text:
US7221275B2 - Tuneable wireless tags using spatially inhomogeneous structures - Google Patents
Tuneable wireless tags using spatially inhomogeneous structures Download PDF
Richard Fletcher
Neil Gershenfeld
2003-09-03 Application filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed Critical Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2003-10-23 Assigned to MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY reassignment MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FLETCHER, RICHARD, GERSHENFELD, NEIL
230000037361 pathway Effects 0 abstract claims description 149
230000004075 alteration Effects 0 claims description 17
230000000638 stimulation Effects 0 abstract description 7
230000001747 exhibited Effects 0 claims description 4
238000001228 spectrum Methods 0 claims description 3
239000003990 capacitor Substances 0 description 7
229920002799 BoPET Polymers 0 description 1
239000005041 Mylar™ Substances 0 description 1
239000004820 Pressure-sensitive adhesives Substances 0 description 1
238000003486 chemical etching Methods 0 description 1
239000011152 fibreglass Substances 0 description 1
229910002058 ternary alloys Inorganic materials 0 description 1
G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
G06K19/0672—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with resonating marks
Wireless tags with a plurality of non-equivalent current pathways altered to collectively represent encoded information, each of which responds differently to an interrogation signal. The element is subjected to a signal stimulating the current pathways, each of which contributes to an overall element response. The information may be recovered from the salient features of this overall response. These salient features include resonant frequency, amplitude, relative peak position, relative peak amplitude, damping, and Q factor.
This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/408,141, filed on Sep. 3, 2002 now abandoned.
The present invention relates to remote sensing, tracking, and identification (ID), and in particular to the production and use of inexpensive ID tags.
Various monitoring technologies are known and used to monitor the location of an article or to provide identification in a wide range of contexts. One such technology, known as "tagging," is commonly employed, for example, in shoplifting security systems, security-badge access systems and automatic sorting of clothes by commercial laundry services. These conventional tagging systems may use some form of radio-frequency identification (RF-ID). In such systems, RF-ID tags and a tag reader (or base station) are separated by a small distance to facilitate near-field electromagnetic coupling therebetween. Far-field radio tag devices (far-field meaning that the sensing distance is long compared to the wavelength and size of the antenna involved) are also known and used for tagging objects at larger distances.
The near-field coupling between the RF-ID tag and the tag reader may be used to supply power to the RF-ID tag (so that the RF-ID tag does not require a local power source) and to communicate information to the tag reader via changes in the value of the tag's impedance. In particular, the RF-ID tag incorporates an active switch, packaged as a small electronic chip, for encoding the information in the RF-ID tag and communicating this information via an impedance switching pattern. The impedance directly determines the reflected power signal received by the reader, and as a result, the RF-ID tag is not necessarily required to generate any transmitted signal.
It is desirable in commercial applications or technology to reduce the cost of RF-ID tags. Though simple in principle, RF-ID tags may require sophisticated manufacturing techniques to produce. A more economical alternative involves marker elements adapted to affect an interrogation signal in a measurable, characteristic way. Many such systems utilize magnetic or magnetomechanical tags. For example, a magnetic wire or strip exhibiting harmonic behavior may be stimulated within an interrogation zone by transmitter antenna coils. The coils generate an alternating magnetic interrogation field, which drives the marker into and out of saturation, thereby disturbing the interrogation field and producing alternating magnetic fields at frequencies that represent harmonics of the interrogation frequency. The harmonics are detected by receiver antenna coils, which may be housed in the same structure as the transmitter coils. Accordingly, the appearance of a tagged article within the zone—which may be defined, for example, near the doors of a retail store or library—is readily detected.
Inexpensive, magnetic antitheft systems tend to encode very little, if any, information. Essentially, the tag merely makes its presence known. Although some efforts toward enhancing the information-bearing capacity of magnetic tags have been made—see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,821,859; 4,484,184; and 5,729,201, which disclose tags capable of encoding multiple bits of data—the tags themselves tend to be complex and therefore expensive to produce, and may require special detection arrangements that limit the interrogation range (the '859 patent, for example, requires scanning a pickup over the tag) or involve specialized equipment.
In one aspect, the invention relates to a device that has a plurality of non-equivalent interacting current pathways that together represent multi-bit information. The device is responsive to a wireless electromagnetic interrogation signal, whereby each of the pathways responds differently to the signal and contributes to the provision of the multi-bit information. Furthermore, some of the non-equivalent current pathways have been altered to encode the represented multi-bit information.
In one embodiment, each of the pathways exhibits a different electromagnetic response having at least one electromagnetic resonance, the responses differing from each other in at least one of resonant frequency, amplitude, quality ("Q") factor, or damping. In various embodiments, each resonance corresponds to a respective different capacitance parameter of the device, a respective different inductance parameter of the device, or both, and the values of the capacitance and inductance are adjustable.
In various embodiments the pathways are altered by severing at least one pathway from the other pathways, shorting at least one pathway to a pathway on an opposing face of the device, changing the length of at least one pathway, changing the overlap between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device, changing the position of at least one pathway relative to the other pathways, changing the spacing between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device, and changing the capacitance of at least one pathway by placing a metal element between the at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an electromagnetically-responsive structure for encoding multi-bit information, whereby the encoded information is wirelessly readable in the frequency domain. The structure includes first and second current pathways having different electromagnetic responses, whereby at least one of the pathways is altered to encode the represented multi-bit information. The first and second current pathways are electromagnetically coupled to each other in such a manner that the coupling results in at least one attribute of the electromagnetic responses approximating a norm.
In one embodiment, at least a portion of the multi-bit information is readable through variations in at least one of the salient features of the electromagnetic responses, the salient features including resonant frequency, amplitude, quality ("Q") factor, and damping. At least one of the current pathways may comprise an open-loop geometry or a closed-loop geometry.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for encoding multi-bit information on a wireless tag, whereby the encoded information is wirelessly readable in the frequency domain. This method includes providing first and second current pathways having different electromagnetic responses, whereby at least one of the pathways is altered to encode the represented multi-bit information. Further, the first and second current pathways are electromagnetically coupled to each other, such that at least one attribute of the electromagnetic responses approximates a norm. The salient features of the combined electromagnetic responses of the first and second current pathways encode the multi-bit information.
In one embodiment, the first and second current pathways are physically adjoined. In various embodiments, the alterations include electrically shorting a pathway, or varying one or more of pathway length, pathway overlap area, or pathway relative position.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method of wirelessly sensing multi-bit information comprising the steps of providing a device responsive to a wireless electromagnetic signal and having a plurality of non-equivalent current pathways, wherein at least some of the plurality of pathways have been altered to encode the multi-bit information and respond differently to the excitation signal. Subjecting the device to a wireless electromagnetic excitation signal permits the recovery of the multi-bit information based on an interaction between the device and the signal. Salient features of the electromagnetic response of the device are extracted and the multi-bit information is recovered from the values of the salient features in the response.
In one embodiment, each of the salient features corresponds to a different capacitance feature of the device. In another embodiment, each of the salient features corresponds to a different inductance feature of the device. In various embodiments the pathways are altered by severing at least one pathway from the other pathways, shorting at least one pathway to a pathway on an opposing face of the device, changing the length of at least one pathway, changing the overlap between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device, changing the position of at least one pathway relative to the other pathways, changing the spacing between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device, and changing the capacitance of at least one pathway by placing a metal element between the at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an electromagnetically-responsive structure for encoding multi-bit information, whereby the encoded information is wirelessly readable in the frequency domain. The structure includes a first pathway having a first electromagnetic response and having a pair of opposing, electrically-conductive loops electrically connected through at least one point. The structure also includes a second electrically-conductive pathway characterized by having a second electromagnetic response and being electromagnetically coupled to the first loop. The second pathway also has a pair of opposing, electrically-conductive loops electrically connected through at least one point. The electromagnetic coupling results in at least one attribute of the first and second electromagnetic responses approximating a norm.
The invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The advantages of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams depicting the geometry and current paths of an open-loop embodiment of the invention having two branches;
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram depicting an equivalent circuit of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are plots of the electromagnetic response of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram depicting an embodiment of the present invention having a circular geometry;
FIGS. 5A and 5B are plan and elevational views of an alternative embodiment of the open-loop geometry illustrated in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective diagram depicting the embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B;
FIG. 7 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a second embodiment of a method in accordance with the present invention;
FIGS. 9A and 9B are schematic diagrams illustrating two approaches for interrogating a tag in accord with the present invention;
FIG. 10A illustrates the electromagnetic response of an embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 10B presents a converted version of the graphical response illustrated in FIG. 10A.
The invention relates to a class of devices ("tags") adapted for storing multi-bit information and conveying the stored information in response to wireless interrogation signals. In some embodiments these tags include electrical conductors configured as multiple nonequivalent current pathways, whereby each of the conductors contributes to the overall electromagnetic response of the device and at least some of the conductors have been altered to encode the multi-bit information. Generally, the current pathways are defined by electrical conductors configured as open loops, closed loops, or combinations of open and closed loops. An open loop geometry generally includes, for example, linear embodiments, curvilinear embodiments, and combinations thereof.
With reference to FIG. 1A, a representative tag structure 100 having current pathways configured as an open-loop geometry includes a top portion, such as a top half 105′, and a bottom portion, such as a bottom half 105″, each portion being in electrical communication with the other through an electrical shunt 110. The top half 105′ is further defined by three electrically-conducting traces: a top segment 115′; a first top branch 120′; and a second top branch 125′. The top segment 115′, the first top branch 120′, and the second top branch 125′ are in electrical communication with each other, defining a top node 130′. The bottom half 105″ is similarly defined by three electrically-conducting traces: a bottom segment 115″; a first bottom branch 120″; and a second bottom branch 125″. The bottom segment 115″, the first bottom branch 120″, and the second bottom branch 125″ are in electrical communication with each other, defining a bottom node 130″.
The top segment 115′ is configurable as an electrically-conducting trace having a length d1′, the first top branch 120′ is configurable as an electrically-conducting trace having a length d2′, and the second top branch 125′ is configurable as an electrically-conducting trace having a length d3′. Similarly, the bottom segment 115″, the first bottom branch 120″, and the second bottom branch 125″ are each configurable as electrically-conducting traces having respective lengths d1″, d2″, and d3″. To enhance the resonance response of the tag 100, the top half 105′, and the bottom half 105″ are configured with a high degree of symmetry. For example, the lengths may be selected such that d1≈d1″, d2′≈d2″, and d3′≈d3″. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1A, the top half 105′ and bottom half 105″ are symmetric about the shunt 110 (i.e., the coordinate origin of a Cartesian coordinate system defining a plane containing the tag 100, as indicated by the dashed line). As will be discussed in greater detail below, the top half 105′ and bottom half 105″ are generally folded about their respective ends of the shunt 110, such that the halves 105′, 105″, overlap each other, residing in parallel, but separate planes.
FIG. 1B illustrates the different current paths of the above-described tag structure 100. Interrogation by a wireless electromagnetic field induces an electrical current distribution in the tag structure 100. The current distribution depends upon factors such as the interrogating field's frequency (or wavelength), its amplitude, and the spatial orientation of its electric and/or magnetic field components. Under interrogation conditions, resonant currents flow along one or more current pathways of the tag 100. For example, a first current may be induced along the current pathway 135 formed by the first top branch 120′, the top segment 115′, the shunt 110, the bottom segment 115″, and the first bottom branch 120″. Under stimulation by an appropriate interrogating field a first structural resonance occurs in the first current pathway 135. Similarly, a second current may be induced along a second current pathway 140 formed by the second top branch 125′, the top segment 115′, the shunt 110, the bottom segment 115″, and the second bottom branch 125″. Under stimulation by another interrogating field having different properties, a second structural resonance occurs in the second current pathway 140.
Once folded, the opposing halves (sides) of the structure create a distributed capacitance along the length of the branches. This distributed capacitance allows the electric field to be distributed across the entire area of the tag. This results in more stable resonances that are less susceptible to de-tuning by external electromagnetic influences. This is a desirable property for commercial applications such as packaging labels for materials such as liquids or metal objects.
FIG. 2 depicts an equivalent electrical circuit for the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B. A parallel, open loop resonator is formed by the structure defining the first and second current pathways 135, 140 illustrated in FIG. 1B. Resistor R1′ represents an approximation of the ohmic ("I2R") loss, and the inductor L1′represents an approximation of the series inductance each associated with both the top segment 115′ and the first top branch 120′. Resistor R1″ represents an approximation of the ohmic loss, and the inductor L1″ represents an approximation of the series inductance, each associated with both the bottom segment 115″ and the first bottom branch 120″. The capacitor C1 represents an approximation of the capacitance between the combined top segment 115′-first top branch 120′ and the combined bottom segment 115-first bottom branch 120″ and is a function of the overlapping area and the dielectric constant of any intervening material.
Similarly, resistor R2″ represents an approximation of the ohmic loss, and the inductor L2″ represents an approximation of the series inductance each associated with both the bottom segment 115″ and the second bottom branch 125″. The capacitor C2 represents an approximation of the capacitance between the combined top segment 115′-second top branch 125′ and the combined bottom segment 115″-second bottom branch 125″ and is also a function of the overlapping area and the dielectric constant of any intervening material.
Capacitor C12′ represents an approximation of an interbranch capacitance between the first top branch 120′ and the second top branch 125′. Likewise, capacitor C12″ represents an approximation of the interbranch capacitance between the first bottom branch 120″ and the second bottom branch 125″. Capacitors C12′ and C12″ respectively correspond to the interbranch capacitors 145′ and 145″ illustrated in FIG. 1B. A current source IS represents approximate currents induced by an interrogating field. The resulting electrical circuit includes two different resonant, or "tank" circuits. The first tank circuit is defined by the circuit path including the elements L1′, R1′, C1, R1″, and L1″. The second tank circuit is defined by the circuit path including the elements L2′, R2′, C2, R2″, and L2″. Each tank circuit exhibits a resonant response relating to the values of its electrical components.
A representative electrical response of a tag, such as the tag structure 100 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2, is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. A first electrical response curve 150′ depicts the value of an electrical response parameter versus frequency. As illustrated, the vertical coordinate axis represents a range of amplitude for the electrical response parameter. The horizontal axis represents a range of frequencies over which the electrical response parameter is observed. The first electrical response curve 150′ shows an electrical response of the tag structure 100 resulting from stimulation by a continuous, swept-frequency electrical source. It should be understood, however, that different electrical responses are possible. For example, stimulation by a series of discrete frequencies or stimulation by a short electromagnetic pulse that can simultaneously excite many frequencies.
The electrical response parameter may be for example, the impedance of the tag as measured by its reflected or absorbed power. Alternatively, the electrical response parameter can also be the voltages induced in a reader coil resulting from a pulse excitation of the tag. These approaches are illustrated schematically in FIGS. 14A and 14B.
The electrical response curve 150′ includes one or more resonant features 155′, 155″ (generally 155). Referring to FIG. 3A, the resonant feature 155 may include a relative maximum, or peak value. Alternatively or in addition, the resonant feature 155 may include a relative minimum, or valley value. Generally, each resonant feature 155 is defined by feature aspects including a resonant frequency (e.g., F1, F2, etc.), a relative maximum (or minimum) amplitude (e.g., E1, E2, etc.), and a shape factor (e.g., Q1, Q2, etc.) relating to the "sharpness" of the resonance response. The shape factor may be defined, for example, by a quality factor "Q" relating to values of the equivalent electrical circuit parameters (R, L, C) at resonant frequency. One such quality factor is defined in equation 1:
Q ≡ f r Δ   f r ( Equation   1 )
where fr is a particular individual resonant frequency and Δfr is the width of the associated peak.
The multi-bit information encoded within the tag structure 100 is thus observable and retrievable through the electrical response represented in curve 150. Namely, respective portions of the multi-bit information may be encoded using the values of the resonant features 155 (i.e., the resonant frequency, the amplitude, and/or the Q value). FIG. 3A illustrates a resonant tag 100 whose response encodes two bits of information. In this figure, each bit of the multi-bit information is represented by a different resonant feature 155′, 155″ associated with a resonant frequency. The resonant frequency generally refers to that frequency at which the relative maximum (or minimum) value of the resonant feature 155 occurs. Thus, each bit of information may be distinguished according to its associated resonant frequency, each bit of information being associated with a respective frequency (i.e., F1, F2), or with a respective frequency range (i.e., Δf1, Δf2).
A value for each bit of information may thus be encoded in one or more of the respective amplitude, frequency, and/or the Q values of each resonant feature 155. In the exemplary embodiment encoding binary information illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, an amplitude value occurring within a range about a first norm (e.g., within an amplitude range extending from a value of about Δ2 below the norm, to a value of about Δ1 above the norm) represents a binary "1." Accordingly, the electrical response curve 150′ is representative of the multi-bit binary informational value of "112."
Amplitude ranges about a norm can be defined by absolute amplitude values, or as a percentage, e.g., 10%, of the norm value. The amplitude ranges may also be asymmetric about the norm (for example, Δ1 above the norm being 20% of the norm and Δ2 below the norm being 10% of the norm).
Similarly, an amplitude value occurring within a range about a second norm represents a binary "0." In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the absence of a resonant amplitude in a range about a first norm represents a binary "0." That is, the amplitude of the electrical response curve is below the amplitude value of "NORM−Δ2" over the entire frequency range associated with a bit of the multi bit information. Accordingly, the electrical response curve 150″ is representative of the multi-bit binary informational value of "102."
For embodiments having more than two norm values, multiple bits of information may be encoded at each resonant frequency. For example, at each resonant frequency, an embodiment may exhibit any of three allowed amplitude states ("0," "1," and "2,") thereby tripling the information encodable by frequency alone. Alternatively or additionally, a resonant peak 155 having an associated Q value occurring within a first range of Q values may represent a binary "0"; whereas, a resonant peak 155 having an associated Q value occurring within a second range of Q values would represent a binary "1." The analog data concerning the resonant frequencies may be converted to digital values using other techniques known to the art.
The multi-bit information stored in a particular tag may be modified in several ways through modification of the metal layer of the tag, the dielectric layer of the tag, or both. The metal and dielectric layers may be modified during the time of manufacture or during post-manufacture processing. In accord with the present invention, a typical embodiment of a tag includes at least one convenient location on the tag for implementing changes to the metal layer, the dielectric layer, or both.
Several types of modifications to the metal layer permit changes to the resonant frequencies of an individual tag design. Each resonance peak may be individually deactivated by severing its branch's connection to the rest of the structure or shorting opposing branches across the dielectric thickness. Increasing the length of a given branch adds additional turns without overlapping with the metal layer of the opposing face of the tag, increasing the inductance of that branch and altering its resonant frequency. Varying the amount of overlap between each branch and its corresponding branch on the opposing face of the tag by changing the trace length or the trace width affects the capacitance of the branch and, accordingly, its resonant frequency. The mutual inductance among the different branches of the tag may be varied by shifting the relative position of the individual metal traces, producing changes in the relative position of the individual resonance peaks. As in any multi-resonant structure, there is typically a coupling between the individual resonances that limits the extent to which each resonance may be tuned without affecting the values of the other resonant frequencies.
Likewise, the dielectric layer of the tag may be altered to modify the resonant frequencies of an individual tag design. The thickness of the dielectric, either globally or in localized areas, may be varied to change the resonant frequency of the tag. Holes in the dielectric layer create shorts between metal traces on opposite faces of the tag, eliminating resonance peaks. Inserting metal between the opposite faces of the tag, such as through the introduction of a dielectric having an embedded patterned metal layer, also reduces the capacitance of the tag, affecting its resonant frequencies.
In more detail, each of the current pathways 135, 140 illustrated in FIG. 1B typically corresponds to at least one bit of the multi-bit information encoded within the tag structure 100. The resonant features 155 associated with each bit of the multi-bit information stored by the tag structure 100 are related to the physical properties of the current pathways 135, 140. The physical properties include the physical dimensions of the current pathways 135, 140—such as an overall length of the tag structural elements defining the current pathway 135, 140, their related widths, or their related thicknesses. The length of a particular current pathway 135, 140 relates generally to the resonant frequency F1, F2. Thus, the resonant frequency may be controlled by the length of the current pathway 135, 140.
As previously described in relation to FIG. 2, the tag structural elements defining a respective current pathway 135, 140 have an associated distributed inductance value related to the electrical conductor, represented by lumped inductors L1′ and L2′. Similarly the tag structural elements defining respective current pathways have an associated distributed capacitance value, generally related to the overlap of the respective structural elements. This capacitance value may be represented by equivalent lumped capacitors C1 and C2. This represents yet another way to modify the resonant spectrum of the tag, hence the ability of a single tag to encode multi-bit information.
Additionally, resonant features 155 associated with each bit of the multi-bit information stored by the tag structure 100 may be modified by varying the separation distance between the opposing folded halves 105′, 105″. The amount of physical separation distance controls the capacitance between the halves 105′, 105″, thereby affecting the resonant frequency value. Similarly, the physical properties (e.g., dielectric constant or electrical permittivity, ∈) of a material disposed between the respective halves 105′, 105″ may be used to tune the resonant frequency, again by altering an associated capacitance.
Inter-branch capacitance between different branches of the tag is created by the overlap area between branches on opposing folded halves 105′, 105″ of the tag. The inter-branch capacitance may be used to control the relative amplitude value of resonant features 150, thereby adjusting the respective amplitudes to approach within a boundary about the norm. A tag structure 100 that encodes informational values using norms is advantageous as it simplifies the detection of the encoded information. For example, an interrogated tag that produces an amplitude response substantially bounded about a norm simplifies the dynamic range requirements of a tag receiver by limiting the dynamic range to a known value. Limiting expected amplitude variations about a norm also simplifies detection circuitry in a tag reader because the detector's decision circuitry (i.e., circuitry distinguishing between a binary 0 or 1) may be designed to operate using well-defined, bounded amplitude ranges.
A tag producing an amplitude response whereby informational values are substantially bounded by respective norms may more readily accommodate tags using amplitude to store more than one bit of information in a given frequency range. A suitably designed tag, when interrogated, produces an amplitude response having amplitude values substantially contained within respective norms. For example, a ternary system can have at least two different amplitude norms. As the tag's amplitude response is constrained about the norms, the different norm values can be selected relatively close to each other (e.g., both amplitude values being within the same order of magnitude).
Variations in the material of the current pathways 135, 140 may be used to, among other things, vary the respective Q value. For example, providing a current pathway 135 made of a first material having a given resistivity and/or electrical conductivity results in a first structural electrical loss value (e.g., resistors R1′ and R2′ of FIG. 2). As the Q value varies with the value of structural loss, increasing the value of R1′ and R2′ tends to reduce the associated Q value. Similarly, reducing the structural loss by reducing the values of R1′ and R2′ tends to increase the associated Q value.
FIG. 4 illustrates an open loop tag structure 200 having a top half 205′, shown in black, and a bottom half 205″, shown in crosshatch, with current paths corresponding to those of FIG. 1B. The top half 205′ and bottom half 205″ are interconnected by a shunt 210 at the point where the two halves of the tag are folded. The top half 205′ includes a first segment 215′ in electrical communication at one end with the shunt 210. The top half 205′ also includes a first top branch 220′ in electrical communication at one end to another end of the first segment 215′, and a second top branch 225′, also electrically connected at one end to the top branch 220′. The first segment 215′, the first top branch 220′, and the second top branch 225′ are interconnected, thereby forming a node 230′.
Similarly, the bottom half 205″ includes a first segment 215″ in electrical communication at one end with the shunt 210. The bottom half 205″ includes a first bottom branch 220″ in electrical communication at one end to another end of the first segment 215″, and a second bottom branch 225″ electrically connected at one end to the same end of the bottom branch 220″, thereby forming a node 230″ at the intersection of the first segment 215″, the first branch 220″, and the second branch 220″.
As illustrated, the top and bottom halves 205′, 205″ are configured as arcs defining at least a portion of a circle or, more generally, an ellipse. In one embodiment, the top and bottom halves 205′, 205″ are disposed in opposite orientations as viewed from one side, such that the electrical current in either half flows in the same general direction (e.g., clockwise, or counterclockwise). The respective lengths of the segments 205′, 205″ (d1), the first branch 210′, 210″ (d2), and the second branch 215′, 215″ (d3) are selectable. The relative lengths d1, d2, d3, as well as the diameter of the open loop, control the extent of any overlap between respective elements of the tag structure 200. Similarly, the relative lengths of d2, d3, as well as the diameter of the open loop, control the extent to which the first branch 210′ and second branch 215′ are disposed adjacently to each other, thereby affecting a related inter-branch capacitance value.
An angular, open loop tag structure 250 is shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The structure 250 has two current pathways 255, 260 corresponding to those illustrated in FIG. 4. The current pathways 255, 260 may be fashioned from an electrical conductor (e.g., copper, aluminum, nickel, silver, gold) or from combinations of electrical conductors (e.g., nickel-plated copper), e.g., from one or more piecewise linear segments, each having a substantially rectangular cross section, with a width W and a height h.
As illustrated, the current pathways 255, 260 may be disposed upon a dielectric material 265. The dielectric material 265 may be fashioned from any suitable dielectric material, with associated dielectric constant, ∈. Some exemplary dielectric materials include Mylar sheet, Duroid, fiberglass, ceramic, silicon, polypropylene, polyethylene (PET), and more generally, polymeric materials. The dielectric material may be fashioned in a planar configuration having a thickness, t. Alternatively, the dielectric material 265 may be fashioned in a tape, such that the current pathways 255, 260 are disposed upon one side of the tape. In this manner, the resulting tag structure 250 may be formed by folding the dielectric tape in a controlled manner, such that a top half 270′ and a bottom half 270″ substantially overlap each other.
The current pathways 255, 260 may be fixedly applied to the dielectric material 265 in any suitable manner, such as the varied techniques available for forming conductive etches upon a printed circuit board (e.g., chemical etching, photo-resist etching, silk screening, printing, etc.). In one embodiment, the current pathways 255, 260 are formed independently from the dielectric material 265. For example, the material of the current pathways 255, 260 may include an adhesive 275 on one side, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive. The adhesive 275 allows the current pathways 255, 260 to be bonded to the dielectric material 265 in the manner of tape. The top and bottom halves 270′, 270″ may be interconnected by a shunt 280, which may be a conductive material (e.g., a pin, screw, rivet, a solder joint, a plated through hole, or another segment of adhesive strip in which the adhesive is itself conductive).
To control the resonance response of the resulting tag structure 250, the overall lengths, as well as the relative lengths, of the current pathways 255, 260 may be preselected. The lengths of each of the current pathways 255, 260 may be predetermined and selected during a fabrication process for the tag 150 (i.e., the lengths are established when the conductive pathways are first applied to the conductive material 265). Alternatively, the lengths may be determined after fabrication, e.g., by selective removal of material by the user.
Some methods of varying the lengths include prefabricating the tag 250 with the current pathways having a maximum length. Thus, the length may be selectably shortened after fabrication by removing one or more portions of the current pathways 255, 260 from at least one end of the current pathways 255, 260. For example, the ends of the current pathways 255, 260 may be cut away. Additionally, the ends of one or more of the current pathways 255, 260 may be selectively short circuited, e.g., from the top half 270′ to the bottom half 270″ using a shorting device 285, such as a conductive pin, screw, rivet, or even a dimple that places the top and bottom halves 270′, 270″ into physical contact with each other. FIG. 6 illustrates in exploded view the tag 250 of FIGS. 5A and 5B.
Referring now to FIG. 7, in operation a tag structure encoding multi-bit information is provided (step 400). The tag structure is then interrogated (step 410). In one embodiment, the interrogation includes subjection to an interrogating electromagnetic signal. Finally, the encoded multi-bit information is retrieved from the tag structure (step 420).
In more detail, referring now to FIG. 8, interrogation of the tag structure may include transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal in proximity to the tag structure (step 430). The interaction of the interrogation signal with the tag structure results in electrical currents being induced within the conductive elements of the tag structure. These currents, in turn, generate electromagnetic fields that represent an electromagnetic (RF) response signal. A suitably configured receiver receives the response signal from the tag structure (step 440). The received response signal is processed to identify the one or more resonance features encoding the multi-bit information (step 450). Each of the identified resonance responses is further processed to characterize the resonant features (e.g., resonant frequency, amplitude, Q value, etc.) (step 460). Finally, the characterized features are interpreted (step 470) to recover the encoded multi-bit information
FIG. 9A illustrates one embodiment of an interrogator 500. The interrogator 500 includes a source (such as a swept-frequency voltage source 505), a signal detector (such as a square-law power detector 510) and a directional coupler 515. The directional coupler 515 may include three ports 520, 525, 530. The directional coupler 515 generally transfers signals received at the first port 520 to the third port 530, and transfers signals received at the third port 530 to the second port 525. The voltage source 515 is in electrical communication with the first port 520, transmitting an interrogation signal thereto. The third port 530 is in electrical communication with an antenna 535, which transmits the interrogation signal received from the voltage source 505 to one or more tags of opportunity located within the range of the antenna 535.
