Patent Description:
There is a need in fluid handling applications to sense various aspects of the physical or chemical properties of the fluid being conveyed in a conduit or the physical state of the conduits or connectors. These properties include (but are not limited to) items like temperature, pressure, flow rate, presence of leaks, etc. It is also desirable in automotive applications to monitor the physical states of the conduits or connectors for abrasion or wear that may lead to leaks or failures. Frequently, some part of the conduit or connector is not easily accessible after installation or otherwise difficult or inconvenient to measure. Additionally, it is not always possible or convenient and economical to route power or signal wires to the location within the vehicle structure where a sensor or its associated conduit is located. Therefore, it becomes desirable to use a wireless interface with measurement sensor circuits. A wireless interface would allow measurement to be made without the need for a physical electrical contact with the sensor.

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has become widely used in virtually every industry, including transportation and manufacturing. A typical RFID System includes an RFID tag, and at least one RFID reader or detection system having an antenna for communication with the RFID tag, and a computing device to control the RFID reader. The RFID reader includes a transmitter that may provide energy or information to the RFID tag, and a receiver to receive identity and other information from the tag. The computing device processes the information obtained by the RFID reader.

In general, the information received from an RFID tag is specific to the particular application, but often provides an identification for an article to which the tag is fixed. Exemplary articles include manufactured items or information to tangible articles. Additional information may also be provided for the article. The tag may be used during a manufacturing process, for example, to indicate a paint color of an automobile chassis during manufacturing or other useful information. The transmitter of the RFID reader outputs radio frequency signals through an antenna to create an electromagnetic field that enables the RFID tags to return an RF signal carrying the information. In some configurations, the transmitter initiates communication, and makes use of an amplifier to drive the antenna with a modulated output signal to communicate with the RFID tag. In other configurations, the RFID tag receives a continuous wave signal from the RFID reader and initiates communication by responding immediately with its information.

The RFID tags communicate using a pre-defined protocol, allowing the RFID reader to receive information from one or more tags. The computing device may serve as an information management system by receiving the information from the RFID reader and performing some action, such as, presenting information to a user or storing a measurement in a database.

It would be therefore beneficial in certain applications to have sensors that monitor fluid conduits and the physical properties of the medium conveyed by the conduit be powered by passive RFID tags. Passive RFID tags collect energy from interrogating radio waves of nearby RFID readers. The passive RFID tag uses the collected energy to perform operations such as powering the sensor to obtaining real-time measurements from the fluid conduit. The measurements are then sent as data to an external RFID reader for display or further processing by the computing device. In this way, it is possible to provide an RFID sensor that does not require on-board power sources for operational power, such as for example a battery or other power supply and associated electrical conductors.

<CIT> relates to pipe fitting with sensor. <CIT> relates to degradation detection system for a hose assembly.

This disclosure relates to a system that uses an RFID enabled sensor to sense a physical property of a medium inside a conduit and report the sensed physical property using an RFID communication protocol.

In a first embodiment, a system for sensing a physical property of a medium inside a conduit includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader arranged to transmit electromagnetic signals in at least one radio frequency. An ultra-high frequency (UHF) control circuit is electrically connected to a UHF antenna tuned to receive a UHF radio frequency, and a high-frequency (HF) control circuit is electrically connected to an HF antenna tuned to receive an HF radio frequency, wherein the HF antenna and the UHF antenna are arranged as a nested pair. An RFID tag receives the least one radio frequency and exchanges the at least one radio frequency to electrical energy to power the RFID tag. A sensor electrically connected to the RFID tag and located adjacent the medium flowing inside the conduit receives the electrical energy from the RFID tag thereby operating the sensor to obtain measurement data of at least one physical property of the medium whereby the sensor transmits the measurement data to the RFID tag and the measurement data is transmitted by the RFID tag to the RFID reader using the at least one radio frequency.

In a second embodiment, a method for sensing a physical property of a medium inside a conduit includes transmitting electromagnetic signals in at least one radio frequency using a radio-frequency identification (RFID) protocol that is received by an RFID tag. The method includes providing an ultra-high frequency (UHF) control circuit which is electrically connected to a UHF antenna tuned to receive a UHF radio frequency, and includes providing a high-frequency (HF) control circuit electrically connected to an HF antenna tuned to receive an HF radio frequency and wherein the HF antenna and UHF antenna are arranged as a nested pair. The RFID tag exchanges the at least one radio frequency to electrical energy to power the RFID tag and a sensor located adjacent the medium flowing inside the conduit. The method further includes operating the sensor using the electrical energy to obtain measurement data of at least one physical property of the medium and transmitting the measurement data to the RFID tag whereby the RFID tag transmits the measurement data from by the RFID tag using the RFID protocol using the at least one radio frequency.

This disclosure relates to a radio frequency identification (RFID) module for sensing a physical property of a medium inside a conduit includes a substrate mounted on the conduit adjacent the medium. An analog control circuit disposed on the substrate includes an ultra-high frequency (UHF) interface circuit and a high frequency (HF) interface circuit. A UHF antenna is formed on the substrate and electrically coupled to the UHF interface circuit and an HF antenna is formed on the substrate surrounding the UHF antenna and electrically coupled to the HF interface circuit. The module further includes a sensor located on the substrate and arranged to obtain measurement data of at least one physical property of the medium in the conduit and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, located on the substrate and electrically coupled to the analog control circuit and to the sensor.

Within the meaning of this application, by the term "conduit" is meant a conduit, as well as conduit couplings and parts thereof used to convey a fluid medium, such as fuel, hydraulic fluid, oil, engine coolant fluid or air. The conduit usually takes the form of an elongated, cylindrical hollow body. At one or both of its ends, the conduit optionally has a conduit coupling or a part of a conduit coupling, a so-called fitting, by means of which the conduit can be connected to e.g., another conduit or other conduit units, such as a fixed pipe system or other parts of a pipe assembly.

In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the conduit and the walls of the conduit are comprised of a thermoplastic material, such as by example and non-imitatively, polyamides (PA) or Polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) or their co-polymers or polyvinylchloride (PVC). The conduit and the walls of the conduit may also be comprised of flexible compounds including both thermoplastic elastomers and thermoset rubbers. For example, thermoplastic elastomers such as dynamically vulcanized ethylene propylene diene-monomer (EPDM) such as Santoprene, Sarlink or other thermoplastics elastomers based on urethane (TPU), such as by example Laripur or Desmopan. Thermoset rubber compounds can be based on polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) as well as materials based on EPDM rubber, chloroprene, Acrylate (ACM or AEM), Acrylonitrile-Butadiene (Nitrile) rubber or the like. Such thermoplastic conduits can for example be produced in such a way that the thermoplastic material or material layers are extruded directly into the form of the desired conduit. Furthermore, it is also possible that the conduit wall comprises several plies or layers of the thermoplastic material which are arranged one on top of another e.g., in the form of several film plies ("sandwich construction").

The embodiments described herein provide various designs of multi-frequency and single-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) modules that are compact in size, can be portable and used in multiple applications. Certain embodiments of the multi-frequency RFID modules described herein can include, a passive RFID tag, a passive sensor and both a high frequency (HF) antenna subsystem and an ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna subsystem. Additionally, in the embodiment described herein passive RFID tags do not have a power supply, such as for example a battery and require an electromagnetic field from an external source, such as for example, an RFID reader to harvest energy to power the tag. Similarly, the included passive sensor is not powered by a power supply and relies on the power provided to the RFID tag from the RFID reader to power the sensor.

As used herein the energy harvesting refers to a process of extracting and capturing electrical energy from an external source. In this embodiment, energy harvesting specifically refers to electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting, where an RF electromagnetic field is produced by a transmitter and captured by a tuned coil or electric field within a receiver from an antenna tuned to the frequency of the RF electromagnetic field.

Similarly, single-frequency RFID modules described herein can include, a passive RFID tag, a passive sensor and either a high frequency (HF) antenna subsystem or an ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna subsystem. Additionally, the passive RFID tag of a single-frequency RFID module also does not require the use of a power supply, such as for example a battery and relies on the electromagnetic field from an external source, such as for example an RFID reader to the power the RFID tag. Similarly, the included passive sensor is not powered by a power supply and relies on the power provided to the RFID tag from the RFID reader to power the sensor.

The passive RFID tag, sensor and UHF and HF subsystems either individually or in combination, can share a common analog control circuit on an integrated circuit (IC) substrate. The HF subsystem connects to a spiral wound coil HF antenna and the UHF subsystem connects to a loop antenna electrically isolated from the HF coil antenna.

The RFID module can be configured to provide multiple operating frequencies in order to be used in a wider range of applications. For example, a multi-frequency RFID tag can support both high frequencies (e.g., <NUM>) and ultra-high frequencies (e.g., <NUM>) radio transmissions. Ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio transmission can typically provide for greater read distance than a high frequency (HF) RFID transmission. Meanwhile, HF RFID radio transmission tend to exhibit greater field penetration than the UHF RFID transmissions. In certain other embodiments, the UHF subsystem can simply comprise only the UHF subsystem and UHF loop antenna coupled to the analog control circuit.

Turning to <FIG> a block diagram illustrates a multi-frequency RFID module <NUM> of the present embodiment. The RFID module <NUM> may include an analog control circuit <NUM>, a passive multi-frequency RFID tag <NUM> and a sensor <NUM>. Analog control circuit <NUM> further includes a UHF subsystem comprised of a UHF interface circuit <NUM>, and a loop antenna <NUM> electrically connected to the UHF interface circuit <NUM> via electrical conductors <NUM> and <NUM>. The UHF subsystem is tuned to operate at a UHF radio frequency, for example of <NUM>. The analog control circuit <NUM> may further include an HF subsystem comprised of an HF interface circuit <NUM> and an HF coil antenna <NUM> electrically connected to the HF interface circuit <NUM> via conductors <NUM> and <NUM>. The HF subsystem is tuned to operate at a HF radio frequency for example, of <NUM>.

As was mentioned earlier, the RFID module <NUM> in another embodiment can also be configured to operate at a single frequency. For example, in a single-frequency the RFID module <NUM> can include an analog control circuit <NUM>, a passive single-frequency RFID tag <NUM> and a sensor <NUM>. The analog control circuit <NUM> only includes, either an HF antenna subsystem and its associated components or alternately, a UHF antenna subsystem and its associated components. Each of the antenna subsystems include the individual components explained above for the multi-frequency RFID module <NUM>.

The RFID module <NUM> containing the analog control circuit <NUM>, the RFID tag <NUM>, sensor <NUM>, and antenna interface circuits are assembled together as, for example an integrated circuit (IC).

In the present embodiment, the analog control circuit of <NUM> of the multi-frequency RFID module <NUM> is considered frequency-independent. For example, a multi-frequency RFID tag <NUM> can be configured to interface with both the UHF and HF interface circuits <NUM> and <NUM>. Thus, the analog control circuit <NUM> can perform functions associated with both the HF and UHF subsystems including, but not limited to, encoding/decoding, modulation/demodulation, digital and analog processing, and storage of identification data, such as for example the ID of the RFID module <NUM>, its location and an identification of the conduit it is attached to. The ID information stored in the analog control circuit <NUM> can also be used to identify the ID of a particular one of an RFID module <NUM> in applications where more than one RFID module <NUM> is used. Such as for example in sensor supplication for detecting fluid leaks, wherein a plurality of RFID modules may be used to detect for leaks along the exterior of a long conduit at various locations. Although a multi-frequency RFID module can use a single analog control circuit <NUM> to operate with different frequencies, more than one analog control circuit <NUM> can be used to implement functions associated with multi-frequency RFID tags operating at different frequencies.

The sensor <NUM> of the RFID module may be configured to be any resistive type of sensor or transducer, including bridge devices, devices that generate voltage, such as piezoelectric sensors, thermocouples, thermoelectric generators and the like, capacitive sensors, pressure sensors, liquid leak sensors, and other such sensor or transducer types. Within the meaning of this application the sensor <NUM> is selected to sense a physical property from the group consisting of the temperature of the conduit wall, e.g. the temperature in the inside of the conduit wall or the temperature on the inner surface of the conduit wall, with the result that the temperature of the medium located in the conduit can be inferred; the positive or negative pressure, for example the strain acting on the conduit wall and the integrity of the conduit wall due to leakage of fluid from the conduit wall due to a break in the conduit wall or ageing of the material forming the conduit wall.

In this way, one or more physical properties of a medium flowing in a conduit can be detected, such as temperature, pressure, or breaks in the conduit wall that can cause fluid leaks. Because of the low power available from the RF source in passive RFID tags, it is most preferred to use high impedance sensors to reduce power consumption.

Turning now to <FIG>, an embodiment of the RFID module <NUM> along with the UHF loop antenna <NUM> and HF coil antenna <NUM> is shown mounted on a suitable substrate <NUM>. The RFID module <NUM> may also be assembled in other configurations with various combinations of components provided on separate interconnected substrates or in different locations. For example, the UHF loop antenna <NUM> may be mounted on a separate substrate from the substrate <NUM> and the HF antenna <NUM> coiled around a conduit exterior surface.

