US 5,182,543 A · Miniaturized data communication and identification system

Abstract

A miniaturized communications unit for use in object tracking, control and the like. Each communications and identification unit repeatedly transmits an identification code on a predetermined wavelength at a transmission interval randomly selected from within a predetermined time interval range in order to avoid repeated transmission collisions between two or more units. The transmission may further include data corresponding to a sensed environmental attribute. Each unit that receives a transmission stores the received identification code and any data in a time ordered record. This stored record preferably also includes an electronic date and time stamp. The stored data can be transmitted to an external data port for later use or analysis by an external data processor. The preferred construction of these communications and identification units includes a programmed microprocessor circuit with the program preferably stored in an electrically programmable read only memory for the sake of flexibility and ease of alternation.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A communications unit comprising:

an identification unit for entering a user specified identification code;
a clock circuit for generating a digital time signal indicative of the current time;
a writable memory;
a transmitter for producing an encoded radiant energy transmission at a predetermined wavelength;
a radiant energy receiver for receiving encoded radiant energy transmissions at said predetermined wavelength;
a control circuit connected to said identification unit, said clock circuit, said writable memory, said transmitter and said radiant energy receiver operative to
decode the radiant energy transmissions received by said receiver thereby producing decoded data,
store said decoded data and the current digital time signal within said writable memory for each encoded radiant energy transmission in the order of receipt, and
control said transmitter to produce said radiant energy transmission encoded with said identification code at varying intervals of time randomly selected within a predetermined range of time.

6 more elements

A communications system comprising:

a plurality of communications units, at least some of said communications units mounted on things to be tracked, each communications unit including
an identification unit for entering a user specified identification code;
a clock circuit for generating a digital time signal indicative of the current time;
a writable memory;
a transmitter for producing an encoded radiant energy transmission at a predetermined wavelength;
a radiant energy receiver for receiving encoded radiant energy transmissions at said predetermined wavelength;
a control circuit connected to said identification unit, said clock circuit, said writable memory, said transmitter and said radiant energy receiver operative to
decode the radiant energy transmissions received by said receiver thereby producing decoded data,
store said decoded data and the current digital time signal within said writable memory for each encoded radiant energy transmission in the order of receipt, said decoded data including at least said identification code of another communications unit, and
control said transmitter to produce said radiant energy transmission encoded with said identification code at varying intervals of time randomly selected within a predetermined range of times.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Miniaturized data communication and identification system

Life of this patent

Miniaturized data communication and identification system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16