Electrically active resonant structures for wireless monitoring and control
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsNeil Gershenfeld, Richard Fletcher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A planar electromagnetic resonator utilizes an electromagnetically active material located between the capacitive or inductive elements of the resonator. A microscopic electrical property of this material is altered by an external condition, and that alteration, in turn, affects the behavior of the resonator in a consistent and predictable manner.
Claims31
A device for remote sensing comprising an inductor and a capacitor connected to form an electrical circuit having a resonant frequency, the capacitor comprising a pair of conductors separated by a dielectric, the device comprising a material having an intrinsic electrical property altered by an external condition, alteration of the electrical property remotely detectably varying at least one characteristic of the circuit selected from resonant frequency, harmonic spectra and Q factor.
A method of sensing an external condition, the method comprising:
- a. providing a device for remote sensing comprising an inductor and a capacitor connected to form an electrical circuit having a resonant frequency, the capacitor comprising a pair of conductors separated by a dielectric, the device comprising a material having an intrinsic electrical property altered by an external condition, alteration of the electrical property remotely detectably varying at least one characteristic of the circuit selected from resonant frequency, harmonic spectra and Q factor;
- b. exposing the device to the external condition;
- c. wirelessly measuring the characteristic;
- and
- d. based on the measured characteristic, determining the external condition.
A method of determining location comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a plurality of devices, each device comprising
- a coil and a capacitor forming a circuit having a resonant frequency;
- b. electrically exciting the devices to produce interacting electrical signals;
- c. sensing the signals as a function of time;
- and
- d. based thereon, determining a location of at least one of the devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.