Wireless sensor including an rf signal circuit
AssigneeRFMicron, Inc.
InventorShahriar Rokhsaz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wireless sensor includes an antenna structure, an RF signal circuit, a sensing element, memory and a processing module. In a calibration mode, the sensing element is exposed to a known condition and causes a first change of an operating characteristic of the antenna structure while receiving the RF signal. The processing module generates a first digital value based on the first change and writes it into the memory. In a sense mode, the sensing element is exposed to an unknown condition and causes a second change of an operating characteristic of the antenna structure while receiving the RF signal. The processing module generates a second digital value based on the second change and writes it into the memory.
Claims17
A wireless sensor comprises:
- an antenna structure operable to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- an RF signal circuit operable to, when enabled, produce the RF signal;
- a sensing element operably coupled to the antenna structure, wherein, in a calibration mode, the sensing element is exposed to a known condition and causes a first change of an operating characteristic of the antenna structure while receiving the RF signal and wherein, in a sense mode, the sensing element is exposed to an unknown condition and causes a second change of the operating characteristic of the antenna structure while receiving the RF signal;
- memory;
- and
- a processing module operable to:
- in the calibration mode:
- generate a first digital value based on the first change of the operating characteristic, wherein the first digital value is representative of the known condition;
- and
- write the first digital value into the memory;
- and
- in the sense mode:
- generate a second digital value based on the second change of the operating characteristic, wherein the second digital value is representative of the second change corresponding to the unknown condition;
- and
- write the second digital value into the memory.
An active wireless sensor comprises:
- a battery;
- a power circuit operably coupled to generate a power supply voltage from the battery;
- an antenna structure operable to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- an RF signal circuit operable to, when enabled, produce the RF signal;
- a sensing element operably coupled to the antenna structure, wherein, when the sensing element is exposed to a condition, the sensing element causes a change of an operating characteristic of the antenna structure while receiving the RF signal;
- memory operably coupled to the power supply circuit;
- and
- a processing module operably coupled to the power supply circuit and to the memory, wherein the processing module is operable to:
- generate a digital value based on the change of the operating characteristic, wherein the digital value is representative of the condition;
- and
- write the digital value into the memory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.