Sensor infrastructure

• US 20060080048A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metis Design Corporation
• Original Assignee: Metis Design Corporation
• Inventors: Kessler, Seth S., Jugenheimer, Kristin A., Size, Aaron B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/35
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/30 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. mechanical strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0075 by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems G01M5/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0258 Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02827 Elastic parameters, strength or force
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02845 Humidity, wetness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0422 Shear waves, transverse waves, horizontally polarised waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0427 Flexural waves, plate waves, e.g. Lamb waves, tuning fork, cantilever
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2694 Wings or other aircraft parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/12 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2475 Embedded probes, i.e. probes incorporated in objects to be inspected
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2481 Wireless probes, e.g. with transponders or radio links

Abstract

A device for use in detecting an event in a structure comprises a sensor encapsulation, the encapsulation containing a sensor, an actuator positioned substantially in-plane to the sensor within the housing and a printed circuit board in communication with at least one of the sensor and the actuator. the printed circuit board includes a microprocessor constructed and arranged to collect data from at least one of the sensor and the actuator, a signal generator constructed and arranged to provide excitation to at least one of the sensor and the actuator, and an amplifier to condition the excitation.

Claims

1. A device for use in detecting an event in a structure, the device comprising:

a sensor encapsulation, the encapsulation containing;

a sensor;

an actuator positioned substantially in-plane to the sensor within the housing; and

a printed circuit board in communication with at least one of the sensor and the actuator, the printed circuit board comprising;

a microprocessor constructed and arranged to collect data from at least one of the sensor and the actuator;

a signal generator constructed and arranged to provide excitation to at least one of the sensor and the actuator; and

an amplifier to condition the excitation.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a sensor that measures at least one of stress, strain, vibration, acoustics, temperature, humidity, pressure, acceleration, location, rotation, radiation, electric fields, magnetic fields, light or motion.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a connector to provide a power and a data connection between the device and a sensor network bus.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the connector includes a micro-USB connector.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless chip positioned in the sensor encapsulation.

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising a thin film lithium ion battery to supply power to the device.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is configured to collect analog data from at least one of the sensor and the actuator, and further configured to convert the analog data to digital data.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the digital data is stored locally.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor encapsulation includes an outer cylindrical ring and a lid, and wherein the sensor and the actuator are positioned in the cylindrical ring.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor is at least one of a geometry including triangular, circular, semi-circular, square, rectangular, octagonal, hexagonal, and pie-shaped.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the actuator is at least one of a geometry including triangular, circular, semi-circular, square, rectangular, octagonal, hexagonal, and pie-shaped.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the actuator substantially completely surrounds the sensor.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor substantially completely surrounds the actuator.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sensors co-located on at least one piezoelectric wafer, wherein the plurality of sensors are collectively at least partially surrounded by the actuator.

15. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of actuators co-located on at least one piezoelectric wafer, wherein the plurality of actuators are collectively at least partially surrounded by the sensor.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor provides substantially a 360-degree radial detection of structural occurrences in a material.