Intelligent tracking system and methods and systems therefor
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, an intelligent tracking system is disclosed. The intelligent tracking system includes one or more passive tracking devices, an exciter, and a tracker. Each passive tracking device includes one or more transceivers and is energized by an electromagnetic frequency. In response to being energized each passive tracking device transmits a short message. The exciter emits the electromagnetic frequency. The tracker receives short messages from the one or more passive tracking devices and confirms the presence of the one or more passive tracking devices in a vicinity of the tracker based on the received messages.
1. A tracking device comprising:
a first antenna that transmits response signals in a first frequency band; and
a transmission module that modulates a response signal for transmission in the first frequency band and outputs the modulated response signal to the first antenna for transmission in accordance with a communication protocol, the response signal including a message indicating a device identifier of the tracking device, wherein the transmission module includes a bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator that produces an output frequency, the bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator including a bulk acoustic wave delay reference, a time difference detector configured to detect an echo of the bulk acoustic wave delay reference, wherein the transmission module modulates the response signal such that the response signal has a carrier frequency based on the output frequency of the bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator.
2. The tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the time difference detector includes a plurality of echo detectors, and wherein one of the plurality of echo detectors is configured to detect the echo.
3. The tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the time difference detector includes a single echo detector configured to detect the echo.
4. The tracking device of claim 1 , further comprising a master clock, and wherein the bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator is configured to use a timing of the echo without considering a second echo.
5. The tracking device of claim 1 , further comprising a master clock, and wherein the bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator is configured to compare a timing of the echo with a leading edge of a clock cycle of the master clock.
6. The tracking device of claim 5 , wherein the bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator is further configured to perform the comparison without considering a second echo.
7. The tracking device of claim 1 , further comprising a power source including:
a second antenna that receives energizing signals in a second frequency band; and
an energy harvest module that receives an energizing signal from a remote device via the second antenna and converts the energizing signal from RF electrical energy to DC electrical energy that energizes the tracking device.
8. The tracking device of claim 1 , further comprising a power source including a battery.
9. A method comprising:
modulating, via a transmission module of a tracking device, a response signal for transmission in a first frequency band such that the response signal has a carrier frequency based on an output frequency of a bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator; and
outputting, via the transmission module, the modulated response signal to a first antenna for transmission in accordance with a communication protocol, the response signal including a message indicating a device identifier of the tracking device, wherein the transmission module includes a bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator that produces an output frequency, the bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator including a bulk acoustic wave delay reference, a time difference detector configured to detect an echo of the bulk acoustic wave delay reference, wherein the transmission module modulates the response signal such that the response signal has a carrier frequency based on the output frequency of the bulk acoustic wave reference oscillator.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing, via a power source, power to the tracking device.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein providing the power to the tracking device includes providing the power via a battery installed in the tracking device.