Field-portable impedance reader and methods of making the same

• US 8,936,191 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Potyrailo, Radislav Alexandrovich, Ashe, Jeffrey Michael, Morris, William Guy, Surman, Cheryl Margaret
• Primary Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/827,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20120004851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/462.45
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0073 Control unit therefor

Abstract

A field-portable impedance reader is provided. The impedance reader comprises a reader antenna, an impedance compensator, a calibrator, and a synchronous sampler. The impedance reader further comprises a digital processor that receives and processes signals from the synchronous sampler. Further, a wireless system comprising the impedance reader of the invention is provided.

Claims

1. A field-portable impedance reader, comprising:

a first layer comprising a reader antenna;

a second layer comprising radio frequency electronics and intermediate frequency electronics; and

a third layer comprising a digital direct synthesizer, a reference analog to digital converter, a sample analog to digital converter, and a digital signal processor,

wherein the first, second and third layers are disposed in a housing.

2. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein the third layer further comprises a synchronous sampler, and wherein the synchronous sampler comprises a master oscillator, a coherent clock generator, or both.

3. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 2, wherein the digital direct synthesizer is in communication with the master oscillator, the coherent clock generator, or both.

4. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein the digital direct synthesizer is in communication with the reader antenna.

5. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor comprises the reference analog to digital converter and the sample analog to digital converter.

6. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein the field-portable impedance reader is configured to monitor sensing data in real-time.

7. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein the field-portable impedance reader is inductively coupled to a resonant sensor.

8. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 7, wherein the field-portable impedance reader is configured to read real and imaginary impedance spectra of the resonant sensor.

9. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 7, wherein the field-portable impedance reader is configured to read real and imaginary impedance spectra of the resonant sensor and simultaneously calculate at least two parameters of a sensor impedance response.

10. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 7, wherein the field-portable impedance reader is configured to read real and imaginary impedance spectra of the resonant sensor and configured to simultaneously calculate F_p, F_z, F₁, F₂, Z_p, Z₁, and Z₂ from the resonant sensor.

11. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein a surface of the field-portable impedance reader comprises an adaptor is configured to receive a resonant sensor.

12. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 11, wherein the resonant sensor is a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor.

13. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor is in operative association with a memory, a controller, a radio transceiver, or combinations thereof.

14. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, further comprising a temperature compensator.

15. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 14, wherein the temperature compensator is integral with an impedance compensator disposed in the third layer.

16. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, further comprising a glob top.

17. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

18. The field-portable impedance reader of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the housing are in a range from about 2×

2×

1 cm³ to about 15×

15×

5 cm³.

19. A wireless system, comprising a field-portable impedance reader of, wherein the field-portable impedance reader comprises:

a first layer comprising a reader antenna;

a second layer comprising radio frequency electronics and intermediate frequency electronics; and

a third layer comprising a digital direct synthesizer, a reference analog to digital converter, a sample analog to digital converter, and a digital signal processor,

wherein the first, second and third layers are disposed in a housing.

20. The wireless system of claim 19, further comprising a portable digital device comprising a portable computer processor, a handheld digital assistant, a cellular phone, or combinations thereof.

21. The wireless system of claim 20, wherein the portable digital device is capable of near-field communications.