Image and/or video transmission using backscatter devices
AssigneeUniversity of Washington
InventorsShyamnath Gollakota, Saman Naderiparizi, Mehrdad Hessar, Vamsi Talla, Joshua R. Smith
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Abstract
Examples described herein include systems, devices, and methods for backscattering carrier signals in accordance with pixel values of an image and/or video. Signals having a property proportionate to pixel values may be converted into a pulse-containing waveform having pulses whose widths and/or duty cycles are determined based on the pixel values. Backscatter transmitters may backscatter a carrier signal in accordance with the pulse-containing waveform to provide the pixel values to a receiver. In this manner, video transmission at low power and/or battery-free operation may be provided.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- an image sensor, the image sensor configured to provide signals indicative of energy incident on the image sensor, wherein the signals indicative of energy incident on the image sensor comprise signals indicative of a super pixel comprising average pixel values for sets of pixels in a frame;
- a pulse width modulator, the pulse width modulator coupled to the image sensor and configured to convert the signals indicative of energy incident on the image sensor into a pulse-containing waveform wherein widths of pulses in the pulse-containing waveform are indicative of the energy incident on the image sensor;
- an antenna;
- a switch coupled to the pulse width modulator and the antenna, the switch configured to control an impedance at the antenna to backscatter a carrier signal incident on the antenna in accordance with the pulse-containing waveform.
A system comprising:
- an image sensor configured to provide signals having a property proportionate to pixel values of an image corresponding to energy incident on the image sensor;
- a backscatter transmitter, in communication with an energy harvesting system, and configured to provide a backscatter signal by backscattering a carrier signal incident on the backscatter transmitter in accordance with the pixel values, wherein the backscatter transmitter is further configured to utilize energy from the energy harvesting system to backscatter the carrier signal;
- a carrier signal source positioned to provide the carrier signal;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive the backscatter signal and decode the pixel values.
A system comprising:
- an image sensor configured to provide signals having a property proportionate to pixel values of an image corresponding to energy incident on the image sensor;
- a backscatter transmitter configured to provide a backscatter signal by backscattering a carrier signal incident on the backscatter transmitter in accordance with the pixel values;
- a carrier signal source positioned to provide the carrier signal;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive the backscatter signal and decode the pixel values, wherein the backscatter signal comprises super-pixels, and wherein the receiver is further configured to compare multiple frames of super-pixels and request at least a portion of a complete frame when the multiple frames of super-pixels differ by greater than a threshold amount.
A method comprising:
- providing a signal indicative of energy incident on an image sensor, wherein the signal comprises signals indicative of a super-pixel comprising average pixel values for sets of pixels in a frame;
- providing a carrier signal;
- providing a pulse-containing signal having pulses whose widths correspond with pixel values;
- and
- backscattering the carrier signal in accordance with the pulse-containing signal to transmit image data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.