The antenna 535 then receives a response signal generated by a tag responsive to the interrogation signal. The antenna 535 forwards the received response signal to the third port 530. The directional coupler 515 transfers the received response signal to the detector 510 via the second port 525. The detector 510 receives the response signal and performs a detection function. The detected signal may be forwarded to a computer or other processor for additional processing.
FIG. 9B illustrates an alternative embodiment of an interrogator 550 configured without a directional coupler. The interrogator 550 includes the swept-frequency voltage source 505 and the detector 510. The interrogator is in electrical communication with a transmit antenna 535′ through a first port 555. The interrogator is also in electrical communication with a receive antenna 535″ through a second port 560. The source 505 transmits the interrogation signal to a tag of opportunity via the transmit antenna 535′. The detector 510 receives a response signal from an interrogated tag via the receive antenna 535″.
In one embodiment, referring now to FIGS. 10A & 10B, a frequency response signal 570 is received at a detector. In one embodiment, the detector receives a time-domain response signal from the interrogated tag and converts the received signal into the frequency domain. For example, the detector may perform a fast Fourier transform of a detected time-domain signal. In other embodiments, the detector may include a "chirp" transform device (e.g., using a surface acoustic wave transducer) to produce a representative frequency response curve from a received time-domain response curve. In this example, the frequency response signal 570 includes two resonant features 575, 580. The resonant features 575, 580 respectively include relative maximum values at F1 and F2. Each of the resonant features 575, 580 also respectively includes an associated maximum amplitude, E1 and E2, each approaching a norm and having an associated Q value, Q1, and Q2.
In one embodiment, the detector samples the received signal at a number of frequencies, providing a binary "1" output if the sampled response value is above a detection threshold, such as the norm value minus a predetermined threshold, Δ2. Similarly, the detector provides a binary "0" output if the sampled response curve is below the detection threshold for that sample. A single "1" value may indicate a first resonance, the resonant frequency being approximately related to the sample number. Similarly, a cluster of adjacent 1's may also indicate a single resonant peak 575 having an associated Q value lower than the Q value of the resonant peak 580. As discussed above, digital data may be extracted from the analog resonant frequency information in accord with the present invention using a variety of techniques known to the art.
Having shown the preferred embodiments, one skilled in the art will realize that many variations are possible within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. It is therefore the intention to limit the invention only by the scope of the claims.
1. A device responsive to a wireless electromagnetic interrogation signal, comprising a plurality of electromagnetically coupled branching structural elements that support a plurality of non-equivalent interacting passively resonant current pathways that together represent multi-bit information, each of the pathways responding differently to the interrogation signal and the responses simultaneously contributing to the provision of the multi-bit information, wherein at least one of the pathways is altered to encode the represented multi-bit information.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the pathways exhibits a different electromagnetic response to the signal having at least one electromagnetic resonance, the responses differing from each other in at least one of resonant frequency, amplitude, quality ("Q") factor, or damping.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein each resonance corresponds to a different inductance parameter of the device.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the alteration includes severing at least one pathway from the other pathways.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the alteration includes shorting at least one pathway to a pathway on an opposing face of the device.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the alteration includes changing the length of at least one pathway.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the alteration includes changing the overlap between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the alteration includes changing the position of at least one pathway relative to the other pathways.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the alteration includes changing the spacing between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the alteration includes changing the capacitance of at least one pathway by placing a metal element between the at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
11. An electromagnetically-responsive structure for encoding multi-bit information, the encoded information being wirelessly readable in a frequency domain, the structure comprising:
a first passively resonant current pathway having a first electromagnetic response; and
at least one additional nonequivalent passively resonant current pathway having at least one additional electromagnetic response simultaneous with the first electromagnetic response, the at least one additional nonequivalent current pathway being electromagnetically coupled to the first current pathway, wherein the electromagnetic coupling results in at least one attribute of the combined simultaneously resonating first and additional electromagnetic responses approximating a norm, and wherein at least one of the pathways is altered to encode the represented multi-bit information.
12. The structure of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the multi-bit information is readable through variations in at least one of the salient features of the electromagnetic responses, the at least one salient feature selected from the group consisting of resonant frequency, amplitude, quality ("Q") factor, and damping.
13. The structure of claim 11, wherein at least one of the current pathways comprises an open-loop geometry.
14. The structure of claim 13, wherein the open-loop geometry comprises a pair of matched open-loop patterns.
15. The structure of claim 14, wherein the matched open-loop patterns comprise conductive patterns.
16. The structure of claim 11, wherein at least one of the current pathways comprises a closed-loop geometry.
17. The structure of claim 11, wherein predetermined geometries of each of the first and second current pathways produce a first and second electrical resonance respectively.
18. A method for encoding multi-bit information on a wireless tag, the encoded information being wirelessly readable in a frequency domain, the method comprising:
(a) providing a first passively resonant current pathway having a first electromagnetic response;
(b) providing at least one additional nonequivalent passively resonant current pathway having at least an additional electromagnetic response simultaneous with the first electromagnetic response, the at least one additional nonequivalent current pathway being electromagnetically coupled to the first current pathway, wherein the electromagnetic coupling results in at least one attribute of the combined simultaneously resonating first and additional electromagnetic responses approximating a norm; and
(c) altering at least one of the current pathways to encode the represented multi-bit information.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the salient features of the combined electromagnetic responses of the first and second current pathways encode the multi-bit information.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second current pathways are physically adjoined.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the alteration includes varying one or more of pathway length, pathway overlap area, or pathway relative position.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein the alteration includes electrically shorting a pathway.
23. A method of wirelessly sensing multi-bit information comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a device responsive to a wireless electromagnetic excitation signal and having a plurality of electromagnetically coupled branching structural elements that support a plurality of non-equivalent interacting passively resonant current pathways that together represent the multi-bit information, wherein at least some of the plurality of pathways have been altered to encode the multi-bit information, each of the pathways responding differently and simultaneously to the excitation signal and;
(b) subjecting the device to the wireless electromagnetic excitation signal;
(c) extracting salient features of an overall simultaneous electromagnetic response of the device; and
(d) recovering the multi-bit information based on the values of the salient features in the electromagnetic response.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of pathways present varying electromagnetic responses exemplified by at least one salient parameter selected from the group consisting of resonant frequency, amplitude, relative peak position, relative peak amplitude, quality ("Q") factor, or damping.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the salient features corresponds to a different capacitance feature of the device.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the salient features corresponds to a different inductance feature of the device.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of recovering the multi-bit information comprises sensing a plurality of electromagnetic resonances of the device induced by the signal.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration includes severing at least one pathway from the other pathways.
29. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration includes shorting at least one pathway to a pathway on an opposing face of the device.
30. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration includes changing the length of at least one pathway.
31. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration includes changing the overlap between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
32. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration includes changing the position of at least one pathway relative to the other pathways.
33. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration includes changing the spacing between at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
34. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration includes changing the capacitance of at least one pathway by placing a metal element between the at least one pathway and its corresponding pathway on the opposing face of the device.
35. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of recovering the multi-bit information comprises:
(c-1) sensing an analog frequency spectrum of the device induced by the signal; and
(c-2) translating the analog spectrum to a digital code.
a first pathway characterized by having a first electromagnetic response and having a pair of opposing, electrically-conductive traces electrically connected through at least one point; and
a second nonequivalent electrically-conductive pathway electromagnetically coupled to the first pathway and having a second electromagnetic response simultaneously with the first electromagnetic response, the second pathway having a pair of opposing, electrically-conductive traces electrically connected through at least one point and in electrical communication with the first pathway traces at at least one point, wherein the electromagnetic coupling between the first and second electromagnetic responses results in at least one attribute of the simultaneously resonating first and second electromagnetic responses approximating a norm.
US10/654,870 2002-09-03 2003-09-03 Tuneable wireless tags using spatially inhomogeneous structures Active 2023-10-24 US7221275B2 (en)
US10/654,870 US7221275B2 (en) 2002-09-03 2003-09-03 Tuneable wireless tags using spatially inhomogeneous structures
US10/654,870 Active 2023-10-24 US7221275B2 (en) 2002-09-03 2003-09-03 Tuneable wireless tags using spatially inhomogeneous structures
US7585280B2 (en) 2004-12-29 2009-09-08 Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. System and method for measuring the pressure of a fluid system within a patient
US20070164865A1 (en) * 2005-11-04 2007-07-19 Gerald Giasson Security sensor system
US8098159B2 (en) * 2006-06-09 2012-01-17 Intelleflex Corporation RF device comparing DAC output to incoming signal for selectively performing an action
US8454524B2 (en) * 2007-10-31 2013-06-04 DePuy Synthes Products, LLC Wireless flow sensor
US8480612B2 (en) 2007-10-31 2013-07-09 DePuy Synthes Products, LLC Wireless shunts with storage
US7842004B2 (en) * 2007-10-31 2010-11-30 Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. Wireless pressure setting indicator
US9204812B2 (en) 2007-10-31 2015-12-08 DePuy Synthes Products, LLC Wireless pressure sensing shunts
AU2010303188B2 (en) * 2009-10-09 2014-12-04 Allflex Australia Pty Limited HDX demodulator
EP2486552B1 (en) * 2009-10-09 2017-08-30 Aleis Pty Ltd Radio frequency identification reader antenna having a dynamically adjustable q-factor
NZ600431A (en) * 2009-11-04 2014-04-30 Allflex Usa Inc Signal cancelling transmit/receive multi-loop antenna for a radio frequency identification reader
US8298168B2 (en) 2011-01-27 2012-10-30 Medtronic Xomed, Inc. Adjustment for hydrocephalus shunt valve
US3967161A (en) 1972-06-14 1976-06-29 Lichtblau G J A multi-frequency resonant tag circuit for use with an electronic security system having improved noise discrimination
US4021705A (en) * 1975-03-24 1977-05-03 Lichtblau G J Resonant tag circuits having one or more fusible links
US4074249A (en) 1977-02-04 1978-02-14 Knogo Corporation Magnetic detection means
US4075618A (en) 1976-07-15 1978-02-21 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Magnetic asymmetric antipilferage marker
US4484184A (en) 1979-04-23 1984-11-20 Allied Corporation Amorphous antipilferage marker
US4510489A (en) 1982-04-29 1985-04-09 Allied Corporation Surveillance system having magnetomechanical marker
US4578654A (en) 1983-11-16 1986-03-25 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Distributed capacitance lc resonant circuit
US4658264A (en) 1984-11-09 1987-04-14 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Folded RF marker for electronic article surveillance systems
US4818312A (en) 1986-09-29 1989-04-04 Monarch Marking Systems, Inc. Method of making electronic tags
US4945399A (en) * 1986-09-30 1990-07-31 International Business Machines Corporation Electronic package with integrated distributed decoupling capacitors
US5119070A (en) * 1989-01-25 1992-06-02 Tokai Metals Co., Ltd. Resonant tag
US5381137A (en) 1992-10-26 1995-01-10 Motorola, Inc. RF tagging system and RF tags and method
US5446447A (en) * 1994-02-16 1995-08-29 Motorola, Inc. RF tagging system including RF tags with variable frequency resonant circuits
US5565849A (en) 1995-02-22 1996-10-15 Sensormatic Electronics Corporation Self-biased magnetostrictive element for magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance systems
US5604485A (en) 1993-04-21 1997-02-18 Motorola Inc. RF identification tag configurations and assemblies
US5608417A (en) 1994-09-30 1997-03-04 Palomar Technologies Corporation RF transponder system with parallel resonant interrogation series resonant response
US5650236A (en) 1994-11-02 1997-07-22 Unitika Ltd. Magnetic marker
US5729201A (en) 1995-06-29 1998-03-17 International Business Machines Corporation Identification tags using amorphous wire
US5821859A (en) 1996-06-07 1998-10-13 Ibm Corporation Concealed magnetic ID code and antitheft tag
US5902437A (en) 1994-03-04 1999-05-11 Flexcon Company Inc. Method of making resonant tag labels
US6025725A (en) 1996-12-05 2000-02-15 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Electrically active resonant structures for wireless monitoring and control
US6031458A (en) 1997-08-08 2000-02-29 Ird/As Polymeric radio frequency resonant tags and method for manufacture
US6067002A (en) 1995-09-12 2000-05-23 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Circuit substrate with a built-in coil
US6087940A (en) 1998-07-28 2000-07-11 Novavision, Inc. Article surveillance device and method for forming
US6104311A (en) * 1996-08-26 2000-08-15 Addison Technologies Information storage and identification tag
US6262663B1 (en) * 1996-08-06 2001-07-17 Richard Altwasser Electronic anti-theft element
US5831532A (en) * 1995-06-29 1998-11-03 International Business Machines Corporation Identification tags using amorphous wire
DE69836434T2 (en) 2007-09-27 Deactivable swing circuit
US6323770B1 (en) 2001-11-27 Apparatus for interrogating a magnetically coded tag
AU2005236796B2 (en) 2009-08-20 Radio frequency identification tags with compensating elements
US5563582A (en) 1996-10-08 Integrated air coil and capacitor and method of making the same
TWI271000B (en) 2007-01-11 Antenna and RFID tag mounting the same
JP5633965B2 (en) 2014-12-03 EAS and RFID combination label or tag with controllable read range using hybrid RFID antenna
AU2005307753B2 (en) 2010-07-22 Combination EAS and RFID label or tag
US5912622A (en) 1999-06-15 Anti-theft tag
KR940009084B1 (en) 1994-09-29 Antenna system for magnetic and resonant circuit detection
JP3948778B2 (en) 2007-07-25 Security tag and manufacturing method thereof
US7336243B2 (en) 2008-02-26 Radio frequency identification tag
US8006910B2 (en) 2011-08-30 Wireless IC device
US8177138B2 (en) 2012-05-15 Radio IC device
JP2834584B2 (en) 1998-12-09 Data media devices
US6154137A (en) 2000-11-28 Identification tag with enhanced security
US20120098728A1 (en) 2012-04-26 Antenna module
US8717244B2 (en) 2014-05-06 RFID tag with a modified dipole antenna
US8056814B2 (en) 2011-11-15 Combined EAS/RFID tag
KR100744714B1 (en) 2007-08-01 Resonant frequency tag and method for controlling tag frequency
US20070268113A1 (en) 2007-11-22 Detunable Rf Tags
JP4315911B2 (en) 2009-08-19 Wireless communication device and method
JP2004511156A (en) 2004-04-08 Multi-band wireless communication device
KR100960210B1 (en) 2010-05-27 Rfid tag and manufacturing method thereof
US6121878A (en) 2000-09-19 System for controlling assets
CN100464349C (en) 2009-02-25 Ultra high frequency radio frequency identification tag
Owner name: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MASSACHUSET
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:FLETCHER, RICHARD;GERSHENFELD, NEIL;REEL/FRAME:014611/0738;SIGNING DATES FROM 20031006 TO 20031007
Free format text: 11.5 YR SURCHARGE- LATE PMT W/IN 6 MO, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1556); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY
Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 12TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1553); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY


Details are now clear about Exeter on Saturday.
Firstly, the local rag managed to get the details about the route of the EDL march totally wrong. They are NOT marching down Sidwell Street or the High Street. The EDL are assembling at The Locomotive on New North Road at 12.00 and it is our understanding that at 1.30 they will be marching north up New North Road, round to the clocktower and then up Queen Street for Rougemont Gardens.
The above map has both routes: ours in red and theirs in blue. The Exeter Together route is straight through the middle of town. The EDL route looks like it is very near by and it is as the crow flies. However, New North Road is a main artery road that consists mostly of parked cars and heavy traffic and the combination of the railway and Rougemont Gardens makes an impassable obstacle between them and the High Street.
Rougement Gardens is perfect for the police. There are physically 4 gated exits from Rougement Gardens – the two main ones at either end (new North Road and Queen Street) and two gated passageways (door sized) through the city wall – which can either be locked or easily blocked by the police. Even if some of them got through those, the building work on the library has meant the main footpath out past the library is blocked with a 10 foot wooden fence. That leaves physically only the gated exit by the courts that can be locked. The rest of the park is surrounded by the city wall (which is massive and marked in purple on the map), or on the other side an enormous and very steep bank through dense foliage leading down to railings which are 5 foot high (red dotted line other side of the park). Basically it is a large kettle away from the view of the public.
The EDL will be assembling in the pub from 12 noon & their demo starts at 1.30pm, marching to Northernhay and Rougemont Gardens, Castle Street, EX4 3PL for their rally. Coaches & minibuses will be directed to a holding area for duration of demo. Cars are instructed to park in nearby public car parks.
EDL members arriving by rail will arrive at Exeter Central Station.
We anticipate 800+ on the Exeter Together demo going by the numbers who have signed their statement.
There will probably be 200-300 EDL.
The local support base for AFN in Exeter is tiny and the physical arrangements are such that the EDL are essentially kettled in their rally – which it will not be possible to get in to or out of. The local geography and policing arrangements will mean that once EDL supporters have got to their assembly point there will be no possibility of contact with the Exeter Together demonstration. There is a football game at 3pm at St James Park and the EDL are probably finishing in time for them to go to the football. So if there are problems it is likely to be after their rally.
The Exeter EDL News website has put some information together which may be of interest.
The first item demolishes the reasons given by the EDL for their demonstration: EDL justifications for Exeter demo are paper thin!
This shows how they circulate fake Islamophobic stories: Reflections on Kristallnacht and the spreading of lies and hatred by the EDL.
This deals with their racism: The vile racism of Exeter English Defence League.


text:
©2017 BY THETRUTHNET.COM PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM
CAPTURING & SHARING THE TRUTH
WHAT MATTERS NOW.
NO BUSINESS DOING BUSINESS WITH KSA
TARGET OF FBI COUNTERTERRORISM INVESTIGATION
See Press Release Below
AN ONGOING FBI COUNTERTERRORISM INVESTIGATION INTO THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA'S ROLE IN THE 9/11 ATTACKS
Nearly twenty years post-9/11, it comes as a great surprise to us to learn that the FBI is still conducting an "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into the murder of our loved ones on 9/11.
State Secrets Privilege
Last week, Attorney General William Barr submitted a declaration in which he asserted the "State Secrets" privilege--on behalf of the United States Government--to oppose the disclosure of FBI information about the criminal acts of Saudi Arabia government officials inside the U.S. which led to the 9/11 attacks that killed our 3,000 loved ones.
The basis of the "State Secrets" privilege is that disclosure would harm national security of the United States and reveal sensitive sources and methods of law enforcement.
In addition, the FBI's Counterterrorism Chief, Michael McGarrity, submitted two Declarations to the Court: 1. a Public Declaration; and 2. a Secret Declaration that only the Court will see. (The law allows the government to present a secret declaration to the court with classified information.)
Law Enforcement Privilege
McGarrity's Public Declaration supports the Attorney General's Declaration, and also asserts that documents should not be produced because of the "law enforcement privilege" which means that there is an ongoing law enforcement investigation. (McGarrity's public declaration does not provide any further details regarding this investigation.)
Because of the FBI's current Counterterrorism investigation, the Department of Justice and the FBI have refused to share evidence that they have within their custody that we believe with great certainty would directly implicate the Saudis in their financial and logistical role in the 9/11 attacks.
It should be noted that the information and evidence sought by us is highly specific. The titles of the documents, the dates, the subject matter, and file numbers were given to the FBI. This was not a "fishing expedition."
Yet, unfortunately, because of the FBI's "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation," the FBI refuses to share this highly specific information with the victims of 9/11, so that we can hold the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia accountable for its role in the mass murder of our 3,000 loved ones.
The irony of our own Department of "Justice" and FBI knowingly and willingly obstructing our ability to seek justice for the cold-blooded murder of our loved ones is not lost on us.
Moreover, the fact that the United States government, itself, has utterly failed to carryout one single, open, successful indictment or prosecution of any 9/11 co-conspirator of the 9/11 attacks, further exacerbates our conundrum.
How is it possible that 3,000 dead bodies did not warrant one single indictment?
Questions Surrounding FBI "Ongoing Counterterrorism Investigation"
Learning about the FBI's "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" has raised questions for us that we would like Attorney General Barr and Counterterrorism Chief McGarrity to answer:
1. Why has it taken the FBI nearly 20 years to investigate the murder of our 3,000 loved ones?
2. Why have we, as victims, not been told or kept apprised of your mass murder terror investigation into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as is required by the Victims Rights and Restitution Act, 34 U.S.C. 20141?
3. Has the FBI referred any of its case files from its "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into the KSA to any state or federal Grand Jury for prosecution?
4. Is the FBI's apparent failure to refer any part of their "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" to any state or federal Grand Jury for indictment or prosecution, a sign that your investigation is not proceeding successfully or efficiently? Could the FBI's investigation into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia be compromised?
5. How much has this "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cost the American taxpayers?
6. Who at the FBI has been responsible for this "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation"into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the past 18 years?
7. When was the last time Congress was briefed on this "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into KSA?
8. When was the last time any Attorney General was briefed on this "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into KSA?
9. When was the last time any President or any member of his National Security Council was briefed on this "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into the KSA?
10. Is there an estimate when this "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into the KSA will cease?
Meeting Request with Barr and McGarrity
We respectfully request an immediate meeting with both Attorney General Barr and Counterterrorism Chief McGarrity so we can be given an update on their investigation, because, by law, as victims of a crime(mass murder by terrorism), we have a right to be kept apprised of any investigation(particularly an FBI investigation) conducted into the murder of our 3,000 loved ones.
Congressional Hearings on FBI's Ongoing Counterterrorism Investigation
In addition, we request immediate hearings to be held by Congress on the status of the FBI's ongoing Counterterrorism investigation into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its role into the 9/11 attacks. We believe that the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, the Senate and House Foreign Relations Committees, and the Senate and House Judiciary Committees have oversight and could conduct these hearings.
A New Independent Commission
Also, we raise the possibility of the need for a new Independent Commission to properly and thoroughly investigate all of this new information that has been collected by the FBI in its ongoing Counterterrorism investigation into the murder of our loved ones.
The 9/11 Commission ended its tenure and issued its Final Report in 2004. Clearly, much new information surrounding the 9/11 attacks has come to light in the intervening 15 years. All of this information should be independently investigated and thoroughly capitalized upon so that the 9/11 families can receive some modicum of justice and accountability.
But perhaps most pointedly, since the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the target of an FBI "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" for the role it played in the 9/11 attacks, and this FBI Counterterrorism investigation has somehow put a grinding halt to our path to justice in the civil courts, we now solemnly ask for all other Saudi "ventures" (business or otherwise) to similarly come to a stark halt pending the outcome of the FBI's "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
For example, we would not want any U.S. banking or educational institution, any U.S. company, or Congressional committee to be conducting any sort of business whatsoever with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while they are the target of this "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" for the mass murder of 3,000 innocent people.
Frankly, how could any CEO or company, in good conscience with good corporate social responsibility and business practices in mind, conduct business with an entity like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who is currently under investigation by the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Department for the mass murder of 3,000 innocent people?
What if the FBI's "ongoing Counterterrorism investigation" yields results that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did, in fact, play a strong role in the mass murder of our 3,000 loved ones?
Wouldn't that require the Kingdom to be placed onto the State Sponsor of Terror List by the U.S. State Department?
And, isn't it a crime to conduct business with anyone on the State Sponsor list?
the collaborative
a place to share
WIKILEAKS: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Funds and Logistically Supports ISIS
"Aren't the Saudis your friends?" Obama smiled. "It's complicated," he said. "My view has never been that we should throw our traditional allies"—the Saudis—"overboard in favor of Iran." President Barack Obama http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/04/the-oba...
What You Don't Know About The Saudi-Trump Towe...
Jamal Khashoggi: Where The Road to Damascus & The...
Obama of Arabia
THETRUTHNET.COM
where to go to find the truth

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Merging three dataframes in R based on condition in the first dataframe I'm trying to merge three dataframes based on a simple condition in the first dataframe.
df1 <- data.frame("id" = c("1001","1002","1003", "1004", "1005"),
                  "var1" = c(1,2,1,2,2))

df2 <- data.frame("id" = c("1001","1002","1003", "1004", "1005"),
                  "var2" = c(121,334,565,77,12))

df3 <- data.frame("id" = c("1001","1002","1003", "1004", "1005"),
                  "var2" = c(341,601,561,221,9))

I want to merge df2 into df1 based on id when var1=1, and df3 into df1 when var1=2. So it should look like:
df4 <- data.frame("id" = c("1001","1002","1003", "1004", "1005"),
                  "var1" = c(1,2,1,2,2),
                  "var2" = c(121,601,565,221,9))

Ideally I would like to do this with dplyr, so I was thinking something like:
library(dplyr)
library(magrittr)

df4 <- left_join(df1, df2, by = "id") %>%
  filter(var == 1)

but that actually works.
Thanks in advance

A: If you add var1 columns to df2 and df3 that can match var1 in df1, you could try the following.
library(dplyr)

df2$var1 <- 1
df3$var1 <- 2

left_join(df1, bind_rows(df2, df3), by = c("id", "var1"))

Output
    id var1 var2
1 1001    1  121
2 1002    2  601
3 1003    1  565
4 1004    2  221
5 1005    2    9

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Core self-evaluations (CSE) have been proposed as a static personality trait that influences individuals' work experiences. However, CSE can also be influenced by work experiences. Based on the corresponsive principle of personality development, this study incorporated both dispositional and contextual perspectives to examine longitudinal reciprocal relationships between CSE and job satisfaction. Longitudinal data from 5,827 participants in the British Household Panel Survey from 1997 to 2006 were analyzed. A series of structural equation models revealed that job satisfaction and the growth of job satisfaction in previous years positively predicted CSE in a later year. In turn, CSE contributed to higher job satisfaction and growth of job satisfaction in following years. This result shows that both dispositional and contextual forces interweave to shape individuals' self-views and experiences over time.


text:
One million return to Mogadishu
MOGADISHU (IRIN) - Around a million people who fled insecurity and fighting in the Somali capital Mogadishu have returned to the city since August 2011, after the departure of Al-Shabab insurgents, say officials.
"We estimate that about one million people have returned to Mogadishu this year," said Warsame Mohamed Hassan, also known as Jodah, Mogadishu's deputy mayor in charge of security.
Mogadishu's population was estimated at 1.5 million in July 2011 compared to 2.5-3.0 million today, Jodah said.
Some of the returnees are back in their homes, having rebuilt them; others are in temporary shelters in the grounds of their still-ruined residences; others still are in disused government buildings.
Some have returned to find their homes occupied by strangers.
"We fled during the first war in Mogadishu in 1991. We went to Sudan, but later when we returned home, we couldn't go to our house because the people who lived in it did not agree to leave," said Faisa Hassan Ali, a mother of 10 who now lives with her children in a friend's room in the Suqa Xoolaha area of Mogadishu.
"We went to the government and they told us to wait… We are waiting to get back our home."
According to Mogadishu local authorities, at least 80 percent of the properties squatted during the war have been restored to their rightful owners.
The local authorities are standing by to help people reclaim their properties, said Jodah.
Meanwhile, the northern Mogadishu districts of Karan, Shibis and Bondhere, which had previously been empty because of fighting, are now bustling.
Asha Abdillahi Nur, a mother of seven, is among the recent returnees.
"We ran away from Mogadishu in 2006 during the war between Ethiopian forces and [the then ruling Al-Shabab precursor] Union of Islamic Courts, to Elasha Biyaha [in the outskirts of Mogadishu]. We built a house there, but in late May, AMISOM/TFG [African Union Mission to Somalia and Transitional Federal Government] forces clashed with Al-Shabab in Elasha Biyaha and we fled back to Mogadishu... and rented a house," she said.
IDPs on the move
According to an April 2012 UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) report, some 14,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned from the Afgoye corridor, a 30-km-long stretch of road.
At the height of the displacement crisis in 2010 the Afgoye corridor was home to an estimated 400,000 Mogadishu residents, according to a 22 June UNHCR statement, with an estimated 120,000 IDPs still living there as of May. Most of the Afgoye IDPs fled fighting in Mogadishu between 2007 and 2010.
While large-scale fighting ended in the city in August 2011, other factors - the declaration of famine in July 2011, insecurity in the Afgoye corridor, as well as the scale-up of humanitarian assistance in Mogadishu - have prompted people to return, says UNHCR.
A July UNHCR report on IDP population estimates said there were about 184,000 IDPs in Mogadishu, though UNHCR also said: "Continuing insecurity in Somalia, multiple displacements and lack of access, make efforts to estimate the IDP population extremely challenging."
Despite the improved security situation, sexual violence, bombings and assassinations continue.
"We believe hundreds of rapes are taking place in Mogadishu per month," said Dunia Mohamed Arab, chairman of one of the local NGOs working on gender-based violence in Mogadishu. Most rape victims are females aged 15-25, she said.
"Some of the rapes are committed by IDPs and some by men wearing the uniform of government forces. Most of the rapes happen near alcohol-selling centres in IDP camps, or near police checkpoints in the camps."
But according to TFG Minister for Women and Family Development Maryan Aweis Jama, the number of rape cases has decreased in the last three months compared to the start of 2012.
While 39-45 cases of rape were reported per month between January and February, 17-29 cases were recorded between March and June, she said.
"Of course there are some security incidents in Mogadishu, but that does not mean Mogadishu is not secure, said Jodah.
"Even though there are some incidents of insecurity, such as bombings and assassinations... the people of Mogadishu are now returning their original homes with high hopes," said a police official who preferred anonymity.
Lack of skilled labour
Amid renewed hope, new buildings are coming up in Mogadishu although there is a lack of adequate skilled labour - most masons having fled to places like Gal-Mudug, Puntland, Somaliland and Djibouti.
To fill the gap, the TFG is calling for the setting up of vocational training schools. "We believe that only 10,000 skilled workers returned to Mogadishu [in addition to] 20,000 who were in the town during the war. But due to the high demand in the town, these numbers are not enough," said Aweys Sheikh Hadaad, director-general of the Ministry of Labour, Sports and Social Affairs.
"These schools can contribute [to] the security of the town. For example, we believe 90 percent of people are unemployed." Security could be improved by giving these people jobs or training, he added.
Mogadishu, like most of south-central Somalia, has experienced over two decades of insecurity due to clan-based war resulting in deaths and massive displacement.
"Following Transition Period, Somalia to Take Firm Steps forward" - JT Weekly


text:
<?php
/**
 * Check if the markdown content has links with space like f.i.
 *   [link](%URL%.files/a filename with spaces.pdf)
 * and if so, replace spaces by the "%20" escape character
 */
namespace MarkNotes\Plugins\Markdown\Beautify_Actions;

defined('_MARKNOTES') or die('No direct access allowed');

class Links
{
	public function doIt(array $params) : string
	{
		// Don't do this for images ([^!]) because the filename can be
		// followed by a space then a size like in
		//		![test](%URL%.images/logo.png "128x32")
		//
		// The space there is important
		$markdown = $params['markdown'];

		if (preg_match_all('/[^!]([[^].*])\(([^)]*)/m', $markdown, $matches)) {
			list($pattern, $caption, $urls) = $matches;

			for ($i=0; $i < count($pattern); $i++) {
				// Replace the space by a %20
				$replaced = str_replace(' ', '%20', $urls[$i]);

				// Make the replacement in the link
				// 	[link](%URL%.files/a%20filename%20with%20spaces.pdf)
				$replaced = str_replace($urls[$i], $replaced, $pattern[$i]);

				// And finaly do replace in the content
				$markdown = str_replace($pattern[$i], $replaced, $markdown);
			}

			/*<!-- build:debug -->*/
			$aeSettings = \MarkNotes\Settings::getInstance();
			if ($aeSettings->getDebugMode()) {
				if ($params['markdown']!==$markdown) {
					$aeDebug = \MarkNotes\Debug::getInstance();
					$aeDebug->log("   ".__CLASS__." has modify the markdown content", "debug");
				}
			}
			/*<!-- endbuild -->*/
		}

