Xilinx, Inc.

Rfmicron, Inc.

Ahmed Younis

Shahriar Rokhsaz

Brian David Young

Brian Taylor Brunn

Marwan M Hassoun

Michael A Nix

John James Paulos

Moises Emanuel Robinson

Abhay Misra

Benjamin Cooke

Firas Najeh Abughazaleh

Guanghui Hu

Martin Gutierrez

Jinghui Lu

Stephen D Anderson

Michael Ren Kent

Yvette P Lee

Kazi S Hossain

A method includes processing, by a processing module of a data logging device, a plurality of log commands. The processing of a log command of the plurality of log commands includes obtaining a measure of an environmental condition. The processing further includes updating a status of the environmental condition based on the measure of an environmental condition. The method further includes determining, by the processing module, the updated status of the environmental condition after the plurality of log commands have been processed. When the updated status of the environmental condition is favorable, the method further includes generating, by the processing module, a favorable environmental condition signal.

Data logging with pass indication

A method includes establishing, by a data logging device, a sleep mode. The method further includes receiving, by a processing module of the data logging device, a second activation command that causes the data logging device to transition to a standby mode. The method further includes receiving, by the processing module, a third activation command that causes the data logging device to transition to a ready mode. The method further includes receiving, by the processing module, a fourth activation command that causes the data logging device to transition to a logging mode. In the logging mode, the method further includes obtaining, by the processing module, a log command. In response to the log command, the method further includes obtaining, by the processing module, a measure of an environmental condition. The method further includes storing the measure of the environmental condition in memory of the data logging device.

Method and apparatus of data logging

A method includes varying, by a tuning module of a passive radio RFID sensor, a reactive component impedance coupled to the tuning module and an antenna of the passive RFID sensor in order to change a system impedance. The method further includes producing an impedance value representative of the reactive component's impedance. The method further includes storing, by a memory module of the passive RFID sensor, the impedance value, identification information corresponding to the antenna, and a timestamp corresponding to the impedance value. The method further includes communicating, by a wireless communication module of the passive RFID sensor, the impedance value, the identification information, and the timestamp to an RFID reader. When the impedance value, the identification information, and the timestamp indicate an unfavorable environmental condition, the method further includes generating, by the RFID reader, an alarm signal.

Method and apparatus for sensing environmental parameters using wireless sensor(s)

A power harvesting circuit a p-channel circuit, an n-channel circuit, an AC capacitance circuit, and an output capacitance circuit. The p-channel circuit includes a first diode element and a first start-up current circuit operably coupled to increase start-up current of the first diode element. The n-channel circuit includes a second diode element and a second start-up current circuit operably coupled to increase start-up current of the second diode element. The AC coupling capacitance circuit is coupled to the p-channel circuit and the n-channel circuit. The output capacitance circuit is coupled to the p-channel circuit and the n-channel circuit.

Power harvesting circuit and applications thereof

A power harvesting circuit, a rectifier circuit and a capacitor. The rectifier circuit includes a diode circuit and a diode voltage reduction circuit. The diode circuit passes a current when a received RF signal has a first polarity and to substantially blocks the current when the received RF signal has a second polarity. The diode voltage reduction circuit is operably coupled to reduce a voltage drop of the diode circuit. The capacitor is operably coupled to convert the rectified signal into a DC supply voltage.

A method begins by a first radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, that is associated with a first object element, receiving a first data request signal from an RFID reader and sending a first radio frequency (RF) signal that includes first data to the RFID reader in response to the first data request signal. The method continues with a second RFID sensor receiving a second data request signal from, and sending second data to, the RFID reader. The method continues with the RFID reader sending a representation of the first and second data to a data processing unit, which processes the representation of the first and second data to determine a first and second data point regarding first and second object elements. The method continues by the data processing unit processing the first and second data points to determine an environmental relationship between the first and second object elements.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tag(s) and sensor(s)

A passive radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor includes at least one antenna. The least one antenna has an antenna impedance operable to vary within an environment in which the antenna is placed. The RFID sensor further includes a processing module coupled to the antenna comprising a tuning module coupled to the antenna. The tuning module is operable to vary a reactive component impedance coupled to the antenna in order to change a system impedance, the system impedance includes the antenna impedance and the reactive component's impedance, to produce an impedance value representative of the reactive component's impedance. The RFID sensor further includes a memory module operable to store the impedance value representative of the reactive component's impedance, and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing module, operable to communicate with an RFID reader and to exchange the impedance value representative of the reactive component's impedance with the RFID reader.

A power harvesting circuit a p-channel circuit, an n-channel circuit, an AC capacitance circuit, and an output capacitance circuit. The p-channel circuit includes a first diode element, a first diode voltage reduction circuit coupled to reduce a diode voltage of the first diode element, and a first start-up current circuit operably coupled to increase start-up current of the first diode element. The n-channel circuit includes a second diode element, a second diode voltage reduction circuit coupled to reduce a diode voltage of the second diode element, and a second start-up current circuit operably coupled to increase start-up current of the second diode element. The AC coupling capacitance circuit is coupled to the p-channel circuit and the n-channel circuit. The output capacitance circuit is coupled to the p-channel circuit and the n-channel circuit.

