METHOD OF TRACKING A CONTAINER USING MICRORADIOS
A microradio is provided with a hysteretic switch to permit an optimum range increasing charging cycle, with the charging cycle being long relative to the transmit cycle. Secondly, an ensemble of microradios permits an n 2 power enhancement to increase range with coherent operation. Various multi-frequency techniques are used both for parasitic powering and to isolate powering and transmit cycles. Applications for microradios and specifically for ensembles of microradios include authentication, tracking, fluid flow sensing, identification, terrain surveillance including crop health sensing and detection of improvised explosive devices, biohazard and containment breach detection, and biomedical applications including the use of microradios attached to molecular tags to destroy tagged cells when the microradios are activated. Microradio deployment includes the use of paints or other coatings containing microradios, greases and aerosols. Moreover, specialized antennas, including microcoils, mini dipoles, and staircase coiled structures are disclosed, with the use of nano-devices further reducing the size of the microradios.
1 - 80 . (canceled)
81 . A method of tracking a container, comprising the steps of:
providing an ensemble of microradios on the surface of the container;
parasitically powering the microradios;
detecting the emissions from the parasitically powered microradios; and,
determining the position of the container based on the detected emissions from the microradios.
82 . The method of claim 81 , and further including the steps of providing a unique identifier code for each ensemble of microradios; modulating the output of the ensembles of microradios with information reflecting the code; and demodulating the code from the signals emitted from the microradios, whereby the identity of the container as well as its location can be ascertained.
83 - 94 . (canceled)
95 . A method for tracking metal objects comprising the step of attaching a microradio to a metal object and then monitoring positions of said metal object.
96 - 99 . (canceled)
100 . The method of claim 81 , wherein the surface of the container is a radiative structure.
101 . The method of claim 81 , wherein the ensemble of microradios is entrained in an aerosol.
102 . The method of claim 101 , wherein the ensemble of microradios is dispersed within a paint solution.
103 . The method of claim 101 , wherein the aerosol containing microradios is applied by a paint sprayer onto the surface of the container.
104 . The method of claim 81 , wherein the ensemble of microradios is entrained in a grease and providing an ensemble of microradios comprises applying the grease to the surface of the container.
105 . The method of claim 81 , further comprising causing the ensemble of microradios to operate coherently.
106 . The method of claim 105 , wherein detecting the emissions from the parasitically powered microradios comprises overflying the ground with a satellite configured to detect signals from the coherently operating ensemble of microradios.
107 . The method of claim 81 , wherein parasitically powering the microradios comprises parasitically powering the ensemble by ambient radiation.
108 . A container tracking system comprising:
an ensemble of parasitically powered microradios disposed on the surface of a container and configured to transmit tracking data; and
a detection device configured to receive the tracking data transmitted from the ensemble of microradios in order to determine the location of the container.
109 . The container tracking system of claim 108 , wherein the surface of the container is a radiative structure.
110 . The container tracking system of claim 108 , wherein the ensemble of microradios is dispersed within a paint.
111 . The container tracking system of claim 110 , wherein the ensemble of microradios is disposed on the surface of the container by a paint sprayer.
112 . The container tracking system of claim 108 , wherein the ensemble of microradios operate coherently.
113 . The container tracking system of claim 112 , wherein the detection device comprises a satellite overflying the ground configured to receive the tracking data transmitted from the ensemble of microradios.
114 . The container tracking system of claim 108 , further comprising a database configured to index and store the tracking data transmitted from the ensemble of microradios.
115 . The container tracking system of claim 108 , wherein the ensemble of microradios is parasitically powered by ambient radiation.
116 . The method of claim 95 , wherein the metal object is a container at least partially coated in microradios.