		return $markdown;
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home › SECActions › Musk, Tesla Settle With SEC – A Creative Solution
Musk, Tesla Settle With SEC – A Creative Solution
T. GormanPosted on September 30, 2018 Posted in SECActions
Elon Musk famously tweeted "Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured" on August 7, 2018. Those nine words set off a fire storm of publicity. The share price of Tesla jumped. Analysts called. The SEC investigated. The DOJ requested documents. A settlement was negotiated and rejected. The SEC filed an enforcement action on Thursday, September 27, 2018 naming Mr. Musk as a defendant but not the company, charging fraud. Elon Musk responded with a press release proclaiming the truth of his statements. More publicity.
It ended as quickly as it began. Two days later, on Saturday, September 29, 2018, the SEC filed a complaint against Tesla. Mr. Musk came to the settlement table and signed. The company came to the settlement table and signed. SEC v. Tesla, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:18-cv-8947 (S.D.N.Y. Filed Sept. 29, 2018); SEC v. Musk, Civil Action Number 1:18-cv-8865 (S.D.N.Y. Filed Sept. 27, 2018).
The complaints
The Tesla complaint charges electric car manufacturer with violations of Exchange Act rule 13a-15, alleging that the firm did not have disclosure controls or procedures regarding Mr. Musk's use of Twitter to disseminate information about the company. The predicate for the charge is the November 5, 2013 filing of the firm stating that it intended to use Mr. Musk's personal Twitter account as a mechanism for publically disseminating material information to the public.
Since that date Mr. Musk has repeatedly used his Twitter account to disseminate material information about the firm. That has included publishing guidance about the firm's financial metrics and other information. Over 22 million people follow Mr. Musk's Twitter feed.
On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, Mr. Musk published his statement revealing his thoughts on going public on Twitter just after mid-day. That statement was followed by additional tweets in which Mr. Musk noted that he did not "have a controlling vote now. . ." and that it "My hope is *all* current investors remain with Tesla even if we're private. . ." The share price rose, trading was at one point halted and then resumed, and additional tweets were made. NASDAQ was not warned prior to Mr. Musk's first tweet of the day as required by its rules.
Subsequently, there was speculation by investors, stock analysts and journalists. While Tesla's IR director responded to some inquiries, it is clear that he was not prepared. Mr. Musk, according to the complaint, "did not routinely consult with anyone at Tesla before publishing Tesla related information via his Twitter account. No one at Tesla reviewed Musk's tweets prior to publication." In sum, since November 5, 2013 when the firm filed its Form 8-K disclosing that Mr. Musk's Twitter account would be used, it did not have disclosure controls or procedures in place "to assess whether the information published by Musk via his Twitter account was required to be disclosed in Tesla's Exchange Act reports within the time period specified in the Commission's rules and forms." The firm also did not have processes in place to ensure that the information published was accurate and complete.
The complaint against Mr. Musk also centers on the mid-day August 7, 2018 nine word tweet, amplified by those made later that day as noted above as the share price climbed and speculation swirled about its meaning. Mr. Musk had been "thinking" about taking the company private for over a year and a half, according to the chronology in the complaint. Beginning in January 2017 he had "three or four in-person meetings with representatives of a sovereign investment fund." During those meetings the fund representative expressed a verbal desire to make a large investment in Tesla. In a late July 2018 meeting the Fund representative told Mr. Musk that 5% of Tesla's stock had been purchased and expressed interest in taking the company private. Mr. Musk "later stated that he assumed without confirming that the lead Fund representative was proposing a 'standard' going-private transaction. . ." Mr. Musk continued these conversations on July 31, 2018 with the Fund representative. Despite the series of meeting, the July 31 meeting "lacked discussion of even the must fundamental terms of a proposed going-private transaction," the complaint states.
Mr. Musk also had discussions with the Tesla board of directors. On August 2, 2018, Mr. Musk sent an email on the subject to the board of directors and the firm's CEO and General Counsel. The next day a telephonic meeting of the board was held to discuss the idea. As those discussions took place, investors, analysts and others raised questions about the proposal as noted above. Ultimately the board decided not to move forward with the transaction.
The complaint is built on the theory that Mr. Musk knew or was reckless in not knowing that his statements regarding taking the company private on August 7 "did not have an adequate basis in fact. . . " because he knew that: 1) he had not discussed a going private transaction at $420 per share with any potential funding source; 2) that he had "done noting" to investigate whether it would be possible for all current investors to remain" with a private company; 3) had not confirmed support with Tesla's investors; and 4) had not "satisfied numerous additional contingencies . . ." The complaint alleges violations of Exchange Act section 10(b).
The settlements
The settlements stipulate that: 1) Mr. Musk step down as Tesla's chairman and be replaced by an independent Chairman; 2) that Mr. Musk is not eligible to be Chairman for a period of three years; and 3) that the firm establish a new committee of independent directors and add controls and procedures to oversee Mr. Musk's communications. The terms do not preclude Mr. Musk from serving as CEO of the firm.
Finally, the firm and Mr. Musk will each pay a penalty of $20 million.
The question here seemingly straddles the divide between the federal securities laws and corporate governance. The former are built on a disclosure model under which material facts are disclosed so that those making an investment decision have the necessary facts. The obligation to speak the truth is backed by the antifraud provisions, in this case Exchange Act section 10(b). The statutes are not a substantive guide to the operation of a company.
Corporate governance on the other hand is concerned with the structure and operations of the firm. It is largely a function of state law, typically that of Delaware as is the case with Tesla.
Mr. Musk and his twitter account agreed to speak for the corporation by making a filing with the Commission – that account was no longer his private domain. Yet the company had no control over the account or even notice of what was being published. Since that account, and the statements emanating from it, was subject to the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws the question initially focused on whether Mr. Musk's nine word tweet constituted a material misstatement within the meaning of section 10(b). The Commission concluded it did. Other concluded it did not.
What was lost in this debate was the broader corporate governance question about the company – it had nothing to say about the tweet and by all accounts knew nothing about it. Yet it was the company and its shareholders that was the real focus of this entire storm – a lost corporate governance question that needed to be resolved.
The Commission, however, solved this issue. By applying its rules regarding disclosure procedures the agency was able to work within the framework of the federal securities laws and resolve the key corporate governance question on which this entire matter hinged. In the future Tesla will revamp those procedures and have control of the information vital to the company and its shareholders under the terms of the settlement here and still retain the critical services of the visionary Elon Musk – a creative approach that solved the real issue here in the best traditions of SEC Enforcement.
‹ This Week In Securities Litigation (Week ending September 28, 2018)
SEC Sanctions Credit Suisse For Inaccurate Marketing ›
Tagged with: disclosure controls, misstatements, SEC


It is ranked among the clean animals (Deuteronomy 12:15; 14:5; 15:22), and was commonly killed for food (1 Kings 4:23).
The hart is frequently alluded to in the poetical and prophetical books (Isaiah 35:6; Song of Songs 2:8-9; Lam. 1:6; Psalms 42:1).


Re-reading Cat's Cradle has been good for me! The first time I didn't know where I'd be going. By the second time it was quite clear why all those little things mattered and I could see the bigger picture.
At first it feels as if Tiffany is on her own in this story. She seems out of touch with what the other Cat Kin want. She misses Mrs Powell, and in her absence Tiffany more or less takes over the training, not to mention the bossing about. Ben wants to be home with his parents, now that they are back together. But he does turn up when Tiffany calls.
The Cat Kin uncover some mysterious happenings, and they make some – very – bad mistakes. Several times you think the adventure has come to an end, and that everything has been sorted, only for the nightmare to continue. Someone is buying dead tiger parts, and creating art with them. This is bad enough, but then it turns out that's not necessarily the worst of it.
Much of the truly hair-raising action takes place at the Tate Modern and in St Paul's Cathedral. If you can believe in the cat skills (and why wouldn't you?) this is a tremendous thriller, where love and friendship will make a difference to the outcome. Really wonderful to see Tiffany's younger brother Stuart playing a larger part. That boy could have his own book.
Something very bad happens. It's the kind of thing you don't want to happen, and hardly expect. But there are also many good things here. Funny. Romantic. Brave. Plain exciting.
I mustn't give too much away, but I just can't praise this trilogy enough. We've waited far too long for all three books to be published. There was a time when I was afraid this final instalment wouldn't ever get written. Buy it, and read it!
This entry was posted in Authors, Books, Reading, Review and tagged Nick Green. Bookmark the permalink.


The Industrial Revolution In the last part of the 18 th century, a new revolution gripped an unready world. This revolution was not a political one, however it would lead to many implications later in its existence. Nor was this revolution a social or cultural one. This revolution was an economic one in which there was a transformation from the traditional hand made tools and items to machine driven, mass produced goods.
The Industrial Revolution, as it is called by historians, changed the ways the world produced goods. Basically, it also changed our primarily agricultural society to one that was dominated by industry and manufacturing. It brought work from home and centralized it in the factory. The Industrial Revolution first got underway in Britian during the 18 th century. At this time, Great Britian was the most powerful empire on the planet, and as a result, a revolution would be inevitable.
Also, the English merchants were leaders in developing a commerce that increased the need for more goods. The expansion in trade had made it possible to accumulate capital to use in industry. England also contained a plethora of natural resources, which is a favorable factor in industrial development. After the adoption of the Industrial Revolution, many other countries, such as Germany, the United States, and France joined the revolution. In England, the demand for cotton cloth was very high. This crisis had to be solved or else England?
s economy would be hindered. A British weaver named John Kay came up with a reasonable solution. He invented the flying shuttle, which cut weaving time in half. This paved the way for many future inventions to come. The machines paved their way to England and the Industrial Revolution had begun. At first, the inventions of the Industrial Revolution were limited to cotton weaving.
Inventions such as the spinning Jenny and the water-powered frame made cotton weaving much more efficient. On the technology front, the biggest achievements were in steam power. A Scottish man named James Watt improved the steam engine so that it did not waste as much fuel as the primitive steam engines. New fuels, such as coal and petroleum, were introduced to steam power.
This revolutionized many industries, such as textiles and manufacturing. Also, a new communication medium known was the telegraph was invented, making communication across the oceans much easier. Also, people were able to feel the benefits of electricity, with the invention of the dynamo by Michael Faraday. Electricity flourished in people? s lives, supplying them with light and to power machines. The telegraph, as stated above, used the benefits of electricity.
Although there were many technological advancements made during the Industrial Revolution, many socioeconomic and cultural problems arose from this new industrial age. Although there was a great leap in technology, there was an overall downfall in the socioeconomic and cultural situations of the people. Overpopulation of cities was on major downfall of the Industrial Revolution. Many people migrated to the cities to find work, because their jobs normally done with hand were taken over by machines.
In turn, the cities could not support these people. They, as a result, ended up living in germ infested, crowded, and often unhealthy living conditions. Children and women labored in harsh conditions, working long hours for very little pay. With the new industrial age, people took a new quantitative and materialistic view of the world, which, in turn, caused some people to become greedy and take as much as possible. The Industrial Revolution was overall not a good revolution for out planet. From its start, the atmosphere has been filling with carbon dioxide from the various factories.
Also, in our drive for consumerism, we have used up many of our earth? s valuable natural resources at an alarming rate. Is the Industrial Revolution a true revolution? The answer to that is no; the term?
revolution? is incorrect. This is a revolution in the fact that there was a major change, but the change took many years, and there was no revolt involved. The change is still taking place today. The Industrial Revolution did not follow the characteristic stages for a revolution, also. The Industrial Revolution led to other revolutions which further advanced our technology.


text:
World Melodrama Film Series Presents: Letter from an Unknown Woman(1948)
Oh, if only you could've recognized what was always yours,
could've found what was never lost. If only...
One of only four films Max Ophüls made while in exile in the United States during World War II and the immediate post-war period, Letter from an Unknown Woman ranks as one of the best in the peripatetic (though abbreviated) career of this world-class filmmaker. Made up of a triptych of episodes from the life of Lisa Berndl (Joan Fontaine) as described in a letter sent from her deathbed to the unattainable object of her lifelong love and affection, Stefan Brand (Louis Jourdan), the film is a delirious representation of erotic frustration, deferral, and (ultimately) morbidity that also displays Ophüls' remarkable use of conspicuous camera movements in almost every scene, the effect of which is not only to show off the director's technical mastery but also the artifice of most of the film's stagebound sets. Not to be missed.
Stevenson 150, 8 PM
I.E.: melodrama