Method and apparatus for recording changes associated with acceleration of a structure
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for recording changes associated with acceleration of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
- an accelerometer array having at least one silicon beam type accelerometer;
non-volatile memory;
a clock timer; and
a programmable control unit operatively coupled to the accelerometer array, at least one non-volatile memory, and clock timer, wherein the accelerometer array, the at least one non-volatile memory, the clock timer and the programmable control unit are formed as an integrated circuit on a common semiconductor substrate with the accelerometer array provided in a center of the common semiconductor substrate, and wherein the non-volatile memory stores acceleration data related to changes associated with acceleration of the structure along with correlated time data.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to recording changes associated with the acceleration of a structure. An exemplary embodiment includes an accelerometer array having at least one silicon beam type accelerometer, a nonvolatile memory, a clock timer, a programmable control unit operatively coupled to the accelerometer array, at least one non-volatile memory, and clock timer. The accelerometer array, the at least one non-volatile memory, the clock timer and the programmable control unit can be formed on a common semiconductor substrate (e.g., integrated), with the accelerometer array disposed in a central region.
33 Citations
50 Claims
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1. Apparatus for recording changes associated with acceleration of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
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an accelerometer array having at least one silicon beam type accelerometer;
non-volatile memory;
a clock timer; and
a programmable control unit operatively coupled to the accelerometer array, at least one non-volatile memory, and clock timer, wherein the accelerometer array, the at least one non-volatile memory, the clock timer and the programmable control unit are formed as an integrated circuit on a common semiconductor substrate with the accelerometer array provided in a center of the common semiconductor substrate, and wherein the non-volatile memory stores acceleration data related to changes associated with acceleration of the structure along with correlated time data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. Apparatus for recording changes associated with acceleration of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
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means for sensing acceleration;
means for storing data;
means for measuring temporal data associated with acceleration data; and
means operatively coupled to the sensing means, storing means and measuring means for triggering the storing means to record acceleration data and associated temporal data as non-volatile data in response to a predetermined event, wherein the sensing means, storing means and measuring means are formed as an integrated circuit on a common semiconductor substrate with the sensing means provided in a center of the common substrate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for recording changes associated with the acceleration of a structure using at least one accelerometer, non-volatile memory, clock timer, and programmable control unit integrated on a common semiconductor substrate with the accelerometer provided in a center of the semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
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detecting a predetermined event;
monitoring temporal data from the clock timer correlated with acceleration data from the accelerometer; and
triggering the non-volatile memory with the programmable control unit to record in the non-volatile memory acceleration data from the accelerometer and the temporal data. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for recording changes associated with the acceleration of a structure using at least one accelerometer, non-volatile memory, clock timer, and programmable control unit integrated on a common semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
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detecting a predetermined event;
monitoring temporal data from the clock timer correlated with acceleration data from the accelerometer;
triggering the non-volatile memory with the programmable control unit to record in the non-volatile memory acceleration data from the accelerometer and the temporal data; and
determining peak acceleration data associated with at least one of a predetermined event and time period.
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34. Apparatus for recording an acceleration of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
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an accelerometer;
non-volatile memory;
a clock timer; and
a programmable control unit operatively coupled to the accelerometer, the non-volatile memory and clock timer, wherein the accelerometer, the non-volatile memory, the clock timer, and the programmable control unit are integrated on a common semiconductor substrate, and wherein the programmable control unit is operable to determine and store in the non-volatile memory peak acceleration data associated with at least one of a predetermined event and time period. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. Apparatus for attachment to a rigid structure to record acceleration and corresponding time data associated with the structure, comprising:
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a self-contained package containing a semiconductor substrate, said substrate having integrated thereon;
an accelerometer for sensing acceleration of the rigid body along at least one axis;
a clock for providing a time data clocked at a predetermined rate;
non-volatile memory; and
a programmable control unit for triggering recording in the non-volatile memory at least one amount of the sensed acceleration along with associated time data according to the rate provided by the clock; and
means provided on the self-contained package for adhering the package to the rigid structure. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification