Electronic identifier apparatus and method utilizing a single chip microcontroller and an antenna coil

Claim 2

Electronic identifier apparatus comprising: an antenna coil; a single chip microcontroller, said single chip microcontroller including: a memory circuit wherein a control program is stored, and a multiplicity of I/O pins through which data signals are transferred into and out of said single chip microcontroller, each I/O pin being connected to a respective I/O circuit included within said single chip microcontroller, a plurality of said I/O pins being connected in parallel to said antenna coil; extraction means connected to said antenna coil for extracting an ID carrier signal from whatever signals may be present at said antenna coil; a band pass amplifier connected to said extraction means, said band pass amplifier being configured to pass the ID carrier signal received through said antenna coil and extraction means, any ID carrier signal that passes through said band pass amplifier being connected to said single chip microcontroller; said single chip microcontroller being configured by said control program to (a) generate a power output signal that is applied to said antenna coil through said plurality of parallel-connected I/O pins, (b) decode any ID carrier signal that is received from said band pass amplifier, and (c) produce at least one control signal responsive to the receipt and decoding of a particular ID carrier signal; and an interface circuit connected to said single chip microcontroller circuit through which said control signal operates to perform a specified function.

Claim 3

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interface circuit includes a relay switch.

Claim 4

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said band pass amplifier comprises a multi-stage band pass amplifier utilizing an operational amplifier within each stage.

Claim 5

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said multi-stage band pass amplifier comprises four stages, each stage including one of the operational amplifiers of a quad operational amplifier integrated circuit.

Claim 6

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said single chip microcontroller comprises an EPROM-based 8-bit CMOS Microcontroller of the PIC16C5x series of EPROM-based 8-bit CMOS Microcontrollers.

Claim 7

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said antenna coil comprises 150-180 turns of number 30 gauge wire wound in a coil having an approximate diameter of 4 to 6 cm.

Claim 8

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the number of I/O pins of said single chip microcontroller that are connected in parallel to said antenna coil comprises at least four.

Claim 9

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said peak detector circuit includes a diode and a capacitor that perform an amplitude demodulation function.

Claim 10

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interface circuit includes a standard RS-232 interface circuit through which digital data signals may pass in serial fashion.

Claim 11

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein all of the elements of said identification apparatus may be mounted on a circuit board having dimensions of about 9 cm by 4.7 cm.

Claim 12

Electronic identifier apparatus constituting: an antenna coil; a single chip microcontroller, said single chip microcontroller including a memory circuit wherein a control program is stored, and a multiplicity of I/O pins through which data signals are transferred into and out of said single chip microcontroller, each I/O pin being connected to a respective I/O circuit included within said single chip microcontroller, a plurality of said I/O pins being connected in parallel to said antenna coil; a peak detector circuit connected to said antenna coil; a multi-stage band pass amplifier connected to said peak detector circuit, said band pass amplifier being configured to pass an ID carrier signal received through said antenna coil and peak detector circuit, any ID carrier signal that passes through said pass amplifier being connected to a specified one of the I/O pins of said single chip microcontroller; an interface circuit connected to said single chip microcontroller circuit through which a control signal generated by said single chip microcontroller circuit may perform a specified function; and means for connecting an external power source to said single chip microcontroller, interface circuit, and band pass amplifier, whereby operating power is provided to said identifier apparatus; said single chip microcontroller being configured by said control program to at least: (a) generate a modulated output signal that is applied to said antenna coil through said plurality of parallel-connected I/O pins, (b) demodulate and decode any ID carrier signal that is received at the specified one of the I/O pins connected to said band pass amplifier, and (c) produce said control signal responsive to the receipt, demodulation and decoding of a particular ID carrier signal.

Claim 13

Electronic identifier apparatus constituting: an antenna coil; a single chip microcontroller, said single chip microcontroller including a memory circuit wherein a control program is stored, and a multiplicity of I/O pins through which data signals are transferred into and out of said single chip microcontroller, each I/O pin being connected to a respective I/O circuit included within said single chip microcontroller, a plurality of said I/O pins being connected in parallel to said antenna coil; a peak detector circuit connected to said antenna coil; a multi-stage band pass amplifier connected to said peak detector circuit, said band pass amplifier being configured to pass an ID carrier signal received through said antenna coil and peak detector circuit, any ID carrier signal that passes through said pass amplifier being connected to a specified one of the I/O pins of said single chip microcontroller; an interface circuit connected to said single chip microcontroller circuit through which a control signal generated by said single chip microcontroller circuit may perform a specified function; and means for connecting an external power source to said single chip microcontroller, interface circuit, and band pass amplifier, whereby operating power is provided to said identifier apparatus; said single chip microcontroller being configured by said control program to at least: (a) generate a modulated output signal that is applied to said antenna coil through said plurality of parallel-connected I/O pins, (b) demodulate and decode any ID carrier signal that is received at the specified one of the I/O pins connected to said band pass amplifier, and (c) produce said control signal responsive to the receipt, demodulation and decoding of a particular ID carrier signal.

Claim 14

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein all of the elements of said identification apparatus are realized using two integrated circuits and no more than about 36 discrete components.

Claim 15

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said single chip microcontroller comprises an EPROM-based 8-bit CMOS Microcontroller of the PIC16C5x series of EPROM-based 8-bit CMOS Microcontrollers.

Claim 16

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said antenna coil comprises approximately 150-180 turns of number 30 gauge wire wound in a coil having an approximate diameter of 4 to 6 cm.

Claim 17

The identification apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the number of I/O pins of said single chip microcontroller that are connected in parallel to said antenna coil comprises at least four.

Claim 20

The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein step (e) further includes verifying if the identification signal sensed and demodulated in step (d) is the identification signal assigned to a particular transponder unit, and if so generating a control signal that controls a prescribed operation that is carried out once a proper identification has been verified.