Sensor including electrical transmission-line parameter that changes responsive to vehicular load

• US 9,880,045 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Road Dynamics Incorporated (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: International Road Dynamics Incorporated (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Inventors: Hanson, Randal Leroy, Lockerbie, Michael David, Meier, Ian Robert, Haichert, Tyler William
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy
• Application Number:
  US14/196,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20140291039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 324644
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/024 using electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 7/06 by electrostatic action
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/06 by measuring the permanent deformation of gauges, e.g. of compressed bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/14 by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2497 using transmission lines, e.g. cable

Abstract

An apparatus includes a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a transmission-line assembly having an electrical transmission-line parameter configured to change, at least in part, in response to reception, at least in part, of a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to a vehicular roadway to the transmission-line assembly positionable, at least in part, relative to the vehicular roadway.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly, comprising:

a signal interface being configured to interface, at least in part, to a transmission-line assembly with an electrical domain reflectometry signal processing system;

the transmission-line assembly positionable relative to a vehicular roadway, including;

a force-receiving portion with a flat conductive surface for receiving a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to the vehicular roadway; and

a core assembly with a flat conductive strip substantially parallel to the flat surface;

wherein, the flat conductive strip electrically cooperates with the flat conductive surface for changing an electrical transmission-line parameter in response to reception of the vehicular load by elastic deflection of the flat conductive surface towards and away from the flat conductive strip.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical transmission-line parameter of the transmission-line assembly includes;

a transmission-line impedance being configured to elastically change, at least in part, in response to reception of the vehicular load from the moving vehicle.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical transmission-line parameter of the transmission-line assembly includes;

a transmission-line impedance being configured to elastically change, at least in part, in response to reception of the vehicular load from the moving vehicle from between;

a no-load characteristic impedance once none of the vehicular load is received from the moving vehicle; and

a loaded impedance once the vehicular load is received, at least in part, from the moving vehicle.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor assembly is configured to respond to a baseline sweep for representing the unloaded transmission-line parameter of the transmission-line assembly at the time of the response to the baseline sweep.

6. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor assembly further includes;

a termination impedance being configured to terminate the transmission-line assembly; and

the termination impedance is impedance matched with the transmission-line assembly.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly is configured to extend across, at least in part, the vehicular roadway.

8. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor assembly is configured to be buried, at least in part, in the vehicular roadway; and

the transmission-line assembly is configured to extend across, at least in part, the vehicular roadway.

9. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes an electrical cable.

10. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes at least one of;

two electrical conductors;

an electrical stripline;

an electrical microstrip; and

an electrical coaxial cable.

11. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive.

12. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive and being positioned, at least in part, relative to the core assembly.

13. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive; and

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive, and the shield assembly surrounding, at least in part, the core assembly.

14. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive;

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive and surrounding the core assembly; and

the core assembly and the shield assembly being aligned, at least in part, longitudinally coaxial relative to each other.

15. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the core assembly includes;

a carrier assembly being configured to support, at least in part, an electrical conductor relative to the shield assembly.

16. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the shield assembly is configured to support, at least in part, the core assembly.

17. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the sensor assembly further includes;

a positioning assembly being configured to position, at least in part, the core assembly relative to the shield assembly at a stationary position relative to the shield assembly.

18. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive;

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive and surrounding the core assembly; and

the shield assembly being configured to elastically deform in response to the shield assembly receiving the vehicular load from the moving vehicle.

19. The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

a gap being formed, at least in part, between the core assembly and the shield assembly.

20. The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

a gap being formed, at least in part, between the core assembly and the shield assembly; and

the shield assembly is configured to elastically deform in response to reception of the vehicular load from the moving vehicle by the shield assembly, in such a way that an aspect of the gap varies depending on a magnitude of the vehicular load imparted, at least in part, to the shield assembly.

21. The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a tubular assembly forming a channel being configured to receive the core assembly.

