Patents Assigned to X-Cyte, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8274373
    Abstract: An enhanced backscatter RF-ID tag reader system and multiprotocol RF tag reader system is provided. In a multiprotocol mode, the system emits a non-stationary interrogation signal, and decodes a phase modulated backscatter signal by detecting a stronger phase component from quadrature phase representations or determining phase transition edges in a phase of a received signal. The RF tag reader system predicts or follows the phase of the backscatter signal, thereby avoiding interference from nulls in the received signal waveform due to the non-stationary interrogation signal, relative movement or environmental effects. An acoustic RF-ID tag detection system detects the reradiated signal corresponding to respective transformation of a signal in the tag. Detection of either type of RF-ID tags therefore is possible, and the absence of any tag or absence of any valid tag also determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 7741956
    Abstract: An enhanced backscatter RF-ID tag reader system and multiprotocol RF tag reader system is provided. In a multiprotocol mode, the system emits a non-stationary interrogation signal, and decodes a phase modulated backscatter signal by detecting a stronger phase component from quadrature phase representations or determining phase transition edges in a phase of a received signal. The RF tag reader system predicts or follows the phase of the backscatter signal, thereby avoiding interference from nulls in the received signal waveform due to the non-stationary interrogation signal, relative movement or environmental effects. An acoustic RF-ID tag detection system detects the reradiated signal corresponding to respective transformation of a signal in the tag. Detection of either type of RF-ID tags therefore is possible, and the absence of any tag or absence of any valid tag also determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 7715830
    Abstract: The present invention permits safeguarding of private data entered into a memory chip of a cell phone by permitting the cell phone owner to erase the data in a lost or stolen phone, using an preset erase code and erase command in the cell phone or the network base station, and disabling or erasing circuitry on the memory chip, preferably an EEPROM chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Cocita
  • Patent number: 7394878
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a dominant frequency contained in a multi-frequency analog signal. An apparatus includes a first matched filter pair and a second a second matched filter pair. Both the first matched filter pair and the second matched filter pair are configured to receive in-phase (I-phase) and quadrature-phase (Q-phase) digital samples of a digitized multi-frequency analog signal. The summed magnitudes of outputs of the first and second matched filter pairs provide an indication of a dominant frequency represented in the digital samples. The first matched filter pair may include first and second matched filters, where the first matched filter includes a multiplier operable to multiply, on a sample-by-sample basis, a sample by a coefficient. A sample comprises an n-bit digital representation of either the I-phase amplitude or the Q-phase amplitude at a given instant. The coefficients are the terms required to complete the matching functions (e.g. 1-bit Walsh coefficients).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Nysen, Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 7233791
    Abstract: The present invention permits safeguarding of private data entered into a memory chip of a cell phone by permitting the cell phone owner to erase the data in a lost or stolen phone, using an preset erase code and erase command in the cell phone or the network base station, and disabling or erasing circuitry on the memory chip, preferably an EEPROM chip. Further, a user of the cell phone may obtain information of a person or entity, via a cellular communications network, by dialing a directory assistance number and requesting information associated with the name of the person or entity the user has requested information of. The information may be provided to the user in the form of a vcard and may include, among other information, telephone and facsimile numbers, mailing addresses, instant messaging addresses, maps or directions, digital photos or videos, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventors: Alicia Marie Gilbert, Keith Cocita
  • Patent number: 7132778
    Abstract: An acoustic wave identification transponder device, having a substrate, an electroacoustic transfer generating an acoustic wave in said substrate and a set of encoding elements disposed in a path of the acoustic wave for modifying the acoustic wave, having elements which reflect portions of the acoustic wave having a component orthogonal to the incident wave. The reflectors may be, for example, trackchangers or reflective arrays compressors (RAC). The wave may be phase-amplitude modulated for increased efficiency expressed in bits per tap. Such phase amplitude modulation is preferably imposed by partial beam width phase delay elements disposed within an acoustic beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Nysen, Halvor Skeie
  • Patent number: 7054624
