Acoustic methods for sensor communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- sensing;
through a sensor and sensor probe attached to a structure comprising a component of a piece of power generation equipment, a condition of said structure and generating a sensor signal;
transducing, via a transducer connected to said sensor and sensor probe, the sensor signal into an ultrasonic signal;
transmitting said ultrasonic signal through said structure to a base node attached to said structure the base node comprising a base node receiver operatively connected to a base node sensor;
transducing said ultrasonic signal at said base node into an electrical signal;
relaying the electrical signal through a connection of said base node to monitor or control equipment configured to monitor or control said piece of power generation equipment.
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Abstract
A system for monitoring equipment and transmitting data and/or signals from one or more satellite nodes to a base node for transmission to a monitor or controller for the equipment. The system may transmit high frequency acoustic signals from one or more satellite nodes embedded in the equipment through a structural component of the equipment to the base node, eliminating the need to hardwire the satellite nodes in harsh environments.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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sensing;
through a sensor and sensor probe attached to a structure comprising a component of a piece of power generation equipment, a condition of said structure and generating a sensor signal;transducing, via a transducer connected to said sensor and sensor probe, the sensor signal into an ultrasonic signal; transmitting said ultrasonic signal through said structure to a base node attached to said structure the base node comprising a base node receiver operatively connected to a base node sensor; transducing said ultrasonic signal at said base node into an electrical signal; relaying the electrical signal through a connection of said base node to monitor or control equipment configured to monitor or control said piece of power generation equipment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8)
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7. A method comprising:
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sensing through a sensor and sensor probe attached to a structure comprising a component of a piece of power generation equipment, a a condition of said structure and generating a sensor signal; transducing, via a transducer connected to said sensor and sensor probe, the sensor signal into an ultrasonic signal; transmitting said ultrasonic signal through said structure to a base node attached to said structure, the base node comprising a base node receiver operatively connected to a base node sensor; transducing said ultrasonic signal at said base node into an electrical signal;
relaying the electrical signal through a connection of said base node to monitor or control equipment configured to monitor or control said piece of power generation equipment;wherein said sensor is a reluctance probe, said structure is a component of a piece of power generation equipment selected from the group consisting of gas turbines, steam turbines, and wind turbines, said sensor signal is a voltage pulse from a turbine blade passage sensed by said reluctance probe, and said transducer is a piezoelectric transducer.
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9. A system comprising:
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a plurality of satellite nodes each comprising a sensor and sensor probe connected to a transducer, each transducer configured to transduce a signal, where the signal is received from the respective sensor to which each transducer is connected, into an ultrasonic signal, said plurality of satellite nodes being associated with a structure comprising a component of a piece of power generation equipment; a base node associated with said structure and spaced from said plurality of satellite nodes, the base node comprising a base node receiver operatively connected to a base node sensor, said base node receiver configured to receive ultrasonic signals transmitted from said plurality of satellite nodes through said structure and transduce said ultrasonic signals into electrical signals; and a connection connected to said base node and configured to relay said electrical signals to a monitor or controller of said piece of power generation equipment. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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a structure comprising a component of a piece of power generation equipment, said structure fabricated of a material capable of transmitting sound through said structure; one or more satellite nodes mounted to said structure, each of said one or more satellite nodes comprising a sensor and sensor probe, and configured to generate a signal responsive to a condition of said structure and transduce said signal into an ultrasonic signal via a transducer connected to said sensor and sensor probe; a base node mounted to said structure, the base node comprising a base node receiver operatively connected to a base node sensor;
said base node configured to receive the ultrasonic signal transmitted by each said one or more satellite nodes through said structure, transduce said ultrasonic signal into electrical signals, and transmit said electrical signals through a connection to a monitor or controller of said piece of power generation equipment. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification