Patent ID: 6947714

Claim:
In an amusement device, an identification transmission system comprising: a transmitting antenna; a transmitter circuit configured to broadcast a predetermined tone on a predetermined carrier frequency through the antenna; and a piezo-electric power source electrically coupled to the transmitter circuit and configured to at least briefly provide power to the transmitter circuit, the piezo-electro power source including: a piezo-electric element; a striker configured to move so as to at least briefly strike the piezo-electric element; a storage capacitor configured to receive and store electrical charge from the piezo-electric element; a circuit ground reference electrically coupled to the storage capacitor; and a voltage controlled switch having a predetermined voltage trip point, the voltage controlled switch electrically coupling the transmitter circuit to one of the storage capacitor and the circuit ground reference when an amount of charge stored in the storage capacitor causes voltage on the storage capacitor to be greater than or equal to the predetermined voltage trip point thereby permitting the storage capacitor to discharge through the transmitter circuit, the voltage applied to the transmitter circuit from the storage capacitor decaying as the storage capacitor discharges.