Flexible substrate sensor system for environmental and infrastructure monitoring
First Claim
1. A flexible substrate sensor system for detecting a parameter, analyte or characteristic of interest in a large volume of fluid or in or on a large volume solid comprising:
- a. a plurality of sensors;
b. a flexible substrate;
c. an onboard network on the substrate; and
d. a connection between the sensors and the onboard network,wherein;
the onboard network reads out the sensors or collects information from the sensors,the plurality of sensors is optimized for volume sampling or sampling the surface of the volume,the optimization of the plurality of sensors comprises conforming the plurality to a specific geometry of a measurement environment or condition of interest, the plurality of sensors is embedded, incorporated or encapsulated in or on the flexible substrate,the connection comprises a communication bus On the substrate, andthe connection comprises a bus controller,wherein the bus controller senses and automatically terminates an open circuit in the flexible substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor system utilizing flexible electronics for on-line real-time high-sensitivity sampling, monitoring, and analysis of a parameter or analyte of interest in a fluid or in or on a solid is provided. The flexible substrate sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors, a flexible substrate, a network, and a connection between the sensors and the network, wherein the network reads out or collects information from the sensors. The network can be onboard, connected by via a physical connection to the sensors and the flexible substrate, or external to the sensors and flexible substrate, connected via a telemetric or wireless connection to the sensors. The flexible substrate sensor system can be deployed in systems that conduct or distribute fluids or solids, such as distribution systems (municipal water systems, oil or gas pipeline systems), industrial systems (production facilities, piping, and storage systems), and large structures (dams, bridges, walkways, buildings).
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A flexible substrate sensor system for detecting a parameter, analyte or characteristic of interest in a large volume of fluid or in or on a large volume solid comprising:
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a. a plurality of sensors; b. a flexible substrate; c. an onboard network on the substrate; and d. a connection between the sensors and the onboard network, wherein; the onboard network reads out the sensors or collects information from the sensors, the plurality of sensors is optimized for volume sampling or sampling the surface of the volume, the optimization of the plurality of sensors comprises conforming the plurality to a specific geometry of a measurement environment or condition of interest, the plurality of sensors is embedded, incorporated or encapsulated in or on the flexible substrate, the connection comprises a communication bus On the substrate, and the connection comprises a bus controller, wherein the bus controller senses and automatically terminates an open circuit in the flexible substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for detecting an analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest in a large volume of fluid or in or on a large volume solid, comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a flexible substrate sensor system wherein the flexible substrate sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors, a flexible substrate, an onboard network on the substrate and a connection between the sensors and the network, wherein; the onboard network reads out the sensors or collects information from the sensors, the plurality of sensors is optimized for volume sampling, the optimization of the plurality of sensors comprises conforming the plurality to a specific geometry of a measurement environment or condition of interest, the plurality of sensors is embedded, incorporated or encapsulated in or on the flexible substrate, and the connection comprises a communication bus on the substrate; b. contacting the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest with the flexible substrate sensor system, wherein the contacting of the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest with the flexible substrate sensor system produces a detectable signal that correlates with the presence or activity of the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest; c. correlating the detectable signal with the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest; and d. providing data exfiltration, wherein the data exfiltration network automatically adjusts to a dimension of the flexible substrate selected before or during deployment. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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21. A method for detecting an analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest in a large volume of fluid or in or on a large volume solid, comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a flexible substrate sensor system wherein the flexible substrate sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors, a flexible substrate, an onboard network on the substrate and a connection between the sensors and the network, wherein; the onboard network reads out the sensors or collects information from the sensors, the plurality of sensors is optimized for volume sampling, the optimization of the plurality of sensors comprises conforming the plurality to a specific geometry of a measurement environment or condition of interest, the plurality of sensors is embedded, incorporated or encapsulated in or on the flexible substrate, and the connection comprises a communication bus on the substrate; b. contacting the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest with the flexible substrate sensor system, wherein the contacting of the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest with the flexible substrate sensor system produces a detectable signal that correlates with the presence or activity of the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest; and c. correlating the detectable signal with the analyte, parameter or characteristic of interest, wherein the flexible substrate sensor system additionally comprises a bus controller, wherein the bus controller senses and automatically terminates an open circuit in the flexible substrate. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification