Abstract:
Systems and methods for implementing power management features while providing a wireless asymmetric network are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system includes a hub having a wireless control device that is configured to control communications and power consumption in the wireless asymmetric network architecture. The system also includes a plurality of nodes each having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver (or transmitter and receiver functionality of a transceiver) to enable bi-directional communications with the wireless control device of the hub in the wireless asymmetric network architecture. The wireless control device can be configured to determine a scheduled timing of causing the transmitter to be operable to transmit and causing the receiver to be operable to receive for each wireless device to reduce power consumption of the wireless devices of the plurality of nodes.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for implementing power management features while providing a wireless asymmetric network are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system includes a hub having a wireless control device that is configured to control communications and power consumption in the wireless asymmetric network architecture and sensor nodes each having at least one sensor and a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the wireless control device of the hub. The wireless control device is configured to determine a scheduled timing of operating each sensor node during a first time period that is close in time with respect to a transmit window of the transmitter and during a second time period that is close in time with respect to a receive window of the receiver for each wireless device to reduce power consumption of the wireless devices of the sensor nodes.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for implementing anti-collision features while providing a wireless asymmetric network are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system includes a hub having a wireless control device that is configured to control communications in the wireless asymmetric network architecture and nodes each having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the wireless control device of the hub. The wireless control device of the hub is configured to detect a communication from a first node of the nodes, determine whether at least a portion of the communication is unintelligible to circuitry of the hub or circuitry coupled to the hub, and determine whether a collision of communications transmitting at approximately the same time from the first node and a second node has likely occurred when the at least portion of the communication is unintelligible.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for determining location information for sensor nodes in a wireless asymmetric network are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus (e.g., hub) for providing a wireless asymmetric network architecture includes a memory for storing instructions, one or more processing units to execute instructions to establish and control communications in a wireless asymmetric network architecture, and radio frequency (RF) circuitry including multiple antennas to transmit and receive communications in the wireless asymmetric network architecture. The RF circuitry may include multiple antennas to transmit communications to a plurality of sensor nodes each having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the RF circuitry of the apparatus in the wireless asymmetric network architecture. The one or more processing units are configured to execute instructions to determine location information for the plurality of sensor nodes based on receiving communications from each sensor node.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for implementing anti-collision features while providing a wireless asymmetric network are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system includes a hub having a wireless control device that is configured to control communications in the wireless asymmetric network architecture and nodes each having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the wireless control device of the hub. The wireless control device of the hub is configured to detect a communication from a first node of the nodes, determine whether at least a portion of the communication is unintelligible to circuitry of the hub or circuitry coupled to the hub, and determine whether a collision of communications transmitting at approximately the same time from the first node and a second node has likely occurred when the at least portion of the communication is unintelligible.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for determining location information for sensor nodes in a wireless asymmetric network are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus (e.g., hub) for providing a wireless asymmetric network architecture includes a memory for storing instructions, one or more processing units to execute instructions to establish and control communications in a wireless asymmetric network architecture, and radio frequency (RF) circuitry including multiple antennas to transmit and receive communications in the wireless asymmetric network architecture. The RF circuitry may include multiple antennas to transmit communications to a plurality of sensor nodes each having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the RF circuitry of the apparatus in the wireless asymmetric network architecture. The one or more processing units are configured to execute instructions to determine location information for the plurality of sensor nodes based on receiving communications from each sensor node.
Abstract:
Printed integrated circuitry and attached antenna and/or inductor for sensors, electronic article surveillance (EAS), radio frequency (RF) and/or RF identification (RFID) tags and devices, and methods for its manufacture. The tag generally includes printed integrated circuitry on one carrier and an antenna and/or inductor on another carrier, the integrated circuitry being electrically coupled to the antenna and/or inductor. The method of manufacture generally includes of printing an integrated circuit having a plurality of first pads on a carrier, forming an antenna and/or inductor having a plurality of second pads on a substrate, and attaching at least two of the first pads of the printed integrated circuit to corresponding second pads of the antenna and/or inductor. The present invention advantageously provides a low cost RFID tag capable of operating at MHz frequencies that can be manufactured in a shorter time period than conventional RFID tags that manufacture all active electrical devices on a conventional wafer.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods of making capacitors for use in surveillance/identification tags or devices, and methods of using such surveillance/identification devices. The capacitors manufactured according to the methods of the present invention and used in the surveillance/identification devices described herein comprise printed conductive and dielectric layers. The methods and devices of the present invention improve the manufacturing tolerances associated with conventional metal-plastic-metal capacitor, as well as the deactivation reliability of the capacitor used in a surveillance/identification tag or device.
Abstract:
Multi-mode (e.g., EAS and RFID) tags and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. The tag generally includes an antenna, an electronic article surveillance (EAS) function block coupled to the antenna, and one or more identification function blocks coupled to the antenna in parallel with the EAS function block. The method of reading the tag generally includes the steps of applying an electric field to the tag, detecting the tag when the electric field has a relatively low power, and detecting an identification signal from the tag when the electric field has a relatively high power. The present invention advantageously enables a single tag to be used for both inventory and anti-theft purposes, thereby improving inventory management and control at reduced system and/or “per-article” costs.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods of making capacitors for use in surveillance/identification tags or devices, and methods of using such surveillance/identification devices. The capacitors manufactured according to the methods of the present invention and used in the surveillance/identification devices described herein comprise printed conductive and dielectric layers. The methods and devices of the present invention improve the manufacturing tolerances associated with conventional metal-plastic-metal capacitor, as well as the deactivation reliability of the capacitor used in a surveillance/identification tag or device.