According to one exemplary embodiment, HF antenna <NUM> can be coupled to analog control circuit <NUM> using a bridging technique. In some embodiments, HF antenna <NUM> is constructed from etched aluminum. Hence, HF antenna <NUM> can be connected by crimping through layers (e.g., aluminum) of the HF antenna <NUM> to form conductors <NUM> and <NUM> electrically connecting antenna <NUM> to the HF interface circuit <NUM> of RFID module <NUM>.

In another exemplary embodiment, both the UHF antenna <NUM> and HF antenna <NUM> can be coupled to the RFID module <NUM> by depositing (e.g., printing) dielectric and conductive inks on the substrate <NUM>. For example, coils or loops that form antenna <NUM> can be constructed using conductive ink on substrate <NUM>. The ends of the HF antenna <NUM> can be connected to the RFID module <NUM> using dielectric ink deposited over the inner coils to prevent short-circuiting while conductive ink can be deposited over the dielectric ink to create a jumper over the dielectric ink to connect the outer coils to the RFID module <NUM>. UHF loop antenna <NUM> can also be formed using dielectric and conductive inks in the manner explained above and electrically coupled to the RFID module <NUM> vis printed conductors <NUM> and <NUM>.

In the exemplary embodiment of <FIG>, the UHF loop antenna <NUM> is shown positioned inside the HF coil antenna <NUM>. In this nested configuration the substrate <NUM> containing the UHF antenna <NUM> and HF antennas <NUM>, and multi-frequency RFID module <NUM> can be a physically compact module.

It will be well understood by those skilled in the art that the RFID module <NUM> can be mounted on substrate <NUM> with only one antenna subsystem. For example, a single-frequency RFID module <NUM> could be mounted to substrate <NUM> with either a UHF subsystem and its associated antenna <NUM> or a HF subsystem and its associated antenna <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG> an exemplary conduit <NUM> of a preferred embodiment is illustrated. The conduit <NUM> takes the form of a first elongated, cylindrical tube <NUM> having an internal cavity <NUM> formed by an inner surface <NUM> and separated from an outer surface <NUM> by wall <NUM>. Cavity <NUM> is arranged to have a fluid medium flow therethrough. In this exemplary embodiment a second tubular layer <NUM> having an inner surface <NUM> and separated from an outer surface <NUM> by wall <NUM>. The inner surface <NUM> of the second layer <NUM> is overlayed over and integrally molded with the outer surface <NUM> of tube <NUM>. The layer <NUM> is used to provide certain advantageous to the conduit <NUM>, such as for example rigidity and or insulation. The tube <NUM> and the layer <NUM> can each be constructed from a thermoplastic material as a sandwiched multi-layered structure alternatively, the conduits <NUM> multi-layered structure can be constructed using a flexible rubber material, or a combination having the tube <NUM> constructed of a thermoplastic material and the layer <NUM> constructed of a rubber material.

The substrate <NUM> containing the RFID module <NUM> and antennas <NUM> and <NUM> is preferably mounted on outer surface <NUM> of tube <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, the substrate <NUM> is mounted between tube <NUM> and layer <NUM> of conduit <NUM>. The substrate <NUM> may be attached to surface <NUM> of tube <NUM> using an adhesive layer applied to either surface <NUM> or to the substrate <NUM> or alternately to both. The adhesive would be applied to the surface of substrate <NUM> opposite the surface where the RFID module <NUM> is mounted. Suitable adhesives include acrylic-based thermoset adhesives, such as DuPont PYRALUX LF or PYRALUX FR sheet adhesive or bond ply adhesive. Other adhesives for attaching the flexible substrate and sensor to the conduit may comprise flexible rubber adhesive with particle fillers, nano-fillers, or other fillers to further increase the modulus of elasticity of the adhesive.

In this configuration, the sensor <NUM> of RFID module <NUM> is positioned to provide sensor reading representing one or more physical properties of the fluid medium flowing in cavity <NUM>, such as temperature, positive or negative pressure or strain, or fluid leaks that are applied by the fluid medium to surface <NUM> of and conveyed through wall <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> of RFID module <NUM> is arranged to provide measurements of these physical properties conveyed through wall <NUM>. Additionally, due to the RFID module <NUM> mounted between tube <NUM> and layer <NUM> the RFID module is protected against the ingress of dust particles, air, liquids and/or corrosive chemicals.

