Patent ID: 7015826

Claim:
A temperature sensing transponder, comprising: an antenna portion operable to receive an interrogation signal from a reader and to transmit a data signal to the reader, said data signal including identification information and temperature information; an integrated circuit operatively associated with said antenna portion having a memory portion containing an identifier uniquely associated with the transponder and an integrated temperature sensor portion, said integrated temperature sensor portion including a temperature sensor and said temperature sensor including first and second bipolar junction transistor portions such that said temperature sensor is operable to generate an analog temperature signal which corresponds to a temperature of said temperature sensor, said integrated circuit operable to receive said interrogation signal from said antenna portion, and generate said data signal for transmission by said antenna portion, wherein said integrated circuit includes data related to said integrated temperature sensor portion, said data stored in said integrated circuit prior to said integrated circuit being operatively associated with said antenna portion, and wherein said first bipolar junction transistor portion contains a bipolar junction transistor and said second bipolar transistor portion contains a plurality of bipolar junction transistors.