摘要:
Embodiments of the present invention provide a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) moisture sensor. This moisture sensor includes one or more antenna structures having a tail. The tail is operable to transport a disturbance such as, but not limited to fluid or moisture from a monitored location wherein the antenna has an impedance and varies with proximity to the disturbance. An integrated circuit couples to the antenna structure. This IC includes a power harvesting module operable to energize the integrated circuit, an impedance-matching engine coupled to the antenna, a memory module, and a wireless communication module. The impedance-matching engine may vary a reactive component to reduce a mismatch between the antenna impedance and the IC and produce an impedance value (sensor code) representative of the reactive component impedance. The memory module stores the impedance value (sensor code) until the wireless communication module communicates with an RFID reader and sends the impedance value/sensor code to the RFID reader. The RFID reader may then determine an environmental condition such as the presence of moisture or fluids at the tail of the RFID sensor. This sensor may deploy several antenna and/or tails sensitive to unique disturbances. These tails may be used to monitor different locations as well as different types of fluids. In one particular embodiment, the disturbance is a fluid or moisture within the gutter of a vehicle body.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength. A field strength reference generator develops a field strength reference current as a function of a field strength of a received RF signal; and a field strength quantizer develops a digital field-strength value indicative of the field strength reference current. In one embodiment, detected field strength is used to dynamically vary the impedance of a tank circuit whereby, over time, induced current is maximized. In another embodiment, the quantized field strength is used to sense changes to the environment to which the RFID tag is exposed. In yet another embodiment, dynamic variations of the quantized impedance of the tank circuit are used to sense changes in the environment. Several alternate antennas are specially adapted to facilitate sensing of environmental conditions using the RFID tag.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength. A field strength reference generator develops a field strength reference current as a function of a field strength of a received RF signal; and a field strength quantizer develops a digital field-strength value indicative of the field strength reference current. In one embodiment, detected field strength is used to dynamically vary the impedance of a tank circuit whereby, over time, induced current is maximized. In another embodiment, the quantized field strength is used to sense changes to the environment to which the RFID tag is exposed. In yet another embodiment, dynamic variations of the quantized impedance of the tank circuit are used to sense changes in the environment. Several alternate antennas are specially adapted to facilitate sensing of environmental conditions using the RFID tag.
摘要:
In an RFID system, a method and apparatus for linking an RFID tag to an associated object. The system includes a relatively simple tag, a reader, a linker, and a store. The reader interrogates the tag for an ID and selectively provides the ID to the linker. The linker, in turn, uses the ID to provide back to the reader an associated Uniform Resource Identifier (“URI”). The reader then forwards the URI to the store. In response, the store returns to the reader the object associated with the ID via the URI. The disclosed method and apparatus provide more efficient and secure tag authentication.
摘要:
A high-speed, low distortion line driver that includes an amplifying circuit and a differential input amplifier. The differential input amplifier includes a 1st amplifying transistor, a 2nd amplifying transistor, a 1st controlled current source, and a 2nd controlled current source. The 1st amplifying transistor is coupled in series with the 1st controlled current source and the 2nd amplifying transistor is coupled in series with the 2nd controlled current source. The 1st and 2nd amplifying transistors are operably coupled to receive a differential input signal and provide a gained and level shifted representation of the differential input signal based on the controlled currents provided by the 1st and 2nd current sources. The amount of gain is based on the transconductance properties of the 1st and 2nd amplifying transistors and of the 1st and 2nd current sources.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength. A field strength reference generator develops a field strength reference current as a function of a field strength of a received RF signal; and a field strength quantizer develops a digital field-strength value indicative of the field strength reference current. In one embodiment, detected field strength is used to dynamically vary the impedance of a tank circuit whereby, over time, induced current is maximized.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength. A field strength reference generator develops a field strength reference current as a function of a field strength of a received RF signal; and a field strength quantizer develops a digital field-strength value indicative of the field strength reference current. In one embodiment, detected field strength is used to dynamically vary the impedance of a tank circuit whereby, over time, induced current is maximized.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength. A field strength reference generator develops a field strength reference current as a function of a field strength of a received RF signal; and a field strength quantizer develops a digital field-strength value indicative of the field strength reference current. In one embodiment, detected field strength is used to dynamically vary the impedance of a tank circuit whereby, over time, induced current is maximized.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network includes processing that begins by obtaining a data unit for transmission by a first data transceiving entity of a micro area network. The processing then continues when the first data transceiving entity formats the payload data using a first transmission format convention. The first data transceiving entity also formats the overhead data using a second transmission formatting convention to produce formatted overhead data. The formatting of the overhead data and/or payload data may include encoding and/or modulating the data. The processing continues when the first data transceiving entity transmits the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to at least one target entity within the micro-area network. The process continues when a target entity receives the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data. The target entity then deformats the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to recapture the payload data and deformats the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to retrieve the overhead data. The target entity then reconstructs the data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data.
摘要:
A high speed phase detector circuit operating at a clock speed equal to one-half an input data rate (i.e. a half-rate clock) provides phase information and transition information from incoming serial data. The high speed phase detector circuit samples the incoming serial data on both the rising edge and falling edge of the half-rate clock to provide equivalent full high speed data rate sampling. The high speed phase detector circuit generates a delay between the phase information and the transition information. The phase information is produced in a first bit period and the transition information is produced in a second bit period relative to the first bit period.