In certain other embodiments, the substrate <NUM> may include a modified RFID module <NUM> that does not include the UHF antenna <NUM> and HF antenna <NUM> mounted to the substrate <NUM>. <FIG> illustrate an embodiment wherein a substrate <NUM> includes such a modified RFID module <NUM> adhesively mounted to surface <NUM> of a tube <NUM>, however, antennas <NUM> and <NUM> are mounted on a separate antenna substrate <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, antenna substrate <NUM> without the RFID module <NUM> is mounted on the outer surface <NUM> of layer <NUM>. In this embodiment, antennas <NUM> and <NUM> are formed on antenna substrate <NUM> and the substrate <NUM> adhesively attached to surface <NUM> of outer layer <NUM>. Alternately, antennas <NUM> and <NUM> can be printed directly on surface <NUM> of layer <NUM> using conductive inks. In such an external mounting, the antennas <NUM> and <NUM> are electrically connected to their respective UHF and HF interfaces on the modified RFID module <NUM> via respective conductors <NUM> and <NUM> and <NUM> and <NUM> respectively, that penetrate the wall <NUM> of layer <NUM>, electrically connecting the UHF antenna <NUM> and HF antenna <NUM> to the modified RFID module <NUM>.

In this configuration, the sensor <NUM> of the modified RFID module <NUM> is positioned to provide reading of the physical properties of fluid medium in cavity <NUM> as was explained above for <FIG>, however, due to the UHF and HF antennas being mounted on the outer surface <NUM> of layer <NUM> reception of the electromagnetic signals from an RFID reader and transmission of RFID signals from the antennas are in some instances stronger, favoring a more effective connection between the components of the RFID system.

According to another aspect of the present embodiment, a protective layer <NUM> of an insulating material, such as for example an epoxy resin can be deposited on surface <NUM> over the antenna substrate <NUM> or over the printed UHF <NUM> and HF <NUM> antennas, in order to protect the antennas from damage from external influences such as dust, liquids and corrosive materials and other damage that may be caused by road debris and any environmental or mechanical effects in the operation of a vehicle.

In another exemplary embodiment illustrated by <FIG>, the substrate <NUM> and RFID module <NUM> may be adhesively attached to the outer surface <NUM> of a single-layer conduit <NUM> or partially embedded on the exterior surface <NUM> of the conduit <NUM> such as placed in a pocket or void constructed on the conduit surface <NUM> (not shown). The conduit <NUM> of this exemplary embodiment takes the form of an elongated single-layer cylindrical tube having an internal cavity <NUM> formed by an inner surface <NUM> and separated from an outer surface <NUM> by a wall <NUM>. Cavity <NUM> is arranged to have a fluid medium flow therethrough. The substrate <NUM> is attached to the external surface <NUM> of conduit <NUM> using an adhesive layer applied to either the surface <NUM> or to the substrate or alternately to both. The adhesive would be applied to the surface of substrate <NUM> opposite the surface where the RFID module <NUM> is mounted. Suitable adhesives include acrylic-based thermoset adhesives, such as described above. such as DuPont PYRALUX LF or PYRALUX FR sheet adhesive or bond ply adhesive. Other adhesives for attaching the flexible substrate and sensor to the conduit may comprise flexible rubber adhesive with particle fillers, nano-fillers, or other fillers to further increase the modulus of elasticity of the adhesive.

In this exemplary embodiment, the sensor <NUM> of RFID module <NUM> is positioned to provide sensor readings representing one or more physical properties of a fluid medium flowing in cavity <NUM> as was explained above in the description of <FIG>.

According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the conduit can include a protective layer of insulating material <NUM>, such as for example an epoxy resin deposited on the exterior surface <NUM> and applied over the substrate <NUM>, in order to protect the RFID module <NUM> from damage from external influences such as dust, liquids and corrosive materials and other damage that may be caused by road debris and any environmental or mechanical effects in the operation of a vehicle.

With renewed reference to <FIG> an exemplary method for operating the RFID module <NUM> will now be explained. The RFID module <NUM> communicates with an actively powered RFID reader <NUM> via a wireless RFID protocol <NUM> using either a single or multi-frequency transmission system. The RFID module <NUM> is designed to communicate using either a UHF frequency, for example <NUM> using the loop antenna <NUM> or an HF frequency, for example <NUM> using coil antenna <NUM> or both simultaneously. The RFID reader <NUM> can operate and transmit RFID protocol transmissions at a UHF frequency of <NUM>, or at an HF frequency of <NUM> or both frequencies simultaneously. The components of the RFID module <NUM> work in concert with each other to take sensor measurements and also work in cooperation with each other to transmit sensor measurements from sensor <NUM> and stored ID information from analog interface circuit <NUM>, to the RFID reader <NUM>.

