Weighted bioacoustic sensor and method of using same
First Claim
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1. A bioacoustic sensor, comprising:
- a housing comprising an interfacing portion configured to establish coupling with a body part during use;
a transducer assembly comprising;
a transducer element coupled to the interfacing portion of the housing and configured to sense sound within a frequency range produced by matter of biological orgin, the transducer element configured to modulate or generate a signal in response to deformation of the transducer element; and
a mass element compliantly coupled to a surface of the transducer element, the mass element positioned to improve the sensitivity of the transducer element in the frequency range, such that the transducer element includes a substantially uniform broadband improved sensitivity in the frequency range, wherein the transducer assembly is mounted on the inner surface of the interfacing portion within the housing so that the transducer element is preferentially sensitive to bioacoustic energy transmitted to the transducer element via the interfacing portion; and
one or more conductors coupled to the transducer element.
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Abstract
A sensor for sensing bioacoustic energy includes a housing comprising an interfacing portion configured to establish coupling with a body part during use. The sensor includes a transducer element coupled to the interfacing portion of the housing and configured to sense sounds produced by matter of biological origin. One or more conductors are coupled to the transducer element. A mass element is compliantly coupled to a surface of the transducer element. Intervening material is disposed between the transducer element surface and the mass element, and allows for differential motion between the transducer element surface and the mass element during excitation of the transducer element.
63 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A bioacoustic sensor, comprising:
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a housing comprising an interfacing portion configured to establish coupling with a body part during use; a transducer assembly comprising; a transducer element coupled to the interfacing portion of the housing and configured to sense sound within a frequency range produced by matter of biological orgin, the transducer element configured to modulate or generate a signal in response to deformation of the transducer element; and
a mass element compliantly coupled to a surface of the transducer element, the mass element positioned to improve the sensitivity of the transducer element in the frequency range, such that the transducer element includes a substantially uniform broadband improved sensitivity in the frequency range, wherein the transducer assembly is mounted on the inner surface of the interfacing portion within the housing so that the transducer element is preferentially sensitive to bioacoustic energy transmitted to the transducer element via the interfacing portion; andone or more conductors coupled to the transducer element. - 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, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 52)
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43. A method of sensing bioacoustic energy using a transducer disposed in a housing comprising an interfacing portion configured to establish coupling with a body part during use, the method comprising:
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providing the transducer coupled to the housing, wherein the transducer is mounted on the inner surface of the interfacing portion within the housing so that the transducer element is preferentially sensitive to a bioacoustic energy transmitted to the transducer element via the interfacing portion; providing a stiff mass coupled to the transducer opposite the housing; exciting the transducer in response to bioacoustic energy; facilitating differential motion between the transducer and the stiff mass during excitation of the transducer; modulating or generating a signal by the transducer in response to the excitation of the transducer; and improving the sensitivity of the transducer with the stiff mass across a frequency range, such that the transducer includes a substantially uniform broadband improved sensitivity in the frequency range. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A bioacoustic sensor, comprising:
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a housing comprising an interfacing portion configured to establish coupling with a body part during use; a transducer assembly comprising; a transducer element coupled to the interfacing portion of the housing and configured to sense sounds within a frequency range produced by matter of biological origin, the transducer element configured to modulate or generate a signal in response to deformation of the transducer element; and a stiffening layer coupled to a surface of the transducer element, the stiffening layer positioned to improve the sensitivity of the transducer element in the frequency range, such that the transducer element includes a substantially uniform broadband improved sensitivity in the frequency range, wherein the transducer assembly is mounted on the inner surface of the interfacing portion within the housing so that the transducer element is preferentially sensitive to bioacoustic energy transmitted to the transducer element via the interfacing portion; and one or more conductors coupled to the transducer element. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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53. A bioacoustic sensor, comprising:
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a housing comprising an interfacing portion configured to establish coupling with a body part during use and an inner surface opposite the interfacing portion; a transducer element having an interfacing surface and coupled to the interfacing portion of the housing and configured to sense sounds within a frequency range produced by matter of biological origin, the transducer element configured to modulate or generate a signal in response to deformation of the transducer element, wherein the interfacing surface is directly affixed to the inner surface; one or more conductors coupled to the transducer element; and a mass element compliantly coupled to a surface opposite the first surface of the transducer element, the mass element positioned to improve the sensitivity of the transducer element in the frequency range, such that the transducer element includes a substantially uniform broadband improved sensitivity in the frequency range.
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Specification