This power receiving-type information acquisition and transmission device 101 is provided with one or more power receiving means 110 which receive power supply waves that can supply power, one or more power storage means 120 which store power obtained by the power receiving means, one or more information acquisition means 130 which acquire information by expending at least part of the aforementioned power of the power receiving means 110 and/or the power storage means 120, and one or more information transmission means 140 which utilize the power from the power storage means 120 to transmit information externally. This enables regular or steady information collection, and enables transmitting said information stably, on a permanent basis and remotely, i.e., either over a short or long distance externally.

A method for locating a mobile element in a predetermined zone, including supplying power to an on-board module in the mobile element, where the on-board module includes an electronic circuit and an on-board coil, generating a locating signal by the electronic circuit and transmission of the locating signal via the on-board coil, picking up the locating signal by receiver coils on a support in proximity to the predetermined zone, each of the receiver coils configured to pick up the locating signal when the mobile element is in proximity, and determining a location of the mobile element in the predetermined zone by detecting a signal level on the support in the form of an array by a processing unit connected to the support. The electronic circuit and the on-board coil constitute an RLC circuit that oscillates, generating the locating signal by sudden interruption of the current through the on-board coil.

A target device for use with a switch device of a proximity switch has a wireless receiver means (6) for detecting and receiving a first pulsating signal (A) with a first carrier frequency (f1) from a nearby transmitter module (5), demodulating (6, 7) the received signal, and if a superimposed digital signal is present, inverting (9, 10, C4, and Q1) the superimposed received digital signal or, if the superimposed digital signal is absent, passing the existing energy through (10). The target device also has a wireless transmitter means (12) for modulating and sending the inverted pulse train if this exists by the second carrier frequency (f2) to the receiver switch unit (13). Additionally, the target comprises functionality to transmit the carrier frequency (f2) continuous and unmodulated where a continuous and unmodulated carrier frequency (f1) is present. However, upon existence of the pulsating signal only one of the receiver (6) and the transmitter (12) receives or transmits a signal at a given time.

Provided is a wireless tag communication device and a wireless tag search method capable of specifying a location where an RFID tag exists. According to one embodiment, a wireless tag communication device includes a communication device, a position detection sensor, a memory, and a processor. The communication device communicates with a wireless tag that is a target. The position detection sensor detects information indicating a self position. The memory stores the self position, which is specified based on the information detected by the position detection sensor, in association with a reading result of reading a wireless tag by the communication device. The processor specifies a position of the wireless tag based on reading results of the wireless tag obtained at a plurality of different positions that are stored in the memory.

There is described an interior positioning system for tracking spatial position of communication devices within a remote location. The interior positioning system generally has: a radio frequency network distributed through said remote location; beacons spaced-apart from one another throughout said remote location and powered by said radio frequency network, each beacon locally emitting a corresponding beacon identifier which when received by a nearby communication device is communicated over said radio frequency network by said communication device; and a tracking controller being communicatively coupled to said radio frequency network, said tracking controller stored thereon tracking data associating each of said beacon identifiers to respective spatial coordinates, and instructions that when executed perform the steps of: receiving said beacon identifier communicated over said radio frequency network by said communication device, and determining spatial coordinates of said communication device by cross referencing said received beacon identifier to said tracking data.

A method for identifying and ranging a wireless device, comprising: transmitting an original radar signal from a detecting system; in response to the original radar signal, receiving a modulated radar signal at the detecting system, the modulated radar signal being backscattered from an antenna of the wireless device and containing information pertaining to the wireless device, and the modulated radar signal being a frequency offset version of the original radar signal; and, using a processor at the detecting system, determining an identity and a range of the wireless device from the modulated radar signal.

A method for identifying and ranging a wireless device, comprising: transmitting an original radar signal from a detecting system; in response to the original radar signal, receiving a modulated radar signal at the detecting system, the modulated radar signal being backscattered from an antenna of the wireless device and containing information pertaining to the wireless device, and the modulated radar signal being a frequency offset version of the original radar signal; and, using a processor at the detecting system, determining an identity and a range of the wireless device from the modulated radar signal.

The invention relates to a ranging system for measuring the distance between an interrogator and a transponder. The transponder includes: a signal receiver for receiving a challenge signal from an interrogator; a signal processor for processing the challenge signal and generating a response signal in response to the challenge signal; a buffer for storing the response signal generated by the signal processor; and a signal transmitter for sending the response signal stored in the buffer when the signal processor receives a ranging signal from the interrogator, wherein a time interval between the challenge signal and the ranging signal is known to both transponder and the interrogator.

A multi-protocol, multi-band array antenna system may be used in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system reader and sensory networks. The antenna array may include array elements with an integrated low noise amplifier. The system may employ digital beam forming techniques for transmission and steering of a beam to a specific sensor tag or group of tags in a cell. The receive beam forming network is optimized for detecting signals from each sensor tag. Narrow and wideband interferences may be excised by an interference nulling algorithm. Space division multiplexing may be used by the antenna system to enhance system processing capacity.

A mobile device determines its location accurately by measuring the range to a position reflector as well as azimuth and elevation angles of arrival (AOA) at the reflector. The mobile can transmit a coded radar signal and process reflections to determine its location. The reflectors may include internal delays that can identify the reflector and provide transmit/receive separation for the mobile. The reflection can include a primary and further delayed secondary reflection. The mobile can determine the internal delay of the reflector based on the delay between primary and secondary reflections. The range and AOA information can be combined with information about the position, orientation, and characteristics of the reflectors to determine location. In some systems, the mobile device can determine its location in a three-dimensional space using reflections from only one reflector. The reflectors, which can be economically produced, can be unpowered and low profile for easy installation.