Packaging and Integration System for Micro Sensors in the Marine Environment

• US 20070194663A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida), The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (University of Arkansas System)
• Original Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida), The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (University of Arkansas System)
• Inventors: Bhansali, Shekhar, Aravamudhan, Shyam, Malshe, Ajay
• Granted Patent: US 7,456,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/38 specially adapted for water-covered areas G01V1/28 takes precedence

Abstract

The integrated unmanned, affordable, microsystem in accordance with the present invention is used to deploy physical or chemical sensors for continuous monitoring of sea space over large time periods. The microsystem is capable of measuring ocean physical parameters over large time spans weeks, with higher accuracies and resolution and at significantly lower costs that the other sensors currently known in the art.

Claims

1. A submersible marine micro-sensor module comprising:

a main body housing an intelligence module;

at least one piezoelectric shaker coupled to the main body;

a communication port coupled to the main body and in communication with the intelligence module;

at least one marine micro-sensor coupled to the main body and in communication with the intelligence module; and

a battery module to supply power to the intelligence module, the piezoelectric shaker, the communication port and the at least one micro marine-sensor.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the main body in the shape of a circular cone and is designed to be substantially self buoyant.

3. The module of claim 1, wherein the main body is formed from a synthetic resin.

4. The module of claim 1, wherein the communication port is positioned within a transmission window.

5. The module of claim 2, wherein the main body further comprises a transmission window positioned at the vertex of the circular cone, and the communication port is positioned within the transmission window.

6. The module of claim 2, wherein the axis of the circular conical shaped main body is about 5 centimeters.

7. The module of claim 2, wherein the diameter of the base of the circular conical shaped main body is about 5 centimeters.

8. The module of claim 1, wherein the intelligence module further comprises a data storage module.

9. The module of claim 1, wherein the at least one marine micro-sensor is a pressure sensor.

10. The module of claim 1, wherein the at least one marine micro-sensor is a temperature sensor.

11. The module of claim 1, wherein the at least one marine micro-sensor is a conductivity sensor.

12. The module of claim 1, wherein the at least one marine micro-sensor is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor.

13. The module of claim 1, wherein the at least one marine micro-sensor is positioned on an exterior surface of the main body and coated with an anti bio-fouling material to protect the sensor from the marine environment.

14. The module of claim 1, wherein the main body of the module is designed to be self buoyant.

15. The module of claim 1, further comprising a buoyancy control module coupled to the main body.