Ultrasonic transmitter and receiver systems and products using the same

An ultrasonic tag, comprising:

• a power source, for providing power, comprised of an inductively charged battery;
• two Polyvinylidene flouride film transducers capable of converting between ultrasonic signals and electrical signals;
• a first transformer, for conditioning power from the power source and conditioning electrical signals as the electrical signals are received by the transducers;
• a recognition circuit, for responding to electrical signals received by the transducers when appropriate;
• a second transformer, for conditioning power from the power source and conditioning electrical signals as the electrical signals are sent to the transducers from the recognition circuit;
• at least one memory storage device, capable of storing at least four bytes of information;
• a switch, for controlling electrical signal flow into and out of the transducers;
• a low noise amplifier, for receiving electrical signals from the switch and amplifying weak signals;
• a wake circuit for determining when the received electrical signals are addressing the tag;
• and,
• a crystal for regulating the received electrical signal frequency monitored by the wake circuit and the transmitted electrical signal frequency used by the recognition circuit.

A wireless ultrasonic controller, consisting of:

• at least one piezoelectric transducer, capable of converting between ultrasonic signals and electrical signals;
• a power source, for providing power;
• a data storage device, for storing information;
• and,
• a microprocessor, for performing functions associated with the controller and directing information to the display.

An asset monitoring system, comprising:

• an asset;
• at least one ultrasonic wireless controller;
• and
• at least one ultrasonic wireless tag, attached to the asset and capable of ultrasonic communication with the wireless controller.

An asset monitoring method comprising:

• registering at least one ultrasonic tag with at least one ultrasonic wireless controller;
• affixing the at least one ultrasonic tag to an asset;
• polling the at least one ultrasonic tag periodically by at least one controller;
• monitoring ultrasonic tag replies to the periodic polling;
• and,
• sounding an alarm if the at least one ultrasonic tag does not reply.

An asset monitoring method comprising:

• registering at least one ultrasonic tag with at least one ultrasonic wireless controller;
• affixing the at least one ultrasonic tag to an asset;
• polling the at least one ultrasonic tag periodically by at least one controller;
• monitoring ultrasonic tag replies to the periodic polling;
• and,
• sounding an alarm if the at least one ultrasonic tag replies after a period of not replying.

An asset monitoring method comprising:

• registering at least one ultrasonic tag with at least one ultrasonic wireless controller;
• affixing the at least one ultrasonic tag to an asset;
• polling the at least one ultrasonic tag periodically by at least one controller;
• monitoring ultrasonic tag replies to the periodic polling;
• sounding an alarm if the at least one ultrasonic tag does not reply;
• and
• sounding an alarm if the at least one ultrasonic tag replies after a period of not replying.