22. The sensor assembly of claim 21, wherein:

the shield assembly further includes;

an elastically-deformable portion being formed, at least in part, in the tubular assembly.

23. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the shield assembly further includes;

an elastically-deformable portion being configured to elastically deform in response to reception, at least in part, of the vehicular load.

24. The sensor assembly of claim 21, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a roadway anchor extending externally from the tubular assembly, and the roadway anchor being configured to anchor, at least in part, the shield assembly to the vehicular roadway.

25. The sensor assembly of claim 21, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a core-anchor assembly extending internally from the tubular assembly into the channel; and

the core-anchor assembly being configured to support, at least in part, positioning of the core assembly within the channel.

26. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a wear-resistant assembly being configured to resist, at least in part, wear in response to reception of repeated application of the vehicular load in such a way as to reduce wear to the shield assembly.

27. The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the shield assembly further includes;

an elastically-deformable portion being formed, at least in part, in a tubular assembly;

a roadway anchor extending externally from the tubular assembly;

a core-anchor assembly extending internally from the tubular assembly into a channel, and being configured to support, at least in part, positioning of the core assembly within the channel; and

a wear-resistant assembly being configured to resist wear, at least in part, in response to reception of repeated application of the vehicular load in such a way as to reduce wear to the shield assembly.

28. The sensor assembly of claim 26, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

an adhesive-backed closed-cell neoprene foam,

a sealer material,

a foam assembly, and

a sealer,

the foam assembly is positioned in a space formed between a force-receiving portion and an elastically-deformable portion on opposite sides of a force-transfer portion, the adhesive-backed closed-cell neoprene foam is positioned on opposite sides of the shield assembly, on opposite sides of the wear-resistant assembly,

the sealer material fills, at least in part, a void formed between an outer surface of the shield assembly and the adhesive-backed closed-cell neoprene foam, and the sealer material is configured to keep the foam assembly securely positioned in the space formed between the force-receiving portion and the elastically-deformable portion on opposite sides of the force-transfer portion, and

the sealer is positioned between a top section of the force-receiving portion of the shield assembly and the wear-resistant assembly.

29. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein:

the sensor assembly further includes;

a sealant,

a fitting assembly,

a signal connector,

a sealing element,

a signal interface,

a first end cap, and

a fastener,

the core assembly extends axially along the transmission-line assembly, and connects to the signal interface,

the signal interface extends along a longitudinal axis of the transmission-line assembly, and is configured to terminate at the sealing element that is positioned stationary at an end of an internal zone of the transmission-line assembly,

the signal connector extends from a signal cable,

the sealing element is configured to be connectable to the signal interface,

the sealant fills in a zone surrounding the signal cable within the interior of the sensor assembly,

the fitting assembly is fixedly connected to the first end cap,

the first end cap is attached to a housing of the transmission-line assembly by way of the fastener,

the signal interface is configured to interface the core assembly to the signal connector of the signal cable, and

the fitting assembly is configured to permit sealed connection between the signal cable and the first end cap.

30. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

a terminator-connector assembly,

a termination block,

a second end cap,

a fastener, and

a sealing element,

the core assembly axially extends towards and connects to the terminator-connector assembly that is mounted to the termination block that is positioned stationary in the transmission-line assembly,

the sealing element supports and positions and seals a termination impedance,

a termination impedance is connected in such a way as to terminate the core assembly and the shield assembly, and

the fastener attaches the second end cap to an end of a housing of the transmission-line assembly.

33. The sensor assembly claim 1, wherein:

any one of;

(A) a first instance of the sensor, (B) the first instance of the sensor and a second instance of the sensor, and (C) the first instance of the sensor, the second instance of the sensor, and a third instance of the sensor,

are used to detect any one of

an axle width, axle detection, a single tire, a dual tire, lateral position of tire on sensor, a tire width, a number of axles for the vehicle when used in association with a loop detector.

34. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

any one of;

(A) a first instance of the sensor and a second instance of the sensor, and (B) the first instance of the sensor, the second instance of the sensor, and a third instance of the sensor, are used to detect any one of a tire speed, a vehicle speed, a tire weight, a tire pressure, a vehicle inter-axle spacing, a vehicle weight when used in association with a loop detector, and, a bumper to bumper vehicle length when used in association with a loop detector.

35. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the vehicular load comprises two or more tires on an axle of the moving vehicle, and, the transmission-line parameter measurably changes in response to each tire on the axle for simultaneously measuring each tire for both a location of each tire on the flat conductive surface and a width of each tire.

36. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the vehicular load comprises four or more tires on an axle of the moving vehicle, and, the transmission-line parameter measurably changes in response to each tire on the axle for simultaneously measuring each tire for both a location of each tire on the flat conductive surface and a width of each tire.

37. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the vehicular load comprises a dual tire pair on an axle of the moving vehicle, and, the transmission-line parameter measurably changes in response to each tire of the dual tire pair on the axle for simultaneously measuring a location of each tire on the flat conductive surface and a width of each tire.

38. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the transmission-line parameter measurably changes with a spatial resolution, measured along a length of the flat conductive surface, of about 3.81 centimeters to about 7.62 centimeters.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor assembly, including;

a termination impedance being configured to terminate a transmission-line assembly;

the transmission-line assembly positionable relative to a vehicular roadway, including;

a force-receiving portion with a flat conductive surface for receiving a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to the vehicular roadway;

a core assembly with a flat conductive strip substantially parallel to the flat surface;

wherein, the flat conductive strip electrically cooperates with the flat conductive surface for changing an electrical transmission-line parameter in response to reception of the vehicular load by elastic deflection of the flat conductive surface towards and away from the flat conductive strip.

39. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the electrical transmission-line parameter of the transmission-line assembly includes;

a transmission-line impedance being configured to elastically change, at least in part, in response to reception of the vehicular load from the moving vehicle.

40. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the electrical transmission-line parameter of the transmission-line assembly includes;

a transmission-line impedance being configured to elastically change, at least in part, in response to reception of the vehicular load from the moving vehicle from between;

a no-load characteristic impedance once none of the vehicular load is received from the moving vehicle; and

a loaded impedance once the vehicular load is received, at least in part, from the moving vehicle.

41. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the sensor assembly is configured to respond to a baseline sweep for representing the unloaded transmission-line parameter of the transmission-line assembly at the time of the response to the baseline sweep.

42. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the termination impedance is impedance matched with the transmission-line assembly.

43. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly is configured to extend across, at least in part, the vehicular roadway.

44. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the sensor assembly is configured to be buried, at least in part, in the vehicular roadway; and

the transmission-line assembly is configured to extend across, at least in part, the vehicular roadway.

45. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes an electrical cable.

46. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes at least one of;

two electrical conductors;

an electrical stripline;

an electrical microstrip; and

an electrical coaxial cable.

47. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein:

the sensor assembly further includes;

a sealant,

a fitting assembly,

a signal connector,

a sealing element,

a signal interface,

a first end cap, and

a fastener,

the core assembly extends axially along the transmission-line assembly, and connects to the signal interface,

the signal interface extends along a longitudinal axis of the transmission-line assembly, and is configured to terminate at the sealing element that is positioned stationary at an end of an internal zone of the transmission-line assembly,

the signal connector extends from a signal cable,

the sealing element is configured to be connectable to the signal interface,

the sealant fills in a zone surrounding the signal cable within the interior of the sensor assembly,

the fitting assembly is fixedly connected to the first end cap,

the first end cap is attached to a housing of the transmission-line assembly by way of the fastener,

the signal interface is configured to interface the core assembly to the signal connector of the signal cable, and

the fitting assembly is configured to permit sealed connection between the signal cable and the first end cap.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive and being positioned, at least in part, relative to the core assembly.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the core assembly includes;

a carrier assembly being configured to support, at least in part, an electrical conductor relative to the shield assembly.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the shield assembly is configured to support, at least in part, the core assembly.

52. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the sensor assembly further includes;

a positioning assembly being configured to position, at least in part, the core assembly relative to the shield assembly at a stationary position relative to the shield assembly.

53. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the shield assembly further includes;

an elastically-deformable portion being configured to elastically deform in response to reception, at least in part, of the vehicular load.

54. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a wear-resistant assembly being configured to resist, at least in part, wear in response to reception of repeated application of the vehicular load in such a way as to reduce wear to the shield assembly.

55. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

a terminator-connector assembly,

a termination block,

a second end cap,

a fastener, and

a sealing element,

the core assembly axially extends towards and connects to the terminator-connector assembly that is mounted to the termination block that is positioned stationary in the transmission-line assembly,

the sealing element supports and positions and seals a termination impedance,

the termination impedance is connected in such a way as to terminate the core assembly and the shield assembly, and

the fastener attaches the second end cap to an end of a housing of the transmission-line assembly.

56. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive; and

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive, and the shield assembly surrounding, at least in part, the core assembly.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

a gap being formed, at least in part, between the core assembly and the shield assembly.

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

a gap being formed, at least in part, between the core assembly and the shield assembly; and

the shield assembly is configured to elastically deform in response to reception of the vehicular load from the moving vehicle by the shield assembly, in such a way that an aspect of the gap varies depending on a magnitude of the vehicular load imparted, at least in part, to the shield assembly.

59. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:

the shield assembly further includes;

an elastically-deformable portion being formed, at least in part, in a tubular assembly;

a roadway anchor extending externally from the tubular assembly;

a core-anchor assembly extending internally from the tubular assembly into a channel, and being configured to support, at least in part, positioning of the core assembly within the channel; and

a wear-resistant assembly being configured to resist wear, at least in part, in response to reception of repeated application of the vehicular load in such a way as to reduce wear to the shield assembly.

60. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a tubular assembly forming a channel being configured to receive the core assembly.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein:

the shield assembly further includes;

an elastically-deformable portion being formed, at least in part, in the tubular assembly.

62. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a roadway anchor extending externally from the tubular assembly, and the roadway anchor being configured to anchor, at least in part, the shield assembly to the vehicular roadway.

63. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a core-anchor assembly extending internally from the tubular assembly into the channel; and

the core-anchor assembly being configured to support, at least in part, positioning of the core assembly within the channel.

64. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive;

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive and surrounding the core assembly; and

the core assembly and the shield assembly being aligned, at least in part, longitudinally coaxial relative to each other.

65. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line assembly includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive;

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive and surrounding the core assembly; and

the shield assembly being configured to elastically deform in response to the shield assembly receiving the vehicular load from the moving vehicle.

66. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the shield assembly includes;

a wear-resistant assembly being configured to resist, at least in part, wear in response to reception of repeated application of the vehicular load in such a way as to reduce wear to the shield assembly;

the transmission-line assembly further includes;

a core assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive;

a shield assembly being, at least in part, electrically conductive and being positioned, at least in part, relative to the core assembly;

an adhesive-backed closed-cell neoprene foam,

a sealer material,

a foam assembly, and

a sealer,

the foam assembly is positioned in a space formed between a force-receiving portion and an elastically-deformable portion on opposite sides of a force-transfer portion, the adhesive-backed closed-cell neoprene foam is positioned on opposite sides of the shield assembly, on opposite sides of the wear-resistant assembly,

the sealer material fills, at least in part, a void formed between an outer surface of the shield assembly and the adhesive-backed closed-cell neoprene foam, and the sealer material is configured to keep the foam assembly securely positioned in the space formed between the force-receiving portion and the elastically-deformable portion on opposite sides of the force-transfer portion, and

the sealer is positioned between a top section of the force-receiving portion of the shield assembly and the wear-resistant assembly.

67. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

any one of;

(A) a first instance of the sensor, (B) the first instance of the sensor and a second instance of the sensor, and (C) the first instance of the sensor, the second instance of the sensor, and a third instance of the sensor,

are used to detect any one of

an axle width, axle detection, a single tire, a dual tire, lateral position of tire on sensor, a tire width, a number of axles for the vehicle when used in association with a loop detector.

68. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

any one of;

(A) a first instance of the sensor and a second instance of the sensor, and (B) the first instance of the sensor, the second instance of the sensor, and a third instance of the sensor, are used to detect any one of a tire speed, a vehicle speed, a tire weight, a tire pressure, a vehicle inter-axle spacing, a vehicle weight when used in association with a loop detector, and, a bumper to bumper vehicle length when used in association with a loop detector.

69. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the vehicular load comprises two or more tires on an axle of the moving vehicle, and, the transmission-line parameter measurably changes in response to each tire on the axle for simultaneously measuring each tire for both a location of each tire on the flat conductive surface and a width of each tire.

70. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the vehicular load comprises four or more tires on an axle of the moving vehicle, and, the transmission-line parameter measurably changes in response to each tire on the axle for simultaneously measuring each tire for both a location of each tire on the flat conductive surface and a width of each tire.

71. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the vehicular load comprises a dual tire pair on an axle of the moving vehicle, and, the transmission-line parameter measurably changes in response to each tire of the dual tire pair on the axle for simultaneously measuring a location of each tire on the flat conductive surface and a width of each tire.

72. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmission-line parameter measurably changes with a spatial resolution, measured along a length of the flat conductive surface, of about 3.81 centimeters to about 7.62 centimeters.

73. The apparatus of claim 5, further including:

a signal interface being configured to interface, at least in part, to a transmission-line assembly with an electrical domain reflectometry signal processing system.

31. A sensor assembly comprising:

a transmission-line assembly positionable relative to a vehicular roadway, including;

a force-receiving portion with a flat conductive surface for receiving a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to the vehicular roadway; and

a core assembly with a flat conductive strip substantially parallel to the flat surface;

wherein, the flat conductive strip electrically cooperates with the flat conductive surface for changing an electrical transmission-line parameter in response to reception of the vehicular load by elastic deflection of the flat conductive surface towards and away from the flat conductive strip;

a roadway-mountable housing configured to be mounted in the vehicular roadway;

the sensor assembly is mounted in the roadway-mountable housing;

the transmission-line assembly is configured to be operatively connectable to an analog electronics module, which is in turn operatively connectable to a digital electronics module; and

a remote housing configured to receive the analog electronics module and the digital electronics module, the remote housing is positioned remote from the roadway-mountable housing, and the digital electronics module is operatively connectable to an electrical time domain reflectometry signal processing system.

32. A sensor assembly comprising:

a transmission-line assembly positionable relative to a vehicular roadway, including;

a force-receiving portion with a flat conductive surface for receiving a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to the vehicular roadway; and

a core assembly with a flat conductive strip substantially parallel to the flat surface;

wherein, the flat conductive strip electrically cooperates with the flat conductive surface for changing an electrical transmission-line parameter in response to reception of the vehicular load by elastic deflection of the flat conductive surface towards and away from the flat conductive strip;

a roadway-mountable housing configured to be mounted in the vehicular roadway, the transmission-line assembly is configured to be operatively connectable to an analog electronics module, the sensor assembly and the analog electronics module are mounted in the roadway-mountable housing, and the analog electronics module is operatively connectable to a digital electronics module; and

a remote housing configured to receive the digital electronics module, and the remote housing is positionable remote from the roadway-mountable housing, and the digital electronics module is operatively connectable to an electrical time domain reflectometry signal processing system.