ANTENNA SENSOR
An antenna sensor includes an antenna operable to receive and/or transmit radio frequency (RF) signals, and one or more sensors operably connected to the antenna and configured to monitor at least one condition and to output sensor signals. A single connection is provided for connection to an electronic device to transfer RF signals from the antenna and sensor signals from the one or more sensors to the electronic device.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
an antenna operable to at least one of receive and transmit radio frequency (RF) signals; and
at least one sensor operably connected to the antenna and configured to monitor at least one condition and to output sensor signals;
wherein a single connection to an electronic device transfers RF signals from the antenna and sensor signals from the at least one sensor to an electronic device.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic circuit in the electronic device configured to combine and separate the RF signals and the sensor signals.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a tuning circuit operably connected between the antenna and the at least one sensor.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a tuning circuit operably connected between the at least one sensor and the electronic device.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a coaxial cable connected to the at least one sensor and terminating in a sub-miniature version A (SMA) connector that is configured to mate with an input connector of the electronic device.
6 . A lamp, comprising:
a housing;
a light source supported within the housing;
driver circuitry supported within the housing and operably connected to the light source, the driver circuitry configured for controlling the light source and including a radio frequency (RF) input connector; and
an antenna sensor comprising:
an antenna operable to at least one of receive and transmit RF signals; and
at least one sensor operably connected to the antenna and configured to monitor at least one condition and to output sensor signals;
wherein a single connection to the RF input connector transfers the RF signals from the antenna and the sensor signals from the at least one sensor to the driver circuitry.
7 . The lamp of claim 6 , wherein the driver circuitry comprises a power supply, an RF receiver, and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive and to separate the RF signals from the sensor signals.
8 . The lamp of claim 6 , wherein the antenna sensor further comprises a tuning circuit operably connected between the antenna and the at least one sensor.
9 . The lamp of claim 6 , wherein the antenna sensor further comprises a tuning circuit operably connected between the at least one sensor and the driver circuitry.
10 . The lamp of claim 6 , further comprising a coaxial cable connecting the antenna to the at least one sensor.
11 . The lamp of claim 10 , further comprising a coaxial cable connecting the at least one sensor to a sub-miniature version A (SMA) connector that is configured to mate with the RF input connector.
12 . The lamp of claim 6 , wherein the antenna sensor further comprises an antenna housing including a base configured to mount to existing mounting hardware located on the housing.
13 . The lamp of claim 6 , wherein the light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).
14 . The lamp of claim 6 , wherein the driver circuitry comprises a controller, a RF receiver and a power supply.
15 . The lamp of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to separate the RF signals from the sensor signals.
16 . The lamp of claim 15 , wherein the controller utilizes an asynchronous time division (ATD) multiplexing protocol to separate the RF signals from the sensor signals.
17 . The lamp or claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to match the separated signals to specific operations in order to control the light source.
18 . A method for retrofitting an antenna sensor to an electronic device, comprising:
providing an antenna sensor comprising:
an antenna housing including connection hardware;
an antenna within the antenna housing operable to at least one of receive and transmit radio frequency (RF) signals;
at least one sensor within the antenna housing operably connected to the antenna and configured to monitor at least one condition and to output sensor signals; and
a RF output connector for connection to an electronic device for transferring RF signals from the antenna and sensor signals from the at least one sensor to the electronic device;
connecting the RF output to an input RF connector of the electronic device; and
connecting the connection hardware of the antenna housing to existing connection hardware of the electronic device.