Surface acoustic wave resonator for down-hole applications

• US 8,710,714 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HM Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: HM Energy LLC
• Inventors: Loi, Duke, Mueller, Tim, Hanafan, Kathleen
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addison, Karen B
• Application Number:
  US13/188,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20120020183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 310/313.A, 310/313.B, 310/313.C, 310/313.R, 310/313.D, 310/324, 310/344, 310/348, 333193-199, 235/492, 235/375, 235/451
• US Class Current: 310/313.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0675 the resonating marks being of the surface acoustic wave [SAW] kind SAW devices per se H03H9/64
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/642 SAW transducers details for remote interrogation systems, e.g. surface acoustic wave transducers details for ID-tags remote interrogation systems per se G06K7/10009, G01S13/74

Abstract

A method and apparatus for packaging a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) piezoelectric device into a SAW tagging device for use in a harsh environment is provided. An exemplary SAW tagging device comprises a SAW piezoelectric device within a header container. The header container is electrically connected to an antenna system that comprises an antenna substrate, a dielectric disk that may operate as an antenna reflector in combination with a metal base. The antenna system, antenna substrate, dielectric disk and header container are all contained within a cavity in the metal base. The SAW tagging device is completely encased in a chemical, temperature and environmentally resistive and durable material that is transparent to the operating radio frequency of the SAW piezoelectric device contained therein. A grooved sleeve or ring is provided about the SAW tagging device and is compressible or crushable such that the SAW tagging device can be compression fitted into a borehole in an asset or object in need of being tagged.

Claims

1. A surface acoustic wave (SAW) tagging device comprising:

a base comprising a lower cavity and an upper cavity being adjacent to each other, the base comprising an electrically conductive material;

a dielectric disk having a lower surface and an upper surface, the dielectric disk adapted to fit in the upper cavity, the dielectric disk comprising a first through hole extending from the lower surface to the upper surface of the dielectric disk;

an antenna substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the antenna substrate comprising a first via extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, the antenna substrate being adapted to fit in the upper cavity and on top of the dielectric disk;

an antenna system on the top surface of the antenna substrate;

a hermetically sealed enclosure comprising a SAW piezoelectric device in an interior of the enclosure and at least one electrically conductive connection extending from the interior of the enclosure to the exterior of the hermetically sealed enclosure, a first electrically conductive connection of the at least one electrically conductive connection being electrically connected to the SAW piezoelectric device;

the hermetically sealed enclosure being adapted to fit in the lower cavity in a position below and adjacent to the dielectric disk such that the first conductive connection extends through the first through hole and through the first via to electrically connect to the antenna system; and

a radio frequency transparent material on the exterior surfaces of base, the antenna substrate, the antenna system.

2. The tagging device of claim 1, further comprising a grooved compressible ring about an exterior surface of the radio frequency transparent material.

3. The tagging device of claim 2, wherein the tagging device is adapted to be compression fit into a bore hole of an asset such that the grooved compressible ring is compressed.

4. The tagging device of claim 2, further comprising an electrical connection between the antenna system and the base.

5. The tagging device of claim 4, wherein the radio frequency transparent material is electrically conductive and the grooved compressible ring is electrically conductive thereby establishing a ground path from the antenna system to the base to the radio frequency transparent material to the grooved compressible ring.

6. The tagging device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency transparent material is transparent to a radio frequency at which the SAW piezoelectric device is adapted to receive or transmit.

7. The tagging device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency transparent material is resistant to temperatures between about −

55°

to about 350°

C. (−

67°

to about 662°

F).

8. The tagging device of claim 7, wherein the base, the hermetically sealed enclosure, the dielectric disk, the antenna substrate and antenna system are positioned to create monolithic characteristics in the tagging device.

9. The tagging device of claim 8, wherein the radio frequency transparent material conducts electricity.

10. The tagging device of claim 8, further comprising a grooved compressible sleeve about a circumference of the radio frequency transparent material.

11. The tagging device of claim 10, wherein the base comprises a cylindrical shape and the open end of the cavity is at one end of the cylindrical shape.

12. The tagging device of claim 10, wherein the base comprises a metal alloy and conducts electricity.

13. The tagging device of claim 8, wherein the construction having monolithic characteristics further comprises a base having at least one interior cavity adapted to contain the antenna system, the antenna substrate, the dielectric disk and the hermetically sealed surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device wherein the antenna system is proximate to an open end of the cavity.

14. The tagging device of claim 8, wherein the dielectric disk is adapted to operate as an antenna reflector.

15. The tagging device of claim 14, wherein the base is an electrically conductive material and the antenna system is adapted to be grounded to the open end the cavity.

16. The tagging device of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a metal alloy.

17. A surface acoustic wave transponder tagging device comprising:

a construction having monolithic characteristics comprising an antenna system on top of an antenna substrate on top of a dielectric disk on top of a hermetically sealed surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device, wherein the surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device is electrically connected to the antenna system; and

a radio frequency transparent material encasing the construction having monolithic characteristics, the radio frequency transparent material being transparent to a radio frequency to which the surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device receives or transmits.

18. A surface acoustic wave tagging device comprising:

a surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device hermetically sealed within the surface acoustic wave tagging device;

a structure having substantially monolithic characteristics comprising;

a cylindrical base comprising a cavity having an open end of the cavity at one end of the cylindrical base;

an antenna system on a top surface of an antenna substrate positioned at the open end of the cavity; and

a dielectric disk positioned inside the cavity and against a bottom surface of the antenna substrate; and

a radio frequency transparent material encasing the substantially monolithic structure; and

wherein the surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device is electrically connected to the antenna system.

19. The tagging device of claim 18, wherein the radio frequency transparent material is electrically conductive and in conductive contact with the base.