Sensors for detecting electromagnetic parameters utilizing resonating elements
First Claim
1. A transducer apparatus for detecting a physical parameter comprising:
- a body that changes dimension in response to the parameter;
a resonator adapted to vibrate mechanically at a resonance frequency, said resonator connected to said body so that when said body changes dimension, said body applies a force on said resonator or causes the resonator to change dimension, thereby modulating the resonance frequency of the resonator;
means for supplying light to the resonator to resonate the resonator; and
means for optically detecting modulations of the resonance frequency of the resonator caused by the force applied by the body to detect said parameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To detect a physical parameter, a resonator is connected to a body which changes in dimension when subjected to the parameter. Thus, when the body changes in dimension in response to the parameter, the resonance frequency of the resonator is modulated thereby. Such modulations are detected optically to detect and measure the parameter. In the preferred embodiment, the resonator transmits light and light is applied to the resonator so that the light supplied is transmitted through the resonator and so that the modulations of the resonance frequency also modulates the intensity of the light transmitted by the resonator. The modulations of the intensity of the light transmitted by the resonator is detected to detect the parameter.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A transducer apparatus for detecting a physical parameter comprising:
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a body that changes dimension in response to the parameter; a resonator adapted to vibrate mechanically at a resonance frequency, said resonator connected to said body so that when said body changes dimension, said body applies a force on said resonator or causes the resonator to change dimension, thereby modulating the resonance frequency of the resonator; means for supplying light to the resonator to resonate the resonator; and means for optically detecting modulations of the resonance frequency of the resonator caused by the force applied by the body to detect said parameter. - 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)
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30. A method for detecting an electromagnetic parameter by means of a body which changes in dimension when subjected to the parameter and a resonator connected to said body so that when said body changes dimension in response to the parameter, said body applies a force on said resonator or causes said resonator to change in dimension, thereby modulating the resonance frequency of the resonator, said method comprising:
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supplying light to resonate the resonator; and optically detecting modulations of the resonance frequency of the resonator as a result of change in dimension, caused by the body or caused by the force applied by the body, to detect said parameter. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A transducer apparatus for detecting an electrical signal comprising:
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a piezoelectric member which transmits light; means for applying the electrical signal to the member to vibrate the member; means for supplying light to the member, so that the light transmitted by the member is in a direction transverse to the vibration of the member, wherein the vibration of said member modulates the light transmitted by the member; and means for detecting modulations of the light transmitted by the member to detect said electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A transducer apparatus for detecting a physical parameter, wherein said parameter is a magnetic field, a current or a voltage, said apparatus comprising:
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a body; a resonator connected to said body, said body being such that when said body is subjected to the magnetic field, current or voltage, said body applies a force on said resonator thereby modulating the resonance frequency of the resonator; means for resonating the resonator; and means for detecting modulations of the resonance frequency of the resonator caused by the force applied by the body to detect said parameter.
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36. A transducer apparatus for detecting a physical parameter comprising:
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means for supplying light; a piezoelectric resonator for altering the intensity of light supplied by the supplying means, wherein the resonance of the resonator alters the intensity of the light; means for resonator the member piezoelectrically so that the physical parameter influences the resonance of the member; and means responsive to the light intensity modulations for determining changes in the resonance frequency of the resonator in order to detect said physical parameter.
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37. A transducer apparatus for detecting a physical parameter comprising:
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a body that changes dimension in response to the parameter; a resonator adapted to vibrate mechanically at a resonance frequency, said resonator connected to said body so that when said body changes dimension, said body applies a force on said resonator or causes the resonator to change dimension, thereby modulating the resonance frequency of the resonator; means for resonating the resonator; and means for detecting modulations of the resonance frequency of the resonator caused by the force applied by the body to detect said parameter. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification