Abstract: The invention includes a system to determine body surface area (BSA) or volume of an animal that can be used to determine a health status of the animal. The system has a plurality of integrated measuring devices such as radar or infrared sensors. The measuring devices are mounted within a confined space. A plurality of measurements is taken along vertically oriented sections or slices of the animal as the animal passes by the confined space. The measurements are combined and numerically converted to BSA or volume estimations. The health status can be derived as a direct relation to BSA or volume, or changes in BSA or volume over a selected time period.

Abstract: Radio-frequency transmission and reception circuitry is adapted for use with a high-quality-factor antenna. On the transmission side, control circuitry is provided to maintain resonance at the transmission frequency. On the reception side, multiple receive paths are independently controllable for temporal alignment.

Abstract: The invention includes a location tracking device in an RFID environment, a system and method for tracking tag objects. Preferred embodiments include location tracking for livestock and a system and method for categorizing animal health. The location tracking device is an active or passive RFID device having a low power, long range transceiver for tracking the location and movement of the tag animal. The RFID device further includes a temperature reader circuit that induces an activation voltage on an inductive coupled temperature sensor having an LC circuit. The activation voltage is selectively cycled on and off to measure the decay of the LC circuit by its resonant frequency. Changes in capacitance of the LC circuit are converted to temperature readings thereby providing temperature monitoring of the animal. The system and method includes logic in the form of predetermined movement categories which indicate whether an animal may be potentially sick or healthy.

Abstract: A secure dual frequency RFID device is provided. The secure RFID device includes a standard high frequency RFID transponder and a low-frequency authenticator. When the high-frequency transponder is activated, it generates a command signal to turn on the low-frequency authenticator, which in turn generates its own low frequency coded transponder signal. High and low frequency readers accept the respective transponder signals and system software confirms the identity of a tagged object using both signals. The authenticator may include a MEMs device or an ASIC. An authentication code generator generates a programmed sequence of authentication signals taking advantage of one or more authenticator parameters including capacitance, resistance, and/or RF frequency. Another embodiment includes a gaming piece housing the RFID device. Another embodiment includes a method of determining locations of gaming pieces on a gaming board, while yet another embodiment includes a gaming device with RFID tagged gaming pieces.

Abstract: Radio-frequency transmission and reception circuitry is adapted for use with a high-quality-factor antenna. On the transmission side, control circuitry is provided to maintain resonance at the transmission frequency. On the reception side, multiple receive paths are independently controllable for temporal and amplitude alignment.

Abstract: A biomedical implant includes a wall enclosing at least a portion of the implant. The wall includes a first stratum and a second stratum conformal with the first stratum. An interlayer is provided between the first and the second strata, and includes a structure that produces capillary pressure in an infiltrating fluid in response to rupture of the first stratum or the second stratum resulting in entry of the infiltrating fluid into the interlayer. A detector is exposed to the interlayer and configured to detect a presence, if any, of the infiltrating fluid and output a detection state indicator. A communication circuit is communicatively coupled to the detector and configured to communicate the detection state indicator to a reader external to the patient.

Abstract: Radio-frequency transmission and reception circuitry is adapted for use with a high-quality-factor antenna. On the transmission side, control circuitry is provided to maintain resonance at the transmission frequency. On the reception side, multiple receive paths are independently controllable for temporal and amplitude alignment.