Device and method for controlling a physical indicator of an ambient electromagnetic power harvesting device

An indicator ambient electromagnetic power harvesting (AEPH) device, comprising:

• a substrate, having fabricated thereon:
• a first antenna;
• a first AEPH circuit coupled to the first antenna and configured to receive first radio frequency (RF) energy collected by the first antenna and convert the first RF energy into first electrical power;
• a controller configured to receive the first electrical power from the first AEPH circuit and an RF signal from the first antenna;
• and
• an indicator control data (ICD) memory coupled to the controller;
• a physical indicator configured to be controlled by the controller,
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• receive information from an RF signal received via the first antenna, the information comprising interrogation data;
• compare data stored in the ICD memory with the interrogation data to generate comparison information;
• and
• cause the physical indicator to emit a physical signal, based on the comparison information;
• wherein the physical indicator comprises an audio transducer and the physical signal comprises a sound emitted by the audio transducer;
• and
• wherein a frequency of the sound is based on the comparison information.

A method of responding to a radio signal by an indicator ambient electromagnetic power harvesting (AEPH) device, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a controller of an indicator AEPH, a radio frequency (RF) signal, the RF signal comprising interrogation data;
• comparing, by the controller, the interrogation data with data stored in an indicator control data (ICD) memory coupled to the controller to generate comparison information;
• and
• causing, by the controller, a physical indicator coupled to the controller to emit a physical signal, where a physical characteristic of the physical signal is based on the comparison information,
• wherein the comparison information comprises a value of a similarity metric calculated based on the ICD and the interrogation data;
• and
• the physical characteristic of the physical signal is based on the value of the similarity metric.