MULTI-DIMENSIONAL TURBULENT FLOW SENSOR, WITH PARTICULAR USE IN DETERMINING AN INTENTION OF, OR AN EFFECT PRODUCED BY, AN ANIMATE OBJECT

• US 20020016687A1
• Filed: 07/18/1998
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Inventors: FELSENSTEIN, LEE, SHAW, ROBERT S., BRECHIN, ELAINE
• Granted Patent: US 6,421,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/00 Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/684 Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow

Abstract

Fluid flow can be measured using a multiplicity of sensors in a manner that enables acquisition of detailed information regarding the fluid flow. In particular, the invention can advantageously be used in situations in which the measured fluid flow is anticipated to be turbulent. Even more particularly, the invention can be advantageously be used to obtain measurements of fluid flow in the vicinity of an animate object (e.g., human) which can be used, together with knowledge of the characteristics of the animate object and, if relevant, of one or more objects in the vicinity of the animate object, to determine an intention of, or an effect produced by, the animate object. The invention enables a new type of control to be used by people in interacting with a large variety of devices.

Claims

1. A system for providing an interface controlled by an animate object, comprising:

means for measuring fluid flow in the vicinity of the animate object; and

means for determining an intention of, or an effect produced by, the animate object based upon the measured fluid flow and knowledge of one or more characteristics of the animate object.

2. A system as in claim 1, further comprising means for attaching the fluid flow measuring means to the animate object.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein the attaching means is adapted to position the fluid flow measuring means in the vicinity of a mouth of the animate object.

4. A system as in claim 2, wherein the attaching means is adapted to position the fluid flow measuring means in the vicinity of a movable part of the animate object.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises a temperature sensor.

6. A system as in claim 5, wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises a semiconductor device.

7. A system as in claim 6, wherein the sensor is a diode.

8. A system as in claim 5, wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises a thermocouple.

9. A system as in claim 5, wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises a thermistor.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises a mechanical deflection sensor.

11. A system as in claim 10 wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises a piezoelectric transducer.

12. A system as in claim 10 wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises a strain gauge.

13. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises five or more data sensors.

14. A system as in claim 1, wherein the fluid flow measuring means further comprises greater than multiple data sensors arranged in an array of at least two dimensions.

15. A system as in claim 1, wherein the determination of the intention or effect is further based upon knowledge of one or more characteristics of one or more objects in the vicinity of the animate object.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

one or more reference sensors comprising a semiconductor device; and

means for determining a data voltage representing the difference between the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a data sensor and the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a reference sensor; and

wherein;

the means for determining a temperature of a data sensor further comprises;

means for determining a data voltage representing the difference between the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a data sensor and the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a reference sensor; and

means for determining a temperature of the data sensor based upon the data voltage.

19. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the one or more data sensors are diodes.

20. An apparatus as in claim 17, including five or more data sensors.

21. An apparatus as in claim 17, including a multiplicity of data sensors arranged in an array of at least two dimensions.

16. A method for providing an interface controlled by an animate object, comprising the steps of:

measuring fluid flow in the vicinity of the animate object; and

determining an intention of, or an effect produced by, the animate object based upon the measured fluid flow and knowledge of one or more characteristics of the animate object.

17. An apparatus for measuring fluid flow, comprising:

one or more data sensors comprising a semiconductor device;

means for measuring the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a sensor;

means for determining a temperature of a data sensor based upon the voltage across the semiconductor junction of the data sensor; and

means for determining a description of one or more characteristics of the fluid flow using one or more data sensor temperatures.

22. A method for measuring fluid flow, comprising the steps of:

measuring the voltage across a junction of a data sensor comprising a semiconductor device;

determining a temperature of a data sensor based upon the voltage across the semiconductor junction of the data sensor; and

determining a description of one or more characteristics of the fluid flow using one or more data sensor temperatures.

23. A method as in claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

measuring the voltage across a junction of a reference sensor comprising a semiconductor device;

determining a data voltage representing the difference between the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a data sensor and the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a reference sensor; and

wherein;

the step of determining a temperature of a data sensor further comprises;

determining a data voltage representing the difference between the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a data sensor and the voltage across the semiconductor junction of a reference sensor; and

determining a temperature of the data sensor based upon the data voltage.