In operation, the RFID reader <NUM> transmits an inquiry signal via protocol <NUM> and also receives an authentication response from the RFID tag <NUM> of RFID module <NUM>. Based on the frequency transmitted by reader <NUM>, the RFID module <NUM> uses either the UHF antenna <NUM> or HF antenna <NUM> or both frequencies to receive the interrogation signal from the RFID reader <NUM> and to collect and harvest radio frequency (RF) energy transmitted by the reader <NUM> to power the RFID module <NUM>.

The RFID module <NUM> uses the collected RF energy to power its components including the sensor <NUM>. Sensor <NUM> uses the power collected from the RFID tag <NUM> to obtain real-time measurement data for a physical property from the fluid conduit. The measurement data is then transmitted to the RFID reader <NUM> via the RFID module <NUM> and antennas <NUM>, <NUM> on the frequency used by RFID reader <NUM> to interrogate the RFID module <NUM>. Additionally, the RFID module can also send ID information stored in the analog control circuit <NUM> along with the sensor <NUM> measurement data. The ID information can include the identification of the RFID module <NUM>, a location of the RFID module <NUM>, or other identifying information concerning the fluid conduit where the RFID module is installed. The RFID reader <NUM> can temporarily store the received measurement data from sensor <NUM> for further processing or transfer the measurement data directly to a computing device <NUM>. The computing device <NUM> can use the measurement data received to calculate values, of the detected physical properties of the fluid medium such as for example a temperature or pressure. Or can perform post-processing evaluation on the measurement data or store the unprocessed data for further analysis.

The RFID reader <NUM> can be intermittently or continuously connect to one or more computing devices <NUM> such as a PC or data center. According to one exemplary embodiment, computing device <NUM> may not be tied to a particular device or processor and may be implemented by a cloud computing service or other distributed processing service. The connection between the RFID reader <NUM> and the computing device <NUM> may be a wireless connection such as WiFi or Bluetooth, or a hard-wired connection implemented according to a known IP protocol, for example via Ethernet or coaxial cable.

In another exemplary embodiment, the RFID reader <NUM> may perform some of the functions described herein as belonging to computing device <NUM>, and vice versa. In fact, the RFID reader <NUM> and the computing device <NUM> may in some cases be implemented as a single unit or may be implemented as more than two units as described above. In this case, the functionality associated with either or both of these devices is distributed across two or more devices.

In some embodiments, various functions described in this patent document are implemented or supported by a computer program that is formed from computer readable program code and that is embodied in a computer readable medium.

It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, sets of instructions, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data, or a portion thereof adapted for implementation in a suitable computer code (including source code, object code, or executable code). The term "communicate," as well as derivatives thereof, encompasses both direct and indirect communication. The phrase "associated with," as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, have a relationship to or with, or the like.

Claim 1:
A system for sensing a physical property of a medium inside a conduit comprising:
a radio frequency identification, RFID, reader (<NUM>) arranged to transmit electromagnetic signals in at least one radio frequency;
an RFID tag (<NUM>) receiving the least one radio frequency exchanging the at least one radio frequency to electrical energy to power the RFID tag (<NUM>);
a sensor (<NUM>) electrically connected to the RFID tag (<NUM>) located adjacent the medium flowing inside the conduit, the sensor receiving the electrical energy from the RFID tag (<NUM>) and operating the sensor (<NUM>) to obtain measurement data of at least one physical property of the medium;
the sensor (<NUM>) transmitting the measurement data to the RFID tag (<NUM>), wherein the measurement data is transmitted by the RFID tag to the RFID reader (<NUM>) using the at least one radio frequency;
characterised in that it comprises:
an ultra-high frequency, UHF, control circuit (<NUM>) electrically connected to a UHF antenna (<NUM>) tuned to receive a UHF radio frequency; and
a high-frequency, HF, control circuit (<NUM>) electrically connected to an HF antenna (<NUM>) tuned to receive an HF radio frequency, wherein the HF antenna (<NUM>) and the UHF antenna (<NUM>) are arranged as a nested pair.