MEMS SAW sensor
First Claim
1. A SAW sensor for sensing temperature and pressure within an environment, comprising:
- an electrode structure adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line of the sensor;
temperature sensing means for sensing temperature within the environment, said temperature sensing means adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a first direction of the SAW delay line; and
pressure sensing means for sensing pressure within the environment, said pressure sensing means adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a second direction of the SAW delay line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for acoustically measuring temperature and pressure are disclosed. A SAW sensor in accordance with an illustrative embodiment can include an electrode structure adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line, temperature sensing means for measuring temperature along a first direction of the SAW delay line, and pressure sensing means for measuring pressure along a second direction of the SAW delay line. The SAW sensor can include an antenna adapted to wirelessly transmit and receive RF signals to and from an electrical interrogator unit that can be used to power the SAW sensor.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A SAW sensor for sensing temperature and pressure within an environment, comprising:
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an electrode structure adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line of the sensor;
temperature sensing means for sensing temperature within the environment, said temperature sensing means adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a first direction of the SAW delay line; and
pressure sensing means for sensing pressure within the environment, said pressure sensing means adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a second direction of the SAW delay line. - 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)
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29. A SAW sensor for sensing temperature and pressure within an environment, comprising:
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a piezoelectric substrate having a top surface;
an interdigital transducer coupled to the top surface of the substrate, said interdigital transducer adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line of the sensor;
one or more temperature sensing reflectors adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a first direction of the SAW delay line;
a diaphragm having a compressive zone and a stretched zone; and
one or more pressure sensing reflectors disposed on the compressive zone of the diaphragm and adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a second direction of the SAW delay line. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A SAW sensor for sensing temperature and pressure within an environment, comprising:
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an electrode structure adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line of the sensor;
a single temperature sensing reflector adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a first direction of the SAW delay line;
a diaphragm having a compressive zone and a stretched zone;
a single pressure sensing reflector disposed on the compressive zone of the diaphragm and adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a second direction of the SAW delay line; and
a single reference reflector adapted to provide a referenced phase response for both temperature and pressure measurement of the SAW sensor.
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52. A SAW sensor for sensing temperature and pressure within an environment, comprising:
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an interdigital transducer adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line of the sensor;
temperature sensing means for sensing temperature within the environment, said temperature sensing means adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a first direction of the SAW delay line;
pressure sensing means for sensing pressure within the environment, said pressure sensing means adapted to reflect surface acoustic waves transmitted along a second direction of the SAW delay line;
means for wirelessly receiving a power signal to power the SAW sensor; and
means for wirelessly transmitting an RF response signal from the SAW sensor.
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53. A sensor system for acoustically sensing temperature and pressure within an environment, comprising:
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A SAW sensor including an electrode structure adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line, said SAW sensor including temperature sensing means for measuring temperature along a first direction of the SAW delay line and pressure sensing means for measuring pressure along a second direction of the SAW delay line;
means for wirelessly providing power to the SAW sensor; and
means for wirelessly transmitting an RF response signal from the SAW sensor. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A method of wirelessly and passively measuring temperature and pressure within an environment, comprising the steps of:
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providing a SAW sensor including an electrode structure adapted to transmit and receive surface acoustic waves along a SAW delay line having a +x direction and a −
x direction;
wirelessly powering the electrode structure and transmitting incident surface acoustic waves in both the +x direction and −
x direction of the SAW delay line;
providing one or more temperature sensing reflectors in acoustic communication with the +x direction of the SAW delay line, said one or more temperature reflectors adapted to reflect echo signals back to the electrode structure;
providing a diaphragm and one or more pressure sensing reflectors in acoustic communication with the −
x direction of the SAW delay line, said one or more pressure sensing reflectors adapted to reflect echo signals back to the electrode structure;
outputting a wireless RF response signal; and
analyzing the RF response signal to obtain a measure of the temperature and pressure within the environment. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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Specification