Wireless sensor and method of interrogating thereof
First Claim
1. A wireless sensor array communication system comprising:
- a sensor array composed of a plurality of wireless sensors, each of the plurality of wireless sensors comprising a resonant circuit that is excited responsive to an RF pulse received by the wireless sensor such that the resonant circuit provides a resonant energy, with a characteristic of the resonant energy being proportional to a measurand monitored by the passive wireless sensor; and
an interrogator system comprising;
a transceiver in operable communication with each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array, the transceiver configured to;
transmit RF pulses to each of the plurality of wireless sensors to excite the respective resonant circuits therein; and
receive RF signals transmitted from each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array, each of the RF signals being indicative of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit; and
a magnet-gradient coil arrangement configured to generate a magnetic field and selectively apply magnetic field gradients to the magnetic field along a number of axes;
wherein each of the plurality of wireless sensors is configured such that a frequency and phase of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit therein, and included in the RF signal transmitted therefrom, is altered responsive to the generated magnetic field and the applied magnetic field gradients, the altered frequency and phase of the resonant energy being a function of a location of the respective wireless sensor within the magnetic field.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless sensor array communication system includes a plurality of wireless sensors each including a resonant circuit that is excited by an RF pulse so as to provide a resonant energy proportional to a measurand being monitored. A transceiver of an interrogator system transmits RF pulses to each of the sensors to excite the resonant circuits therein and receives RF signals transmitted from each of the sensors that are indicative of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit. A magnet-gradient coil arrangement of the interrogator system generates a magnetic field and selectively applies magnetic field gradients along a number of axes, such that a frequency and phase of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit of each wireless sensor is altered responsive thereto, with the altered frequency and phase of the resonant energy being a function of a location of the respective wireless sensor within the magnetic field.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wireless sensor array communication system comprising:
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a sensor array composed of a plurality of wireless sensors, each of the plurality of wireless sensors comprising a resonant circuit that is excited responsive to an RF pulse received by the wireless sensor such that the resonant circuit provides a resonant energy, with a characteristic of the resonant energy being proportional to a measurand monitored by the passive wireless sensor; and an interrogator system comprising; a transceiver in operable communication with each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array, the transceiver configured to; transmit RF pulses to each of the plurality of wireless sensors to excite the respective resonant circuits therein; and receive RF signals transmitted from each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array, each of the RF signals being indicative of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit; and a magnet-gradient coil arrangement configured to generate a magnetic field and selectively apply magnetic field gradients to the magnetic field along a number of axes; wherein each of the plurality of wireless sensors is configured such that a frequency and phase of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit therein, and included in the RF signal transmitted therefrom, is altered responsive to the generated magnetic field and the applied magnetic field gradients, the altered frequency and phase of the resonant energy being a function of a location of the respective wireless sensor within the magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of interrogating a plurality of wireless sensors in a sensor array, the method comprising:
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wirelessly transmitting an RF pulse from a transceiver to each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array, the RF pulse exciting a resonant circuit included in each of the plurality of wireless sensors so as to cause the resonant circuit to generate a resonant energy; applying a magnetic field to a volume including the sensor array via a magnet; applying a magnetic field gradient to the magnetic field along a first axis via activation of a first gradient coil; applying a magnetic field gradient to the magnetic field along a second axis via activation of a second gradient coil; and wirelessly transmitting RF signals from each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array as sensor outputs to the transceiver, with the RF signal transmitted from each respective wireless sensor indicative of the resonant energy generated by the resonant circuit therein; wherein application of the magnetic field gradient along the first and second axes causes a frequency and phase of the RF signal generated by each respective wireless sensor of the plurality of wireless sensors to be altered as a function of a location of the respective wireless sensor within the volume to which the magnetic field is applied. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A passive wireless sensor comprising:
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an antenna configured to receive RF interrogation pulses and transmit RF signals; a resonator circuit operably connected to the antenna and that is excited responsive to RF interrogation pulses received by the antenna, the resonator circuit configured to generate a resonant energy responsive to an RF interrogation pulse, with the resonant energy being proportional to a parameter monitored by the passive wireless sensor; and a magnetic component incorporated into the resonator circuit that is sensitive to a magnetic field such that a material characteristic of the magnetic component is altered when exposed to a magnetic field; wherein the magnetic component is constructed so as to alter a frequency of the resonant energy generated by the resonator circuit when selectively exposed to a magnetic field and magnetic field gradients generated by a magnet-gradient coil arrangement, wherein the altering of the frequency and phase of the resonant energy is based on a local magnetic field strength of the magnetic field at a location of the passive wireless sensor within the magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification