A plurality of remotely readable sensor apparatus and reader systems for
collecting data frames from all apparatus within the reader field of
view. Each sensor apparatus converts one or more environmental observable
into information signals, converts the information signals into digital
data and appends other discriminating digital data as desired to form a
digital data frame. The state of a diode, connected to an antenna with
the digital data frame, is modulated and a timing apparatus controls the
digital-data-frame start times. The modulated states of the diode
connected to a sensor-apparatus antenna are chosen so the angle of the
antenna reflection coefficient is modulated between two values separated
by approximately 180 degrees, so a carrier signal received by the antenna
effects a bi-phase modulated signal containing the digital data frame
that is reflected by the sensor-apparatus antenna toward the reader
receiver antenna.