Wireless system for measuring distension in flexible tubes
First Claim
1. A system for remotely sensing distension or bending in a member, the system comprising a sensor, the sensor comprising:
- a sensing element for sensing a measure of distension or bending in the member, wherein at least a portion of the sensor is in physical contact with the member and is sufficiently flexible so that the geometry of the member and distension or bending in the contacted portion of the member remain substantially unaffected by the sensor;
a response circuit for generating a reply signal indicating a measured distention or bending sensed by the sensing element; and
a radiating element for wirelessly transmitting the reply signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless sensing system is configured to measure the distension of a flexible tube. The system includes a sensing unit having a sensor element that attaches to the tube and which causes a quiescent frequency produced by the sensing unit to change when the sensor element is physically distorted by distension of the tube. A scanning unit of the system remotely and wirelessly triggers the sensing unit to power up and transmit a modulated signal to the scanning unit for decoding, where the decoded signal indicates a measured quiescent frequency of the sensing unit. The wireless sensing system may be employed, for example, to measure the distension of a blood vessel for the purpose of monitoring blood pressure.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A system for remotely sensing distension or bending in a member, the system comprising a sensor, the sensor comprising:
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a sensing element for sensing a measure of distension or bending in the member, wherein at least a portion of the sensor is in physical contact with the member and is sufficiently flexible so that the geometry of the member and distension or bending in the contacted portion of the member remain substantially unaffected by the sensor;
a response circuit for generating a reply signal indicating a measured distention or bending sensed by the sensing element; and
a radiating element for wirelessly transmitting the reply signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for measuring distension or bending in a member, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting a sensing element having greater compliance than the member;
conformally affixing the sensing element to a surface of the member; and
measuring an electrical property of the affixed sensing element that varies with distension or bending of the member. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification