Magnetic sensor
First Claim
1. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
- a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises at least a portion of said vehicle body or structure, said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, and said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor, andb. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coil is operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body, and is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in the vehicle body that is responsive to a condition of the vehicle body sensed by the magnetic sensor. An electrical circuit is operatively coupled to the coil, and the coil in cooperation therewith exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with the time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of the vehicle body. In one embodiment, a signal from an oscillator is applied to the series combination of a capacitor and the coil, which generates an oscillatory magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit. In another embodiment, a second capacitor is connected in parallel with a second coil which operates in a resonant or near-resonant condition responsive to the oscillatory magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit.
78 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises at least a portion of said vehicle body or structure, said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, and said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor, and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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2. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises at least one ferromagnetic element of said vehicle body or structure, said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, and said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure.
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12. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor, and said at least one coil is adapted so as to incorporate an inherent capacitance of a magnitude sufficient to provide for filtering a harmonic component of said first signal; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, and said at least one electrical circuit comprises a first electrical circuit comprising; i) at least one first coil of said at least one coil; ii) at least one first capacitor in series with said at least one first coil; and iii) an oscillator, wherein said oscillator generates a first signal that is applied to said at least one first coil, and a first resonant frequency of said at least one first coil in combination with said at least one first capacitor is at or near a frequency of said first signal for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure.
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13. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate wit a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure tat is sensed by the magnetic sensor, and a resistance of said at least one coil is greater than a total resistance of the remainder of elements of said at least one electrical circuit in series wit said at least one coil and driven by said oscillator; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, and said at least one electrical circuit comprises a first electrical circuit comprising; i) at least one first coil of said at least one coil; ii) at least one first capacitor in series with said at least one first coil; and iii) an oscillator, wherein said oscillator generates a first signal that is applied to said at least one first coil, and a first resonant frequency of said at least one first coil in combination with said at least one first capacitor is at or near a frequency of said first signal for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure.
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14. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle bottom or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, and said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, said at least one electrical circuit comprises at least one resistor in series with said at least one first coil, a total resistance of said at least one resistor is less than a resistance of said at least one first coil and said at least one electrical circuit comprises a first electrical circuit comprising; i) at least one first coil of said at one coil; ii) at least one first capacitor in series with said at least one first coil; and iii) an oscillator, wherein said oscillator generates a first signal that is applied to said at least one first coil, and a first resonant frequency of said at least one first coil in combination with said at least one first capacitor is at or near a frequency of said first signal for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure.
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15. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, and said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, said electrical circuit is adapted for sensing at least one measure selected from a voltage across said at least one first coil, a current through said at least one first coil, a voltage across a resistor in series with said at least one first coil, and a voltage across said at least one first capacitor and said at least one electrical circuit comprises a first electrical circuit comprising; i) at least one first coil of said at least one coil; ii) at least one first capacitor in series with said at least one first coil; and iii) an oscillator, wherein said oscillator generates a first signal that is applied to said at least one first coil, and a first resonant frequency of said at least one first coil in combination with said at least one first capacitor is at or near a frequency of said first signal for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure.
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16. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, and said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, and said at least one electrical circuit comprises a first electrical circuit comprising; i) at least one first coil of said at least one coil; ii) at least one first capacitor in series with said at least one first coil, wherein said at least one first capacitor comprises first and second capacitors, said at least one first coil is connected between said first and second capacitors, and said first and second capacitors and said at least one first coil are in series with one another; and iii) an oscillator, wherein said oscillator generates a first signal that is applied to said at least one first coil, said oscillator is in series with said first and second capacitors said at least one first coil therebetween, and a first resonant frequency of said at least one first coil in combination with said at least one first capacitor is at or near a frequency of said first signal for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure.
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17. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor, and said at least one coil comprises a first coil electrically connected to a first electrical circuit; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, and said at lea one electrical circuit comprises a second electrical circuit comprising; i) at least one second coil of said at least one coil; and ii) at least one second capacitor in parallel with said at least one second coil, wherein a second resonant frequency of said at least one second coil in combination with said at least one second capacitor is at or near an oscillation frequency of said time-varying magnetic flux coupled to said at least one second coil for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, and said first and second electrical circuits are electrically isolated from one another and magnetically coupled to one another. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor; and b. at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, said at least one electrical circuit comprises a first electrical circuit comprising; i) at least one first coil of said at least one coil; ii) at least one first capacitor in series with said at least one first coil; and iii) an oscillator, wherein said oscillator generates a first signal that is applied to said at least one first coil, and a first resonant frequency of said at least one first coil in combination with said at least one first capacitor is at or near a frequency of said first signal for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, and said at least one electrical circuit comprises a second electrical circuit comprising; iv) at least one second coil of said at least one coil; and v) at least one second capacitor in parallel with said at least one second coil, wherein a second resonant frequency of said at least one second coil in combination with said at least one second capacitor is at or near an oscillation frequency of said time-varying magnetic flux coupled to said at least one second coil for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, said second resonant frequency is substantially equal or near to said frequency of said first signal for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure, and said first and second electrical circuits are electrically isolated from one another and magnetically coupled to one another.
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20. A method of sensing a condition of a magnetic circuit, comprising:
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a. operatively associating at least one coil with the magnetic circuit so that a time-varying magnetic flux in said magnetic circuit is magnetically coupled with said at least one coil, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises at least a portion of a vehicle body or structure; b. operatively coupling said at least one coil to at least one electrical circuit; c. adapting said at least one electrical circuit so that an oscillation frequency of said time-varying magnetic flux is substantially at or near a resonant frequency of said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit for at least one condition to of said magnetic circuit; and d. sensing a condition of said magnetic circuit from a signal associated with said at least one electrical circuit responsive to said at least one coil. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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at least one coil operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body or structure, wherein said at least one coil is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in said vehicle body or structure, said time-varying magnetic flux is generated or sensed by said at least one coil, and said time-varying magnetic flux is responsive to a condition of said vehicle body or structure that is sensed by the magnetic sensor; at least one electrical circuit operatively coupled to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one electrical circuit is adapted so that said at least one coil in cooperation with said at least one electrical circuit exhibits a resonant or near-resonant condition in association with said time-varying magnetic flux for at least one condition of said vehicle body or structure; and c. a processor, a circuit, or a combination thereof adapted to determine at least one measure selected from a measure responsive to or related to a resistance of said at least one first coil, a measure responsive to a phase angle between a voltage across said at least one first coil and a current through said at least one first coil, a measure of reactive power applied to said at least one first coil, and a measure of real power absorbed by said at least one first coil.
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Specification