    Abstract: The present invention permits safeguarding of private data entered into a memory chip of a cell phone by permitting the cell phone owner to erase the data in a lost or stolen phone, using an preset erase code and erase command in the cell phone or the network base station, and disabling or erasing circuitry on the memory chip, preferably an EEPROM chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: X-CYTE, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Cocita
  • Patent number: 7023323
    Abstract: A system and method for interrogating a passive acoustic transponder, producing a transponder signal having characteristic set of signal perturbations in response to an interrogation signal, comprising a signal generator, producing an interrogation signal having a plurality of differing frequencies; a receiver, for receiving the transponder signal; a mixer, for mixing the transponder signal with a signal corresponding to the interrogation signal, to produce a mixed output; an integrator, integrating the mixed output to define an integrated phase-amplitude response of the received transponder signal; and an analyzer, receiving a plurality of integrated phase-amplitude responses corresponding to the plurality of differing frequencies, for determining the characteristic set of signal perturbations of the passive acoustic transponder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6995654
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the location of an item from a plurality of like items, using matching paging devices and passive transponder tags on each item. The unique code number (IC) of the tag is programmed into its matching paging device. The paging device operates remote control location functions. The tags are preferably passive acoustic wave transponders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Nysen
  • Patent number: 6950009
    Abstract: An enhanced backscatter RF-ID tag reader system and multiprotocol RF tag reader system is provided. In a multiprotocol mode, the system emits a non-stationary interrogation signal, and decodes a phase modulated backscatter signal by detecting a stronger phase component from quadrature phase representations or determining phase transition edges in a phase of a received signal. The RF tag reader system predicts or follows the phase of the backscatter signal, thereby avoiding interference from nulls in the received signal waveform due to the non-stationary interrogation signal, relative movement or environmental effects. An acoustic RF-ID tag detection system detects the reradiated signal corresponding to respective transformation of a signal in the tag. Detection of either type of RF-ID tags therefore is possible, and the absence of any tag or absence of any valid tag also determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6775616
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a location. The system employs encoded information devices dispersed through the environment, each having a non-unique code associated therewith. The codes from the encoded information devices are acquired as a reading device passes nearby, and stored. The codes from a proximate set of information devices are correlated with a map or mapping relation to determine one or more consistent positions within the environment. The information devices are preferably passive acoustic wave transponders, and the mapping relation may be a pseudorandom sequence or a defined map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6633226
    Abstract: A system and method for interrogating a passive acoustic transponder, producing a transponder signal having characteristic set of signal perturbations in response to an interrogation signal, comprising a signal generator, producing an interrogation signal having a plurality of differing frequencies; a receiver, for receiving the transponder signal; a mixer, for mixing the transponder signal with a signal corresponding to the interrogation signal, to produce a mixed output; an integrator, integrating the mixed output to define an integrated phase-amplitude response of the received transponder signal; and an analyzer, receiving a plurality of integrated phase-amplitude responses corresponding to the plurality of differing frequencies, for determining the characteristic set of signal perturbations of the passive acoustic transponder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6611758
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a location. The system employs encoded information devices dispersed through the environment, each having, a non-unique code associated therewith. The codes from the encoded information devices are acquired as a reading device passes nearby, and stored. The codes from a proximate set of information devices are correlated with a map or mapping relation to determine one or more consistent positions within the environment. The information devices are preferably passive acoustic wave transponders and the mapping relation may be a pseudorandom sequence or a defined map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6611224
    Abstract: A backscatter transponder interrogator, comprising a transmitter, emitting an interrogation signal for interacting with a backscatter transponder within an interrogation field, a plurality of antennas, each having a different and complementary property, such that a backscatter response from a backscatter transponder is likely to be preferentially received by at least one of said at least two antennas, a receiver, selecting an output from a selected antenna, and demodulating the backscatter response to produce an information signal, and a digitally controlled oscillator, producing an output controlling said transmitter and employed by said receiver to demodulate the backscatter response. The interrogator may have a plurality of transmit antennas. The antennas may have respectively different polarization properties, e.g., horizontal and vertical polarization. The interrogator may implement null steered polarization cancellation to distinguish between backscatter transponders within the interrogation field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Nysen, Halvor Skeie
  • Patent number: 6580358
    Abstract: An enhanced backscatter RF-ID tag reader system and multiprotocol RF tag reader system is provided. In a multiprotocol mode, the system emits a non-stationary interrogation signal, and decodes a phase modulated backscatter signal by detecting a stronger phase component from quadrature phase representations or determining phase transition edges in a phase of a received signal. The RF tag reader system predicts or follows the phase of the backscatter signal, thereby avoiding interference from nulls in the received signal waveform due to the non-stationary in terrogation signal, relative movement or environmental effects. An acoustic RF-ID tag detection system detects the reradiated signal corresponding to respective transformation of a signal in the tag. Detection of either type of RF-ID tags therefore is possible, and the absence of any tag or absence of any valid tag also determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6531957
    Abstract: An enhanced backscatter RF-ID tag reader system and multiprotocol RF tag reader system is provided. In a multiprotocol mode, the system emits a non-stationary interrogation signal, and decodes a phase modulated backscatter signal by detecting a stronger phase component from quadrature phase representations or determining phase transition edges in a phase of a received signal. The RF tag reader system predicts or follows the phase of the backscatter signal, thereby avoiding interference from nulls in the received signal waveform due to the non-stationary interrogation signal, relative movement or environmental effects. An acoustic RF-ID tag detection system detects the reradiated signal corresponding to respective transformation of a signal in the tag. Detection of either type of RF-ID tags therefore is possible, and the absence of any tag or absence of any valid tag also determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6433671
    Abstract: An enhanced backscatter RF-ID tag reader system and multiprotocol RF tag reader system is provided. In a multiprotocol mode, the system emits a non-stationary interrogation signal, and decodes a phase modulated backscatter signal by detecting a stronger phase component from quadrature phase representations or determining phase transition edges in a phase of a received signal. The RF tag reader system predicts or follows the phase of the backscatter signal, thereby avoiding interference from nulls in the received signal waveform due to the non-stationary interrogation signal, relative movement or environmental effects. An acoustic RF-ID tag detection system detects the reradiated signal corresponding to respective transformation of a signal in the tag. Detection of either type of RF-DD tags therefore is possible, and the absence of any tag or absence of any valid tag also determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6424916
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a location. The system employs encoded information devices dispersed through the environment, each having a non-unique code associated therewith. The codes from the encoded information devices are acquired as a reading device passes nearby, and stored. The codes from a proximate set of information devices are correlated with a map or mapping relation to determine one or more consistent positions within the environment. The information devices are preferably passive acoustic wave transponders, and the mapping relation may be a pseudorandom sequence or a defined map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Patent number: 6388360
    Abstract: An acoustic wave identification transponder device, having a substrate, an electroacoustic transducer generating an acoustic wave in said substrate and a set of encoding elements disposed in a path of the acoustic wave for modifying the acoustic wave, having elements which reflect portions of the acoustic wave having a component orthogonal to the incident wave. The reflectors may be, for example, trackchangers or reflective arrays compressors (RAC). The wave may be phase-amplitude modulated for increased efficiency expressed in bits per tap. Such phase amplitude modulation is preferably imposed by partial beam width phase delay elements disposed within an acoustic beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: X-Cyte, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Nysen, Halvor Skeie
  • Patent number: 6259991
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a location. The system employs encoded information devices dispersed through the environment, each having a non-unique code associated therewith. The codes from the encoded information devices are acquired as a reading device passes nearby, and stored. The codes from a proximate set of information devices are correlated with a map or mapping relation to determine one or more consistent positions within the environment. The information devices are preferably passive acoustic wave transponders, and the mapping relation may be a pseudorandom sequence or a defined map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: X-Cyte Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen