Sector Electronics LLC April 6, 2007

Printable, Low cost, wireless sensor system monitors events or parameters at multiple locations

New and Patented Passive Sensor Technology

A patent was recently granted in passive sensor technology to Sector Electronics, LLC which now opens the door to a new type of passive sensor that will find applications in niche areas where existing RFID systems are too complex or incapable of responding to changes in monitored events or parameters, such as conductor opens/shorts, pressure, temperature or humidity, to name a few possibilities.

Printable

This new sensor technology is composed of a single resonating component (Crystal or MEMs resonator) and is otherwise completely printable using conductive inks.

Low Cost

The resonating component is the dominant cost item. MEMs resonators are being produced at $0.10 each for the high volume cellular market and are projected to decrease in cost over the next 5 years as processes improve. The only additional recurring cost is that of the conductive inks used to print the sensor.

Refer to this article: http://www.memsinvestorjournal.com/2006/10/mems_oscillator.html

Wireless Sensor System

These sensors are passive devices that can be developed to operate at a number of available frequencies already assigned for the RFID industry. The actual frequency, bandwidth, RF power level and detection range can vary on an application basis.

Monitoring Events

A single sensor can be designed to respond uniquely to multiple circuit open/closure events. Up to as many as 30 events (for example 30 different separate conductors being opened) can be detected by a single sensor. In the simplest, lowest cost, implementation the total number of open/closure events can be reported. In a more expensive implementation it can also detect which conductor was opened or closed.

Monitoring Parameters

A single sensor can be designed to respond uniquely to a single quantitative parameter such as pressure, temperature, humidity or other similar parameters as the application may require. Sensors can be developed to address these types of needs.

Monitoring at Multiple Locations

Passive sensors are not typically used in cases where two or more sensors of similar type are used in a localized area because of the difficulty of the reader to uniquely distinguish between them. This patented technology, allows to a limited extent, the co-location of multiple sensors as long as the resonator frequencies are different for each of them, and as long as their position and orientation with respect to each other can be controlled.

About Sector

Sector is a full service design/engineering business beginning their tenth year in operation. They are a unique resource providing innovative solutions to their clients, transforming product ideas into finished products. Sector has a very experienced engineering team with exceptional skills in RF design, embedded microprocessors, code development, electronic/mechanical packaging, product testing, and failure mode analysis. They follow GMP practices, documentation control, and regulatory compliance to fit the market requirements. Their design output can be a prototype, improved performance of an existing product, or solving engineering problems. The Company has recently completed two “first of its kind” products for two clients involving MEMS sensors and a new fluidized burn bed.