Frequency Modulated Parametric Oscillation for Antenna Powered Wireless Transmission of Voltage Sensing Signals

Wireless transmission of voltage signals are particularly useful for sensors embedded inside a closed environment where long-term operation without internal batteries is desirable. For this purpose, voltage tuning resonators can be used, because their voltage-dependent frequency responses can be contactlessly characterized by loop antennas connected to the output and input ports of a network analyzer. However, such passive sensors have limited remote detectability and temporal resolution, especially for smaller frequency shifts that would require repetitive averaging for acceptable measurement accuracy. To overcome these limitations, a double frequency parametric resonator is inductively coupled with a voltage tuning resonator to convert resonance frequency shifts of the passive sensor into frequency encoded oscillation signals that can be instantaneously detected over larger distance separations. This antenna powered FM transmitter has a compact design to achieve good voltage sensitivity and linearity, making it potentially useful for multiple applications from PH sensing to electrophysiological recording.