Abstract:
A device and method for sensing linear displacements between a first member (101) and a second member (102) on a same axis (108). The second member (102) substantially encompasses the first member (101). To sense the linear displacements, an optical code pattern (103) is placed on the first member (101) and an encircling optical sensor (104) is placed on the second member (102). The encircling optical sensor (104) includes light transmitting (106) and receiving (107) paths that transmit and receive light to/from the optical code pattern (103). The light received from the optical code pattern (103) is sent to a displacement calculation device (105) that determines the linear displacement of the first member (101) with respect to the second member (102). Using this technique, linear displacements of the first member (101) with respect to the second member (102) can be accurately measured in high temperature environments without adversely affecting electrical components associated with the displacement calculation device (105).
Abstract:
The organic MEMS according to the present invention comprises a polymeric substrate comprising a substrate surface including a first region and a second region. A polymer coating is applied to the first region to provide a coating surface that is spaced apart from the substrate surface. A terminal is disposed on the second region. A metallic trace is affixed to the coating surface such that the metallic trace forms a flexible extension over the second region. The extension has a rest position where the extension is spaced apart from the terminal, and a flexed position where the extension is disposed towards the terminal. An actuator is used to provide an electric field to deflect the extension from the rest position to the flexed position. By changing the spacing between the extension and the terminal, it is possible to change the electrical condition provided by the MEMS.
Abstract:
The organic MEMS according to the present invention comprises a polymeric substrate (12) comprising a substrate surface (16) including a first region (2) and a second region (24). A polymer coating (26) is applied to the first region to provide a coating surface that is spaced apart from the substrate surface. A terminal (18) is disposed in the second region. A metallic trace (28) is affixed to the coating surface such that the metallic trace forms a flexible extension over the second region. The extension has a rest position where the extension is spaced apart from the terminal, and a flexed position where the extension is disposed toward the terminal. An actuator (20) is used to provide an electric field to deflect the extension from the rest position to the flexed position. By changing the spacing between the extension and the terminal, it is possible to change the electrical condition provided by the MEMS.
Abstract:
A measurement device (103) and method determines various metrics between a vehicle (101) and a ground surface (105) using a transmitter-antenna (109) for emitting energy including a portion directed down toward the ground surface. A receiving antenna (115) has a portion oriented facing toward the transmitter-antenna for receiving a portion of the emitting energy along a direct path (117), and a portion oriented facing downwardly toward the ground surface for receiving a portion of the emitting energy reflected from the ground surface along a reflected path (113). A decoder provides separate indications of forward (121) and sideward (123) velocity relative to motion of the vehicle along the ground surface. Furthermore, the decoder comprises means for determining vehicle height (125) dependent on a measured difference in path length, vehicle level (127), or front to rear tilt angle, dependent on polarization elliptical ratio changes, and road surface conditions (129) dependent on amplitude and phase changes that occur versus time.
Abstract:
An RF tag (10) includes an RF receiver (16) and an RF transmitter (18). A power source (12) provides power to the receiver and transmitter. The power source includes a plurality of energy converters (22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32). Each energy converter is responsive to a predetermined form of incident energy for converting its respective predetermined form of incident energy to electrical current. At least two of the energy converters are responsive to respective different predetermined forms of incident energy for providing electrical current. A storage capacitor (54) stores the electrical current provided by the energy converters and is coupled to the RF receiver and RF transmitter. A plurality of RF tags (10, 110, 140, 160) utilizing the power source 12 are also described.
Abstract:
A tagging system (20) compensates for both resonant frequency spatial dependent shifts and resonant frequency dependent shifts for detecting data resonant circuits (DC1-DC6) on an RF tag (10) which is carried by a tagged object (34). The system includes at least one transmitter (26) and at least one receiver (28) for determining the actual resonant frequencies of reference resonant circuits (SC1-SC5, FC1-FC4) on the tag (10). A microprocessor controller (22), in response to the frequency difference between the undisturbed resonant frequencies of the reference resonant circuits and the actual resonant frequencies of the reference resonant circuits, provides compensating factors to compensate for the spatial and frequency effects of the resonant frequencies of the resonant circuits on the tag (10). The transmitter and receiver determine the actual resonant frequency of each data resonant circuit (DC1-DC6) on the tag (10). The microprocessor controller (22) then determines the undisturbed resonant frequencies of the data resonant circuits on tag (10) from the actual resonant frequencies of the data resonant circuits and the compensation factors.
