Abstract: Wireless remote control system for engine piston with in-piston circuit (50) and an external processing unit mounted on the exterior of the crank case (51). A carrier signal generated in the external processing unit is fed to a primary coil (P) located within the crank case and the secondary coil (S), loosely coupled to coil (P) and tuned for resonance therewith is located in the skirt of the piston. The secondary coil picks up a carrier signal from the primary coil and the carrier signal is rectified, smoothed and regulated to provide DC power to a micro controller in the piston circuit. The micro controller may use data from a number of sensors to modulate the signal in the secondary coil, which modulation is picked up by the primary coil and thus sensor data is transmitted to the external processing unit where it is filtered and decoded.

Abstract: An electric power generator includes a conduit disposed in a wellbore penetrating subsurface formations and at least one piezoelectric transducer in contact with the conduit. The piezoelectric transducer is configured to undergo stress in response to vibration in the conduit. The transducer includes a plurality of piezoelectric crystals stacked in a thickness direction and each polarized in the thickness direction. The transducer comprises at least one of a composite rubber layer disposed between successive piezoelectric crystals, and at least one support at a longitudinal end of the transducer configured to cause the crystals to bend in response to vibration in the conduit.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system for monitoring and estimating the consumption of energy resources in real-time. The system includes an interactive user module, a measuring unit and a wireless network. The measuring unit is interfaced to a utility meter. Optionally, the measuring unit can also function as a stand alone device. The measuring unit is further connected to the interactive user module via the wireless network. The system monitors energy resource consumption such as electricity, gas or water consumption in real-time, generates and displays graphs of energy resource consumption over user selected time periods and enables communication with at least one utility company. The system increases the users' awareness of their energy consumption and aids users in dynamic or deregulated pricing environments to shed load when the energy resource is most expensive. With knowledge of their energy use, the users can take proactive steps to control their energy consumption and save money.

Abstract: A monitor for receiving survey data includes a wireless communication facility. Wireless communication facilities adapted to communicate with an appliance having a corresponding wireless communication facility. A signal corresponding to survey data acquired by the monitor is received at the appliance and forwarded over a communications network to a data collection device.

Abstract: An automatic meter reading (AMR) system includes a fixed or mobile reader and an endpoint. The endpoint is interfaced to a utility meter and the fixed or mobile reader is capable of communicating with the endpoint via RF communication. In this system the fixed or mobile reader sends a message to the endpoint that includes a response mode direction; the response mode direction from the reader tells the endpoint to respond to the reader either in a mobile network mode or a fixed network mode.

Abstract: A weighing section includes a plurality of weighing members and a power supply mechanism. The weighing members weigh an object while moving. The power supply mechanism includes a fixed section, a rotatable section moving along the movement of the weighing members, a primary coil provided on the fixed section, and a secondary coil provided on the rotatable section. The power supply mechanism supplies power to the primary coil, retrieves an induced electromotive force from the secondary coil, and supplies power to the weighing members.

Abstract: A pipeline communication system and method includes a pipeline having a surface extending along at least a portion of the length of the pipeline. A conductive bus is formed to and extends along a portion of the surface of the pipeline. The conductive bus includes a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace with the first and second conductive traces being adapted to conformally couple with a pipeline at the surface extending along at least a portion of the length of the pipeline. A transmitter for sending information along the conductive bus on the pipeline is coupled thereto and a receiver for receiving the information from the conductive bus on the pipeline is also couple to the conductive bus.

Abstract: A Smart Ceiling Tile and Method of Using is disclosed in various versions of the invention. One version is a system for a ceiling sign, comprising a means for suspending from or connecting to a ceiling at least one horizontal or nearly horizontal frame of suitable width, length and height, and at least one ceiling tile of suitable width, length and height, disposed on or in the frame, and the ceiling tile having means for conveying information to one of the senses. Another version is a process of using a ceiling tile, said process comprising the steps of: (a) suspending at least one horizontal or nearly horizontal frame from a ceiling; (b) disposing on or in the frame at least one ceiling tile further comprising a pre-determined configuration of means for conveying information to one of the senses; (c) allowing the means for conveying information to one of the senses to communicate with one of the senses of a user.

Abstract: A sensor system for obtaining data from an elastomeric article includes at least one wireless sensor. The sensor length-scales range from nano- to micro-scale devices that are small enough to avoid becoming occlusions within the article. The article may include sensors embedded within one of the materials of the article, a layer of sensors built into the article, and a string of sensors disposed within a component or embedded within a component of the article. The sensors may be configured to provide data related to one or more of temperature, pressure, sidewall flex, stress, strain and other parameters. The sensors may be LCD sensors, and/or conductive polymer sensors, and/or bio-polymer sensors and/or polymer diodes suitable for sensing data during the operation of the tire. A power circuit using energy generated by the tire may provide power to the sensors.

Abstract: A system for receiving and processing signals received from a plurality of endpoints. Each endpoint includes an endpoint transmitter in electrical communication with a power distribution line within a power distribution system. The system comprises a power line coupler. A substation receiver is in electrical communication with the power line coupler. A substation circuit is in electrical communication with the substation transceiver. The substation circuit is configured to simultaneously demodulate signals received from the plurality of different endpoints.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recording object associations using a location system. Object locations are determined based on signals generated from object identifiers linked to the objects and forwarded to an electronic device interfaced with a network. Once the location of the object has been determined, the location determining module consults a database to determine associations between the located object and other objects or specified locations based on the other objects proximity to the located object. Once an association is determined, it is stored and the duration of the association is subsequently recorded. The data from the identified associations may then be leveraged in a number of ways as input data for a variety of applications, such as billing software, equipment utilization software, asset management software, and automatic event generation software.

Abstract: In a linear position encoder, a support is provided upon which a pair of phase quadrature windings are mounted. The windings are arranged to have a sinusoidal magnetic sensitivity characteristic along the length of the support. Mounted on a movable element there is a resonant circuit including a coil and capacitor that can magnetically couple with the windings. When the circuit is excited, it induces currents in the windings that are dependent upon the position of the circuit within a period Ts of the windings. An excitation and processing unit is provided to energize the circuit and to process the signals induced in the windings. The excitation and processing unit is operably coupled to an external high permeability rod extending along the measurement path in a first plane having the windings but removed therefrom. The rod has first and second excitation coils connected in series and wound around the rod and disposed at opposite ends defining a length of the rod.

Abstract: An identification transmission system for use in an amusement device includes a transmitting antenna, a transmitter and a piezo-electric power source. The transmitter circuit is configured to broadcast a predetermined tone on a predetermined carrier frequency through the antenna. The piezo-electric power source is electrically coupled to the transmitter circuit and is configured to at least briefly provide power to the transmitter circuit. The piezo-electro power source includes a piezo-electric element, a striker, a storage capacitor and a voltage controlled switch. The striker is configured to move so as to at least briefly strike the piezo-electric element. The storage capacitor is configured to receive and store electrical charge from the piezo-electric element. The voltage controlled switch is configured to allow the storage capacitor to discharge through the transmitter circuit thereby providing power thereto after a predetermined amount of charge has been stored.

Abstract: A System and a Method of initializing and using that system are described in various embodiments all suitable for use remotely monitoring gas escapes on oil or gas well-sites, particularly as early warning technologies for use in preventing injury to workers or populations adjacent those well-sites. The system efficiently uses the Internet to securely transmit pre-processed data off-site for a range of different uses either directly to well-site operators or via a server for value-added handling of and convenient access by operators and others to information based on the data. The system conserves both IP addresses and communications bandwidth without compromising access to detailed data respecting well-site status.

Abstract: A measurement system having an analyzer unit (2; 102) and at least one replaceable sensor (1; 101). Each sensor has a transponder (13) in which sensor-specific data is stored. The analyzer unit has an antenna (21) for wireless readout of the data stored in the transponder and for wireless transmission of the power required to operate the transponder. The transponder (13) and the antenna of the analyzer unit (2) are further configured to additionally transmit and receive the measurement signal of the sensor (1) wirelessly. The sensor may be accommodated in a connecting unit (32, 52, 62, 72, 112) configured to be secured to a corresponding mating component (41, 56, 66, 76, 116).

Abstract: An industrial system for measuring a physical quantity, related to an industrial process and/or application, comprising: first means for detecting said physical quantity and for transmitting first data and/or signals related to said physical quantity; second means for receiving said first data and/or signals, said second means being connected to said first means through one or more data/signal transmission lines; third means for reading said first data and/or signals and for programming said first means, said third means being detachable from said means and fixable in a remote position from said first means.

Abstract: A sensor head includes a sensor element whose measurement signal can be fed to a comparator. The comparator compares the measurement signal to a threshold value and forwards a binary output signal to a transmission circuit. The sensor head is provided with electric energy via a proprietary two-wire line. In addition, the output signal can be transmitted from the transmission circuit via the two-wire line to a higher-order control module that is located outside of the sensor head. At least two sensor heads of this type can be connected to the control module.

Abstract: A measuring device incorporating a substrate with sensors that measure the processing conditions that a wafer may undergo during manufacturing. The substrate can be inserted into a processing chamber by a robot head and the measuring device can transmit the conditions in real time or store the conditions for subsequent analysis. Sensitive electronic components of the device can be distanced or isolated from the most deleterious processing conditions in order increase the accuracy, operating range, and reliability of the device.

Abstract: The present technology involves a method and apparatus for detecting and reporting magnetic fields in the proximity of a utility meter as an approach to determining tampering of such meter. The sensitivity level of the magnetic field sensors may be adjustable allowing either remote or local sensitivity adjustments to a magnetic field sensor to compensate for variations in the electromagnetic environments of different meter installation sites. Alternatively, the output of each magnetic field sensor may be connected to the input of an adjustable threshold circuit. When the output voltage of the magnetic field exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage, a magnetic event signal is generated. Threshold adjustments to the adjustable threshold circuit may be performed locally at the meter site or remotely from a station. The output of each magnetic field sensor may be monitored by a locally or remotely programmable magnetic sensor output monitor.

Abstract: Communication units are each provided with a wireless communication control section, a timing pattern generating section for generating a specified timing pattern, an informing device control section for controlling an informing device in accordance with an arbitrary timing and a timing pattern analyzing section for analyzing the transmitted timing pattern. The communication unit generates a specified timing pattern in the timing pattern generating section, controls its own informing device in accordance with the timing pattern by the informing device control section and transmits the timing pattern from the wireless communication control section to the communication unit. The communication unit analyzes the timing pattern transmitted from the communication unit and controls its own informing device according to the analyzed timing pattern. This allows a person to reliably find his or her own unit to be searched even when a plural number of persons search different devices in an identical place.

Abstract: A low-cost system for wireless, bi-directional transformation of electric signals over a capacitive interface between a host unit and a guest unit is provided. The system allows a high impedance in the circuitry of the guest unit to obtain a good signal transfer ability in conditions of poor dieelectric materials, poor conductivity in the contact pads and relatively large gaps between the contact pads. The capacitive interface comprises a respective first (A1; B1), second (A2; B2) and third (A3; B3) conductive area in the host and guest units (10,40). The first conductive area (A1) of the host unit is connected to a self-tuning frequency generating resonant circuit (16) in the host unit (10) for obtaining high gain of signals transmitted to the guest unit (40). The second and third conductive areas (A2, A3) of the host unit are connected to an impedance circuit (30) in the host unit for receiving signals from the guest unit.

Abstract: A transmission electrode 10 and a detection electrode 12 are placed in an electrode section of a sensor and are capacity-coupled with a reception electrode placed on an opposed scale. Capacity change between the transmission electrode 10 and the reception electrode caused by displacement is detected with the detection electrode 12. A plurality of signals different in phase are supplied to the transmission electrode 10. The signal lines are wired like a zigzag using an upper layer and a lower layer and the distances between the signal lines and the detection electrode 12 are made substantially equal for making uniform the crosstalk amounts relative to the detection electrode 12.

Abstract: A modular process transmitter having a scalable EMI/RFI filtering architecture includes a unitized sensor module and a transmitter module. The unitized sensor module is adapted to operate as a stand-alone process transmitter. The transmitter module can couple to the unitized sensor module to expand the capabilities of the unitized sensor module. The unitized sensor module includes a sensor housing, a sensor circuit and a removable sensor EMI/RFI filtering circuit. The sensor circuit provides a sensor output in accordance with either a local format or a first communication protocol. The sensor EMI/RFI filtering circuit filters noise in accordance with the first communication protocol. The transmitter module includes a transmitter module housing, a communications circuit, and a transmitter module EMI/RFI filtering circuit.

Abstract: A rotary position transducer with a cosine and sine attenuating voltage wave output has the substantially linear portions segmented and pieced together from a predetermined set of conditions to form a continuously linearly varying voltage output.

Abstract: Radio-interrogated surface-wave technology sensor, in which the sensitive element (12) is an impedance which is electrically connected as termination to a surface-wave structure (26) of the sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process control transmitter having an externally accessible DC circuit common that eliminates the need to perform level shifting of signals communicated between the transmitter and external processing electronics. The process control transmitter includes first, second and third terminals which feedthrough a housing. Circuitry contained in the housing is coupled to the first, second and third terminals and is adapted to communicate information to external processing electronics through the second and third terminals using a digital signal that is regulated relative to a DC common that is coupled to the second terminal. External processing electronics can couple to the second and third terminals and interpret the digital signal without having to perform level-shifting adjustments.

Abstract: A vibration monitor is provided which is worn on the wrist of an operative for an operating plant or apparatus. The monitor includes a piezoelectric transducer and associated circuitry which generates electronic digital signals during the periods when vibrations are experienced by the operative. Preferably, the plant or apparatus has a transmitter which transmits a code identifying the plant which is received by the monitor. Alternatively, the code may be entered manually. The monitor preferably includes a logger which can be connected to a host computer which data can be transferred over an external communications link. The logger includes a storage device for storing how long the operative is subjected to vibrations.

Abstract: A rotary apparatus in which at least one electrically controlled device is attached to a rotor. The rotor carries coils such that rotation of the rotor generates power for the device. A switch is provided for controlling the supply of power to the device and receives control signals via a contactless communication link.