Antenna sensor
View Patent ↗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. A lamp, comprising:
a housing;
a light source;
a sensor antenna arrangement affixed to the housing and comprising an antenna connected to at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor monitors at least one external event and outputs at least one analog signal via a single coaxial cable, and wherein the antenna is operable to receive radio frequency (RF) signals and outputs the RF signals via the single coaxial cable; and
driver circuitry supported within the housing and operably connected to the light source, the driver circuitry also operably connected to the sensor antenna arrangement via the single coaxial cable;
wherein the driver circuitry receives both the RF signals output by the antenna and the analog signals output by the at least one sensor via the single coaxial cable, separates and distinguishes the RF signals from the analog signals, and matches the separated signals to specific lamp operations to control functions of the light source.
2. The lamp of claim 1 , wherein the sensor antenna arrangement further comprises a base configured to mount to mounting hardware located on the housing.
3. The lamp of claim 1 , wherein the sensor antenna arrangement further comprises a connector coaxial cable connecting the antenna to the at least one sensor.
4. The lamp of claim 1 , further comprising a sub-miniature version A (SMA) connector attached to the single coaxial cable, the SMA connector configured to mate with an RF cable input connector of the driver circuitry.
5. The lamp of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a photodetector.
6. The lamp of claim 5 , wherein the photodetector comprises a photodiode and an output tuning circuit, wherein the output tuning circuit is operably connected between the photodiode and the antenna.
7. The lamp of claim 5 , wherein the photodetector comprises a photodiode and an input tuning circuit, wherein the input tuning circuit is operably connected between the photodiode and the driver circuitry.
8. The lamp of claim 1 , wherein the driver circuitry comprises a power supply, an RF receiver, and a controller.
9. The lamp of claim 8 , wherein the controller utilizes an asynchronous time division (ATD) multiplexing protocol to separate and isolate RF signals from analog signals.
10. The lamp of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).
11. The lamp of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a photodetector, a motion sensor, a temperature sensor, a wind speed sensor and an audio sensor.