Sensor and method for detecting very low frequency acoustic signals

• US 20030055359A1
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iLIFE Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iLIFE Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Lehrman, Michael L., Halleck, Michael D., Halleck, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/586
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise

Abstract

There is disclosed a sensor and method for detecting very low frequency acoustic signals. The sensor is capable of detecting low frequency acoustic signals in the frequency range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz. The sensor comprises a chamber having portions that form a cavity and a low frequency microphone placed within the cavity. An alternate embodiment of the invention comprises a chamber having portions that form a resonant cavity, a low frequency microphone placed within the resonant cavity, and a membrane that covers the resonant cavity. Low frequency acoustic signals that are incident on the membrane cause the membrane to move and amplify the acoustic signals within the resonant cavity.

Claims

1. A sensor capable of detecting very low frequency acoustic signals, said sensor capable of being acoustically coupled to a source of acoustic signals, and said sensor capable of receiving low frequency acoustic signals in the frequency range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz and generating electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals.

2. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises:

a chamber capable of being acoustically coupled to a source of acoustic signals, said chamber having portions that define a cavity within said chamber, and

a microphone capable of receiving low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity of said chamber in the frequency range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz and capable of generating electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals.

3. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said chamber is a closed chamber filled with a fluid.

4. The sensor as claimed in claim 3 wherein said fluid is air.

5. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said chamber is an open chamber filled with air.

6. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said chamber is formed having nonrigid walls.

7. The sensor as claimed in claim 6 wherein said nonrigid walls are capable of moving inwardly and outwardly with respect to the interior of said cavity in response to the presence of low frequency acoustic energy.

9. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 further comprising:

a membrane attached to said chamber covering said cavity of said chamber, said membrane capable of moving in response to very low frequency acoustic signals incident on said membrane to cause said very low frequency acoustic signals to be transmitted through said cavity to said microphone.

10. The sensor as claimed in claim 9 wherein the movements of said membrane amplify the intensity of said very low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity.

11. The sensor as claimed in claim 10 wherein said movements of said membrane amplify the intensity of said very low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity by causing said very low frequency acoustic signals to resonate within said cavity.

8. A sensor capable of detecting very low frequency acoustic signals in the frequency range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz comprising:

a chamber capable of being acoustically coupled to a source of acoustic signals, said chamber having portions that define a cavity within said chamber, and said chamber having nonrigid walls capable of moving inwardly and outwardly with respect to the interior of said cavity in response to the presence of low frequency acoustic energy; and

a microphone placed within said cavity of said chamber capable of receiving low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity of said chamber that are caused by the inward and outward motion of said nonrigid walls of said cavity, and capable of generating electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals.

12. The sensor as claimed in claim 8 further comprising:

a membrane attached to said chamber covering said cavity of said chamber, said membrane capable of moving in response to very low frequency acoustic signals incident on said membrane to cause said very low frequency acoustic signals to be transmitted through said cavity to said microphone.

13. The sensor as claimed in claim 12 wherein the movements of said membrane amplify the intensity of very low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity.

14. The sensor as claimed in claim 13 wherein said movements of said membrane amplify the intensity of very low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity by causing very low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity to resonate within said cavity.

15. A method for detecting very low frequency acoustic signals comprising the steps of:

acoustically coupling a low frequency sensor to a source of low frequency acoustic signals;

receiving in said low frequency sensor acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz; and

generating in said low frequency sensor electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals.

16. A method for detecting low frequency acoustic signals comprising the steps of:

forming a chamber having portions that define a cavity within said chamber;

placing a microphone within said cavity of said chamber;

acoustically coupling said chamber to a source of low frequency acoustic signals;

receiving in said microphone acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz; and

generating in said microphone electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising the further steps of:

forming the walls of said chamber with nonrigid material capable of moving inwardly and outwardly with respect to the interior of said cavity in response to the presence of low frequency acoustic energy; and

receiving in said microphone acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz within said cavity of said chamber that are caused by the inward and outward motion of said nonrigid walls of said cavity.

18. A method for detecting low frequency acoustic signals comprising the steps of:

forming a chamber having portions that define a cavity within said chamber;

placing a microphone within said cavity of said chamber;

attaching a membrane to said chamber wherein said membrane covers said cavity of said chamber and wherein said membrane is capable of moving in response to very low frequency acoustic signals incident on said membrane;

acoustically coupling said membrane to a source of low frequency acoustic signals;

receiving in said microphone acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz within said cavity of said chamber that are caused by the movements of said membrane; and

generating in said microphone electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 comprising the further steps of:

amplifying said low frequency acoustic signals within said cavity of said chamber; and

receiving in said microphone said amplified acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz.