherein each electrode from said at least one electrode has a length-to-width aspect ratio such that a linear movement of electric charges is generated in said each electrode, said each electrode remaining electrically unconnected at all times.

2. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, further comprising a magnetic field response recorder for wirelessly transmitting said time-varying magnetic field to said electrical conductor and for wirelessly detecting at least one of said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated with said magnetic field response so-generated.

3. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said electrical conductor or comprises a thin-film trace.

4. A wireless electrical device as in claim 3, wherein said trace is uniform in width.

5. A wireless electrical device as in claim 3, wherein spacing between adjacent portions of said trace is uniform.

7. A wireless electrical device as in claim 3, wherein spacing between adjacent portions of said trace is non-uniform.

8. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said electrical conductor lies in a two-dimensional plane.

9. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said electrical conductor occupies a three-dimensional space.

10. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, wherein each electrode from said at least one electrode is at a non-zero angular orientation with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said each electrode.

11. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, wherein each electrode from said at least one electrode is at a zero angular orientation with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said each electrode.

12. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes with a first portion of said electrodes at non-zero angular orientations with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said first portion, and a second portion of said electrodes at zero angular orientations with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said second portion.

13. A wireless electrical device as in claim 1, further comprising dielectric material disposed between said electrical conductor and each electrode from said at least one electrode.

6. A wireless electrical device as in claim therein said trace is non-uniform in width.

14. A wireless electrical device, comprising:

an electrical conductor in the form of a thin-film trace, said electrical conductor having first and second ends and shaped to form a single spiral between said first and second ends for storage of an electric field and a magnetic field, said first and second ends remaining electrically unconnected at all times such that said electrical conductor so-shaped defines an unconnected open-circuit having inductance and capacitance wherein, in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, said electrical conductor so-shaped resonates to generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses, each of which has a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated therewith; and

at least one electrode spaced apart from said electrical conductor at a location lying within at least said magnetic field response so-generated, wherein each electrode from said at least one electrode has a length-to-width aspect ratio such that a linear movement of electric charges is generated in said each electrode, said each electrode remaining electrically unconnected at all times.

15. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, further comprising a magnetic field response recorder for wirelessly transmitting said time-varying magnetic field to said electrical conductor and for wirelessly detecting at least one of said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated with said magnetic field response so-generated.

16. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein said trace is uniform in width.

17. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein spacing between adjacent portions of said trace is uniform.

18. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein said trace is non-uniform in width.

19. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein spacing between adjacent portions of said trace is non-uniform.

20. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein said electrical conductor lies in a two-dimensional plane.

21. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein said electrical conductor occupies a three-dimensional space.

22. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein each electrode from said at least one electrode is at a non-zero angular orientation with respect to portions of said spiral overlapped by said each electrode.

23. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, wherein each electrode from said at least one electrode is at a zero angular orientation with respect to portions of said spiral overlapped by said each electrode.

24. A wireless electrical device as in claim 15, wherein said at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes with a first portion of said electrodes at non-zero angular orientations with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said first portion, and a second portion of said electrodes at zero angular orientations with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said second portion.

25. A wireless electrical device as in claim 14, further comprising dielectric material disposed between said electrical conductor and each electrode from said at least one electrode.

26. A wireless electrical device, comprising:

an electrical, conductor having first and second ends and shaped to form a single spiral between said first and second ends for storage of an electric field and a magnetic field, said first and second ends remaining electrically unconnected at all times such that said electrical conductor so-shaped defines an unconnected open-circuit having inductance and capacitance wherein, in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, said electrical conductor so-shaped resonates to generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses, each of which has a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated therewith;

at least one electrode spaced apart from said electrical conductor at a location lying within at least said magnetic field response so-generated, wherein each electrode from said at least one electrode has a length-to-width aspect ratio such that a linear movement of electric charges is generated in said each electrode, said each said electrode remaining electrically unconnected at all times; and

a magnetic, field response recorder for wirelessly transmitting said time-varying magnetic field to said electrical conductor and for wirelessly detecting at least one of said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated with said magnetic field response so-generated.

27. A wireless electrical device as in claim 26, wherein said electrical conductor lies in a two-dimensional plane.

28. A wireless electrical device as in claim 26, wherein said electrical conductor occupies a three-dimensional space.

29. A wireless electrical device as in claim 26, wherein said each electrode is at a non-zero angular orientation with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said each electrode.

30. A wireless electrical device as in claim 26, wherein said each electrode is at a zero angular orientation with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said each electrode.

31. A wireless electrical device as in claim 26, wherein said at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes with a first portion of said electrodes at non-zero angular orientations with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said first portion, and a second portion of said electrodes at zero angular orientations with respect to portions of said single spiral overlapped by said second portion.

32. A wireless electrical device as in claim 26, further comprising dielectric material disposed between said electrical conductor and said each said electrode.