Abstract: A radio frequency identification tag device having a sensor input which modifies a tag data word bitstream read by an interrogator/tag detector. The sensor input may be a switch contact(s), digital and/or analog. The sensor input may be voltage, current, pressure, temperature, resistance, acceleration, moisture, gas and the like. Power from the radio frequency interrogator/tag reader may be used to power the circuits of the radio frequency tag device, which in turn may supply power to any sensor connected thereto.

Abstract: A method for allowing flexible multiple access to a serial bus by a plurality of circuit boards. Before a circuit board can be used on a common serial bus with other circuit boards, a unique software address must be assigned to each circuit board. The unique software address is assigned by having a bus master device issue Assign Address commands which utilizes a unique serial number which is stored on each circuit board. The Assign Address command queries each of the circuit boards coupled to the serial bus and assigns a unique software address to each circuit board that fully responds. The Assign Address command is repeated for each circuit board on the serial bus until all of the circuit boards on the serial bus have been assigned a unique software address.