A power harvesting circuit, a rectifier circuit and a capacitor. The rectifier circuit includes a diode circuit, a diode voltage reduction circuit, and a start up current circuit. The diode circuit passes a current when a received RF signal has a first polarity and to substantially blocks the current when the received RF signal has a second polarity. The diode voltage reduction circuit is operably coupled to reduce a voltage drop of the diode circuit. The start up current circuit operably coupled to reduce the start up current of the diode voltage reduction circuit and/or the diode circuit. The capacitor is operably coupled to convert the rectified signal into a DC supply voltage.

A wireless sensor includes an antenna, a sensing element, a tuning circuit, a processing module, a reference circuit block, and a transmitter. The tuning circuit adjusts the RF front-end to compensation for a change in a characteristic of the RF front end caused by the sensing element. The reference circuit block generates a signal based on a low voltage low frequency input that corresponds to a second environmental condition. The processing module generates a first digital value based on the adjustment to the RF front-end, where the first digital value is a representation of the first environmental condition, and generate a second digital value based on the signal, where the second digital value is a representation of the second environmental condition. The transmitter generates the outbound RF signal that includes at least one of the first and second digital values.

A passive radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor is provided. This passive RFID sensor includes at least one antenna, at least one processing module, and a wireless communication module. The at least one antenna has an impedance that may vary with an environment in which the sensor is placed. Additionally, the antenna impedance might be permanently changed in response to an environmental variation or an event. The at least one processing module couples to the antenna and has a tuning module that may vary a reactive component impedance coupled to the antenna in order to change a system impedance. The system impedance includes both the antenna impedance and the reactive component impedance. The tuning module then produces an impedance value representative of the reactive component impedance. A memory module may store the impedance value which may then later be communicated to an RFID reader via the wireless communication module. The RFID reader may then exchange the impedance value representative of the reactive components of impedance with the RFID reader such that the RFID reader or another external processing unit may process the impedance value in order to determine environmental conditions at the inductive loop. These environmental conditions may include but are not limited to temperature, humidity, wetness, or proximity of the RFID reader to the passive RFID sensor.

A method and apparatus for combining an alternating current (AC) coupling technique with a low frequency restoration technique to provide AC coupling with low frequency restoration of the attenuated low frequency content. The low frequency restoration circuit operates to extract low frequency information prior to being high-pass filtered by the AC coupling circuit. The low frequency restoration circuit then buffers the low frequency information through a low frequency restoration amplifier, applies a programmable common mode voltage to the buffered, low frequency information, and then restores the buffered, common mode adjusted, low frequency information to the output of the AC coupling circuit.

Method and apparatus for a direct current (DC) coupled input buffer

A high-speed, wide bandwidth data detection circuit includes a phase detection module, a data detection module, a loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator. The phase detection module is operably coupled to produce a controlled current based on a current mode mathematical manipulation of differences between an incoming data stream and a recovered clock. The phase detection module performs the current mode mathematical manipulations and produces the controlled current in the current domain. The data detection module is operably coupled to produce the detected data based on the incoming data stream and the recovered clock. The loop filter is operably coupled to convert the controlled current into a controlled voltage. The voltage controlled oscillator is operably coupled to convert the control voltage into the recovered clock.

High-speed wide bandwidth data detection circuit

A data density independent clock and data recovery system includes a lock phase adjust charge pump operably coupled to receive phase information and transition information from a phase detector and to produce a current signal, responsive to the phase information and transition information, to a loop filter that converts the current signal to a control voltage signal operably coupled to a voltage controlled oscillator that produces a clock signal to the phase detector based on the control voltage signal. The lock phase adjust charge pump includes a phase charge pump, a transition charge pump, a programmable DC bias current sink, and two programmable offset bias current sinks. The transition charge pump includes a programmable transition current sink. The control logic operates under external control to adjust the currents conducted by the transition charge pump, the programmable DC bias current sink, and the two programmable offset bias current sinks.

Method and apparatus for data density-independent phase adjustment in a clock and data recovery system

A multiplying phase detector includes a 1multiplier, a 2multiplier and a phase error generation module. The 1multiplier is operably coupled to multiple an incoming data stream, which is a random data pattern, with a 1clock, which is in-phase with the incoming stream of data and is one-half the rate of the incoming stream of data, to produce a 1product. In this instance, the 1product represents missing transitions in the incoming stream of data. The 2multiplier is operably coupled to multiply the 1product with the incoming data stream to produce a modified stream of data. The phase error generation module is operably coupled to generate a phase error based on the modified stream of data and a 2clock, where the phase error represents a phase offset between the modified stream of data and the 2clock.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Ahmed Younis