Sensor and System to Detect Bridge Scour
First Claim
1. A system for detecting scour associated with a structure having a part thereof extending into a bed of material located under a body of water, the system comprising:
- a sensor unit buried in a portion of said bed of material located in proximity to said part, said sensor unit being structured to float to a surface of said body of water and automatically wirelessly transmit a message after being released from said bed of material in response to at least some of said portion of said bed of material being scoured; and
a receiver unit structured to wirelessly receive said message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting scour associated with a structure having a part thereof extending into a bed of material located under a body of water is provided. The system comprises a sensor unit buried in a portion of the bed of material located in proximity to the part. The sensor unit is structured to float to a surface of the body of water and automatically wirelessly transmit a message after being released from the bed of material in response to at least some of the portion of the bed of material being scoured. The system also comprises a receiver unit structured to wirelessly receive the message.
33 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for detecting scour associated with a structure having a part thereof extending into a bed of material located under a body of water, the system comprising:
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a sensor unit buried in a portion of said bed of material located in proximity to said part, said sensor unit being structured to float to a surface of said body of water and automatically wirelessly transmit a message after being released from said bed of material in response to at least some of said portion of said bed of material being scoured; and a receiver unit structured to wirelessly receive said message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for detecting scour associated with a structure having a part thereof extending into a bed of material located under or partially under a body of water, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor units, each of said sensor units being buried in an associated portion of said bed of material located in proximity to said part, each of said sensor units being structured to float to a surface of said body of water and automatically wirelessly transmit a message identifying the sensor unit after being released from said bed of material in response to at least some of said portion of said bed of material associated with the sensor unit being scoured; and a receiver unit structured to wirelessly receive each said messages. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for detecting an occurrence of an event, comprising:
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a sensor unit provided at a particular three dimensional location, said sensor unit comprising one or more switches structured to cause said sensor unit to automatically wirelessly transmit a message based on an orientation of said sensor unit, wherein said sensor unit is in a first orientation when provided at said particular location prior to the occurrence of the event, when in said first orientation said one or more switches do not enable said sensor unit to automatically wirelessly transmit said message, and wherein said sensor unit is in a second orientation following the occurrence of the event, when in said second orientation said one or more switches cause said sensor unit to automatically wirelessly transmit said message; and a receiver unit structured to wirelessly receive said message. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A sensor unit for detecting scour associated with a structure having a part thereof extending into a bed of material located under a body of water, the sensor unit comprising:
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a housing structured to be buried in a portion of said bed of material located in proximity to said part, said housing being buoyant and structured to float to a surface of said body of water after being released from said bed of material in response to at least some of said portion of said bed of material being scoured; and a system disposed in the housing, the system being structured to wirelessly transmit a message after the housing is released from said bed of material. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification