Capacitively powered portable communication device and associated exciter/reader and related method

A capacitively coupled data communication system comprising:

• a portable communication device comprising:
• a circuit coupled to an external ground potential;
• and
• an antenna element electrically coupled to the circuit;
• an exciter device comprising:
• an exciter circuit which produces an excitation signal that powers up the portable communication device;
• an exciter antenna element coupled to the exciter circuit and capacitively coupled to the antenna element of the portable communication device;
• a receiver antenna element capacitively coupled to the antenna element of the portable communication device, and which receives data signals transmitted by the portable communication device;
• and
• a receiver circuit which is coupled to receive data signals received from the receiver antenna element.

A capacitively coupled data communication system comprising:

• a portable communication device comprising:
• a circuit;
• and
• a first antenna element and a second antenna element each of which is electrically coupled to the circuit and each of which is isolated from the other;
• an exciter device comprising:
• an exciter circuit which produces at least one excitation signal that powers up the portable communication device;
• an antenna array which includes exciter antenna elements;
• a receiver antenna element which receives data signals transmitted by the portable communication device;
• a receiver circuit which is coupled to receive data signals received from the receiver antenna element;
• a control circuit which selectively connects at least one exciter antenna element of the antenna array to the exciter circuit;
• and
• a plurality of sensors disposed adjacent to the array of exciter antenna elements, the plurality of sensors arranged to detect the presence and direction of motion of the portable communication device, wherein the control circuit is further arranged to selectively connect one or more exciter antenna elements of the array based upon the portable communication device motion sensed by at least one of the plurality of sensors.

A capacitively coupled data communication system comprising:

• a portable communication device comprising:
• a circuit;
• and
• a first antenna element and a second antenna element each of which is electrically coupled to the circuit and each of which is isolated from the other;
• an exciter device comprising:
• an exciter circuit which produces at least one excitation signal that powers up the portable communication device;
• an antenna array which includes exciter antenna elements;
• a receiver antenna element which receives data signals transmitted by the portable communication device;
• a receiver circuit which is coupled to receive data signals received from the receiver antenna element;
• and
• a control circuit which selectively connects at least one exciter antenna element of the antenna array to the exciter circuit,
• wherein multiple sensor elements are disposed about a periphery of the array of exciter antenna elements, the multiple sensor elements arranged to detect the presence and direction of motion of the portable communication device.

A capacitively coupled data communication system comprising:

• a portable communication device comprising:
• a circuit;
• and
• a first antenna element and a second antenna element each of which is electrically coupled to the circuit and each of which is isolated from the other;
• an exciter device comprising:
• an exciter circuit which produces at least one excitation signal that powers up the portable communication device;
• an antenna array which comprises exciter antenna elements, wherein the exciter antenna elements are excited in a dynamically changing pattern;
• and
• a control circuit which selectively connects at least one exciter antenna element of the antenna array to the exciter circuit.

A method comprising the steps of:

• at a first device:
• providing a first antenna element;
• generating an electric voltage signal on the first antenna element;
• and
• transmitting an electric field signal via the first antenna element and an external ground potential;
• and
• at a second device:
• providing a device antenna element and a circuit, wherein the circuit is coupled to the external ground potential;
• and
• receiving energy from the electric field via the device antenna element.

A device comprising:

• an exciter circuit coupled to an external ground potential, wherein the exciter circuit produces an electrostatic excitation signal that capacitively powers a second device;
• an exciter antenna element coupled to the exciter circuit;
• a receiver circuit coupled to the external ground potential, wherein the receiver circuit capacitively couples to the second device to receive data signals transmitted from the second device;
• and
• a receiver antenna element coupled to the receiver circuit.

A remotely powered device comprising:

• an antenna element having a dimension;
• and
• a circuit coupled to the antenna element and an external ground potential, for receiving energy from an excitation signal having a wavelength via the antenna element,
• wherein the dimension of the antenna element is independent of the wavelength of the excitation signal.

A capacitively coupled system comprising:

• an exciter device comprising:
• an exciter circuit coupled to an external ground potential;
• an exciter antenna element coupled to the exciter circuit;
• a receiver circuit coupled to the external ground potential;
• a receiver antenna element coupled to the receiver circuit;
• and
• a remotely powered device comprising:
• a device antenna element capacitively coupled to the exciter antenna element and the receiver antenna element;
• and
• a circuit couples to the device antenna element and to the external ground potential.

A device comprising:

• an antenna element;
• and
• a circuit coupled to the antenna element and operably coupled to an external ground potential,
• wherein the circuit accepts energy received by the antenna element, and
• wherein the antenna element is not required to be resonant with respect to a frequency.