Abstract:
A unitary flexible substrate (11) has three planar areas (12, 13, 14) with components (18, 19, 22) and conductors (15, 16, 17) carried thereon. The substrate is folded to provide a subassembly (10) with a compact packaging factor such that each planar area is in a different parallel plane. This compact package permits an efficient circuit board layout while preventing the non-desirable long conductor. Two conductor-carrying projections (27, 32) of the substrate extend from different end portions (12A, 13A) of the projections which are positioned adjacent to each other. Projection conductors (28, 29, 32A, 32B), at the projection distal ends, are soldered to each other to provide a more direct, low resistance electrical connection between conductors (15A, 15B, 16A, 16B) on the substrate end portions. Heat sink rigidizer plates (23, 24, 25) are attached to each of the three planar substrate portions. One rigidizer plate (24) is thermally and planarly coupled to a metal heat sink cover (49) of a protective housing (44) for the folded subassembly. The other rigidizer plates (23, 25) are planarly bonded to each other to form a unitary support structure for two (12, 14) of the planar substrate areas.
Abstract:
An RF tagging system including an RF tag (10, 30) and an RF tag reader (80). The RF tag includes a plurality of RF resonant circuits. Each RF resonant circuit is resonant at a different specific frequency. Each plurality of RF resonant circuits divided into a group of decoder circuits (12, 32) and a group of data RF circuits (14, 34). The group of data RF circuits have resonant frequencies corresponding to a predetermined identification code when the resonant frequencies of the data RF circuits are decoded in accordance to the one decoding modality. The RF tag reader detects the resonant frequencies of the decoder RF circuits to determine the one decoding modality. The RF tag reader is operative in each of the predetermined decoding modality. The decoder RF resonant circuits may also indicate the number of data RF resonant circuits on the RF tag. The RF tag reader determines the number of RF circuits from the decoder RF resonant circuits to confirm the accurate detection of the data RF resonant circuits.
Abstract:
Système d'étiquetage radioélectrique (10) possédant une pluralité de circuits résonnants (13) sur une étiquette (12). Lorsque l'étiquette (12) pénètre dans une zone de détection (14), le système détermine les fréquences de résonance de chacun des circuits résonnants (13) et produit un code correspondant. De préférence, la détection des fréquences de résonance s'effectue par rayonnement simultané de signaux à chacune des fréquences de résonance possibles de circuits (13) des étiquettes. Le système est utilisable pour coder tous types d'objets tels que les bagages ou les stocks affectés à la production. De préférence, les signaux rayonnés sont déphasés pendant le processus de détection, et l'on peut contrôler, en plus des signaux de l'émetteur, les signaux captés par les antennes réceptrices afin d'améliorer la fiabilité de la détection des circuits résonnants (13). On a également prévu une configuration préférée de réglage par paliers pour les métallisations capacitives (106, 110) des circuits résonnants. Afin d'émettre les signaux dans la zone de détection (14), on peut utiliser des antennes à faisceau focalisé (201) permettant un contrôle séparé de chaque emplacement de circuit résonnant sur l'étiquette. En outre, on a prévu un appareil (300) de production d'étiquettes à circuit résonnant personnalisées, en fonction d'un code d'entrée spécifié.
Abstract:
Module de circuit intégré (501), dans lequel sont enfermés des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs (107, 115), comprenant un boîtier (101) pourvu d'une surface intérieure (103) réfléchissant les ondes électromagnétiques. Un émetteur (105), monté sur un dispositif à semi-conducteurs (107), émet des signaux provenant d'un dispositif à semi-conducteurs (107). Un récepteur (113) d'ondes électromagnétiques est placé dans le boîtier (101), de façon à recevoir une onde émise par l'intermédiaire d'une surface réfléchissante (103), se déplaçant le long d'un chemin d'ondes électromagnétiques (117) et provenant de l'émetteur (105).