Apparatus including a first transmission line for transmitting radio frequency, RF, signals and at least one RF device including at least one active semiconductor device for processing RF signals, wherein said at least one RF device is coupled to said first transmission line, and wherein said first transmission line includes an electro-chromic, EC, material a permittivity of which can be controlled by applying a first control voltage to said first transmission line.

A communication system transmits a data signal between a transmitter and a receiver. A service provider operates the communication system for a client. When the data signal is received at the receiver, the data signal is decoded and the service provider decides whether the decoded data signal is accurate or whether the decoded data signal should be rejected. The service provider transmits the decoded data signal and its determination as to its accuracy to the client. Metadata including information about the transmission of the data signal is also provided to the client so that the client can make its own determination regarding whether to accept or reject the decoded data signal.

An Ethernet physical layer (PHY) transceiver includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is configured to precode a first data stream by summing two or more mutually-delayed replicas of the first data stream, and to transmit the precoded first data stream over a full-duplex wired channel to a peer Ethernet PHY transceiver. The receiver is configured to receive a second data stream from the peer Ethernet PHY transceiver over the full-duplex wired channel, and to decode the received second data stream while the transmitter concurrently is transmitting the precoded first data stream.

An Ethernet physical layer (PHY) transceiver includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is configured to precode a first data stream by summing two or more mutually-delayed replicas of the first data stream, and to transmit the precoded first data stream over a full-duplex wired channel to a peer Ethernet PHY transceiver. The receiver is configured to receive a second data stream from the peer Ethernet PHY transceiver over the full-duplex wired channel, and to decode the received second data stream while the transmitter concurrently is transmitting the precoded first data stream.

The unidirectional data transfer system (3) comprises a data emitting device (5), a data receiving device (6) and a first unidirectional wire link (7) connecting the emitting and receiving devices such that the data passes from the emitting device to the receiving device.

The first wire link includes a non-controllable unidirectional component (8) and the unidirectional transfer system further includes a device (19a, 19b, 20) for monitoring the quality of the transferred data.

The unidirectional data transfer system (3) comprises a data emitting device (5), a data receiving device (6) and a first unidirectional wire link (7) connecting the emitting and receiving devices such that the data passes from the emitting device to the receiving device.

The first wire link includes a non-controllable unidirectional component (8) and the unidirectional transfer system further includes a device (19a, 19b, 20) for monitoring the quality of the transferred data.

A node of a radio frequency waveguide system can include a waveguide interface, a signal splitter, a power rectifier and conditioner, a communication filter, and a network processor. The waveguide interface is configured to communicate through a waveguide in the radio frequency waveguide system. The signal splitter is configured to split a radio frequency transmission received at the waveguide interface between a power path and a communications path within the node. The power rectifier and conditioner are configured to produce a conditioned power signal based on power received through the power path. The communication filter of the communications path is configured to produce a filtered communication signal. The network processor is powered by the conditioned power signal and configured to extract encoded information from the filtered communication signal.

A node of a radio frequency waveguide system can include a waveguide interface, a signal splitter, a power rectifier and conditioner, a communication filter, and a network processor. The waveguide interface is configured to communicate through a waveguide in the radio frequency waveguide system. The signal splitter is configured to split a radio frequency transmission received at the waveguide interface between a power path and a communications path within the node. The power rectifier and conditioner are configured to produce a conditioned power signal based on power received through the power path. The communication filter of the communications path is configured to produce a filtered communication signal. The network processor is powered by the conditioned power signal and configured to extract encoded information from the filtered communication signal.

A data collection system includes a plurality of sensor modules each provided with a sensor unit, and a data collecting device. The data collecting device (200) is provided with: a clock output unit (201) which outputs a clock signal; an enable signal output unit (202) which outputs to a prescribed sensor module (100) an enable signal at intervals equal to or greater than the number of clock signals corresponding to the number of sensor modules (100); a counter (203) which counts the number of clock signals; and a sensor signal input unit (205) into which data output by the sensor modules (100) is input via a bus line, and which records said data in association with the count value. Using the clock signal as a trigger, each sensor module (100) functions as a shift register feeding the enable signal to the subsequent stage sensor module (100), and each sensor module (100) outputs output data from the sensor unit (110) in said sensor module (100) to the sensor signal input unit (205) only when the enable signal has been fed to said sensor module (100).

A data collection system includes a plurality of sensor modules each provided with a sensor unit, and a data collecting device. The data collecting device (200) is provided with: a clock output unit (201) which outputs a clock signal; an enable signal output unit (202) which outputs to a prescribed sensor module (100) an enable signal at intervals equal to or greater than the number of clock signals corresponding to the number of sensor modules (100); a counter (203) which counts the number of clock signals; and a sensor signal input unit (205) into which data output by the sensor modules (100) is input via a bus line, and which records said data in association with the count value. Using the clock signal as a trigger, each sensor module (100) functions as a shift register feeding the enable signal to the subsequent stage sensor module (100), and each sensor module (100) outputs output data from the sensor unit (110) in said sensor module (100) to the sensor signal input unit (205) only when the enable signal has been fed to said sensor module (100).