Method for measuring fluid flow in a non-conductive pipe

• US 9,011,345 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RadioFIDO LLC
• Original Assignee: RadioFIDO LLC
• Inventors: Brommer, Karl D., Brommer, Tracey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANU, ETSUB D
• Application Number:
  US13/183,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20110269401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 600/302, 600/504, 600/505
• US Class Current: 600/505
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07756 the connection being non-galvanic, e.g. capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits

Abstract

A microradio is provided with a hysteretic switch to permit an optimum range increasing charging cycle, with the charging cycle being long relative to the transmit cycle. Secondly, an ensemble of microradios permits an n² power enhancement to increase range with coherent operation. Various multi-frequency techniques are used both for parasitic powering and to isolate powering and transmit cycles. Applications for microradios and specifically for ensembles of microradios include authentication, tracking, fluid flow sensing, identification, terrain surveillance including crop health sensing and detection of improvised explosive devices, biohazard and containment breach detection, and biomedical applications including the use of microradios attached to molecular tags to destroy tagged cells when the microradios are activated. Microradio deployment includes the use of paints or other coatings containing microradios, greases and aerosols. Moreover, specialized antennas, including microcoils, mini dipoles, and staircase coiled structures are disclosed, with the use of nano-devices further reducing the size of the microradios.

Claims

1. A method for determining fluid flow within a non-conducting pipe, comprising the steps of:

entraining microradios within the flowing fluid, wherein the microradios include nano-resonators;

parasitically powering the microradios entrained within the fluid;

detecting emissions from the microradios;

locating the positions of the detected microradios; and

calculating fluid flow parameters based on the located positions of the detected microradios and time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the microradios includes a fluid characteristic sensor;

modulating each of the microradios with information from the associated sensor; and

demodulating the emissions from the microradios entrained in the fluid to recover the sensor data, whereby characteristics of the fluid can be ascertained.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a bodily fluid, and further including the step of containing the fluid in a vessel, whereby vascular flow can be sensed outside a human or animal body, the human or animal body functioning as a naturally radiative surface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bodily fluid is blood in a blood vessel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing said ensemble of microradios to operate in a coherent fashion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said microradios include nano elements and the nano elements include electrodes, each comprising at least one antenna.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said microradios include nano elements and the nano elements include a single-electron transmitter.

8. A method for determining fluid flow within a non-conducting pipe, comprising the steps of:

entraining microradios within the flowing fluid;

parasitically powering the microradios entrained within the fluid;

detecting emission from the microradios;

locating the positions of the detected microradios;

calculating fluid flow parameters based on the located positions of the detected microradios and time, and

wherein said microradios comprise nano elements including nano-resonators.

9. A system for determining fluid flow comprising:

a power source configured to transmit a power supply;

a plurality of parasytically powered microradios configured to be entrained within a flowing fluid disposed in a non-conducting conduit, the microradios being configured to communicate signals indicating flow parameters of the flowing fluid; and

a detection device configured to receive data transmitted from the microradios and detect the location and flow parameters of the microradios within the non-conducting conduit,

wherein the microradios include nano elements, and

wherein said nanoelements include a single-electron transmitter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the microradios include a fluid characteristic sensor configured to transmit data regarding the characteristics of the fluid disposed in the non-conducting conduit.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the fluid is a bodily fluid, and further comprising a vascular flow detector outside of a human or animal body configured to sense the vascular flow of the bodily fluid.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the bodily fluid is blood in a blood vessel.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the human or animal body is a naturally radiative surface.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of microradios are configured to operate in a coherent fashion.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said nano elements include electrodes, each comprising at least one antenna.

16. A system for determining fluid flow comprising:

a plurality of microradios within a fluid disposed in a non-conducting conduit, the plurality of micoradios configured to paralytically receive a power supply and transmit data;

a power source configured to transmit a power supply; and

a detection device configured to receive data transmitted from the microradios and detect the location and flow parameters of the microradios within the non-conducting conduit, and

wherein said microradios comprise nano elements including nano-resonators.