US 11,861,445 B2
Electromagnetic coupler arrangement
Markus Frank, Stråvalla (SE)
Assigned to SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/910,442
Filed by SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/056555
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 9, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/180319, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0124090 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. G06K 7/10 (2006.01)
CPC G06K 7/10198 (2013.01) [G06K 7/10158 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wireless electromagnetic coupler arrangement for providing spatial selectivity in interaction with an RF terminated planar metallic trace of arbitrary geometric shape by means of electromagnetic energy, the electromagnetic coupler arrangement comprising:
a sequential array of coupling elements shunted onto a differential transmission line, for coupling the electromagnetic energy to the RF terminated planar metallic trace by means of reactive near field coupling; and
a plurality of switchable resistor elements being included in the paths between the differential transmission line and a respective one of the coupling elements-forming the array, so as to alternatively switch the resistance of the electric connection between the differential transmission line and the respective coupling element to a first or a second value, the second value being smaller than the first value, by controlling a respective switch;
wherein each of the coupling elements is associated with:
a respective harvester element for collecting energy that is fed from the differential transmission line; and
a respective feedback loop for providing feedback from the harvester element to the respective switch for switching the resistor elements included in the respective path based on a DC voltage established at the harvester element.