Frequency divider with single resonant circuit and use thereof as a

Abstract

A batteryless, portable, frequency divider, consisting of a single resonant circuit including a nonlinear inductor having a core made of amorphous magnetic material; and a capacitance connected in series with the inductor to define a resonant circuit that detects electromagnetic radiation at a first predetermined frequency and responds to said detection by transmitting electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency that is a subharmonic of the first frequency. The resonant circuit may further include a second inductor connected in series with the nonlinear inductor and the capacitance to define the resonant circuit. The core of the nonlinear inductor includes an elongated thin flat ribbon of low coercivity amorphous magnetic material. It has been observed that the resonant circuit exhibits a bifurcated frequency-division characteristic in relation to the amplitude of the detected electromagnetic radiation at the first predetermined frequency, whereby additional frequency divisions occur as the amplitude is increased. This bifurcation characteristic is utilized in a presence detection system that uses a tag containing the frequency divider. The system transmits electromagnetic radiation at the first frequency into a surveillance zone and detects multiple subharmonic frequencies to detect the presence of the tag in the surveillance zone.