Clearance measurement systems and methods of operation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- exciting a sensor with an incident signal;
generating a reflected signal by reflecting the incident signal from the sensor, wherein the incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave;
processing the signals to determine a sensed parameter based upon a frequency at which the standing wave exhibits a null, wherein processing the microwave signals comprises determining a lowest value of an amplitude of the standing wave; and
varying a frequency of the incident signal supplied to the sensor until the standing wave exhibits the null,wherein the processing further comprises;
generating a feedback signal based on a comparison between the lowest value and the null; and
controlling the frequency of the incident signal supplied to the sensor in response to the feedback signal to minimize a difference between the lowest value and the null.
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Abstract
A method is provided and includes exciting a sensor with an incident signal and generating a reflected signal by reflecting the incident signal from the sensor. The incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave. The method also includes processing the signals to determine a sensed parameter based upon a frequency at which the standing wave exhibits a null.
48 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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exciting a sensor with an incident signal; generating a reflected signal by reflecting the incident signal from the sensor, wherein the incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave; processing the signals to determine a sensed parameter based upon a frequency at which the standing wave exhibits a null, wherein processing the microwave signals comprises determining a lowest value of an amplitude of the standing wave; and varying a frequency of the incident signal supplied to the sensor until the standing wave exhibits the null, wherein the processing further comprises; generating a feedback signal based on a comparison between the lowest value and the null; and controlling the frequency of the incident signal supplied to the sensor in response to the feedback signal to minimize a difference between the lowest value and the null. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method comprising:
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exciting a sensor with an incident signal; generating a reflected signal by reflecting the incident signal from the sensor, wherein the incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave; processing the signals to determine a sensed parameter based upon a frequency at which the standing wave exhibits a null; transmitting the incident signal to the sensor via a slotted transmission line; transmitting the reflected signal from the sensor via the slotted transmission line; and monitoring the signals at a plurality of locations on the slotted transmission line, wherein the sensed parameter is determined based upon a location of a standing wave null along the slotted transmission line and a frequency at which the standing wave null is detected.
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8. A method of measuring a clearance between a first object and a second object, the method comprising:
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supplying an incident signal to a sensor disposed on one of the first or second objects; reflecting the incident signal from the sensor to generate a reflected signal, wherein the incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave; and processing the signals to determine the clearance between the first and second objects based upon a frequency at which the standing wave exhibits a null, wherein the processing comprises; determining an impedance between the first and second objects based upon a frequency at which a standing wave null appears, and determining a capacitance between the first and second objects based upon the frequency at which the standing wave null appears. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A sensor system for measuring a clearance between a first object and a second object, the sensor system comprising:
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a sensor disposed on one of the first or second objects, wherein the sensor is configured to receive an incident signal and to reflect the incident signal to generate a reflected signal, wherein the incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave; an excitation source configured to generate the incident signal; and a processing unit configured to determine the clearance between the first and second objects based upon a frequency at which the standing wave exhibits a null, wherein the processing unit is configured to; determine an impedance between the first and second objects based upon the frequency at which a standing wave null appears, and determine a capacitance between the first and second objects based upon the frequency at which the standing wave null appears. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A sensor system for measuring a clearance between a first object and a second object, the sensor system comprising:
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a sensor disposed on one of the first or second objects, wherein the sensor is configured to receive an incident signal and to reflect the incident signal to generate a reflected signal, wherein the incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave; an excitation source configured to generate the incident signal; a processing unit configured to determine the clearance between the first and second objects based upon a frequency at which the standing wave exhibits a null, wherein the excitation source comprises a variable microwave frequency source configured to vary a frequency of the incident signal supplied to the sensor until the standing wave exhibits the null, the sensor system further comprising; a null detector for processing the signals to determine a lowest value of an amplitude of the standing wave, wherein the processing unit is further configured to receive the lowest value from the null detector. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A sensor system for measuring a clearance between a first object and a second object, the sensor system comprising:
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a sensor disposed on one of the first or second objects, wherein the sensor is configured to receive an incident signal and to reflect the incident signal to generate a reflected signal, wherein the incident signal and the reflected signal interfere to form a standing wave; a slotted transmission line configured to transmit the incident signal to the sensor and to transmit the reflected signal from the sensor, wherein the slotted transmission line comprises a slot to facilitate detection of a standing wave null at one of a plurality of locations on the slotted transmission line; and a processing unit configured to process the signals corresponding to each of the plurality of locations to determine the clearance between the first and second objects based upon the location of the standing wave null and a frequency at which the standing wave null is detected, wherein the processing unit is configured to; determine an impedance between the first and second objects based upon the location of the standing wave null and the frequency at which the standing wave null is detected, and determine a capacitance between the first and second objects based upon the location of the standing wave null and the frequency at which the standing wave null is detected. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification