Sensor device, vibration detection system, sensor unit, information processing device, vibration detection method, and program

• US 9,921,097 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mataga, Junichiro, Sasaki, Yasuhiro, Takahashi, Masatake, Shinoda, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan
• Application Number:
  US14/429,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20150226604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/00 Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 5/00 Measuring propagation velocity of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves , e.g. of pressure waves

Abstract

A sensor device includes: a first sensor group (13) in which a plurality of first vibration sensors for detecting vibration acceleration in one direction with respect to an object to be detected are arranged to face the same direction; a phase difference calculation unit (220) which, based on a plurality of first signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of first vibration sensors included in the first sensor group (13), calculates a first phase difference indicating the phase difference between the plurality of first signals; and an acceleration calculation unit (230) which, using the first phase difference and the plurality of first signals, calculates vibration acceleration in a first direction perpendicular to a surface on which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged, and vibration acceleration in a second direction parallel to the surface on which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a first sensor group in which a plurality of first vibration sensors for detecting vibration acceleration, each first vibration sensor arranged to face in a same direction with respect to an object;

a phase difference calculation unit which, based on a plurality of first signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of first vibration sensors included in the first sensor group, calculates a first phase difference indicating a phase difference between the plurality of first signals; and

an acceleration calculation unit which, using the first phase difference and the plurality of first signals, calculates vibration acceleration in a first direction perpendicular to a surface on which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged, and vibration acceleration in a second direction parallel to the surface.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first direction is a direction perpendicular to a propagating direction of vibration generated in the object to be detected; and

the second direction is a direction parallel to the propagating direction.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising a second sensor group in which a plurality of second vibration sensors for detecting vibration acceleration in one direction with respect to the object to be detected are arranged side by side in a direction different from that in which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged when the surface is seen from a perpendicular direction, wherein:

the phase difference calculation unit further calculates, based on a plurality of second signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of second vibration sensors included in the second sensor group, a second phase difference indicating a phase difference between the plurality of second signals; and

the acceleration calculation unit further calculates, based on the second phase difference and the plurality of second signals, vibration acceleration in a third direction different from the first and second directions.

4. The sensor device according to claim 3, wherein when the surface is seen from the perpendicular direction, the direction in which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged and the direction in which the second vibration sensors are arranged are orthogonal to each other.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration sensor is a piezoelectric vibration sensor.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the object to be detected is water piping.

7. A vibration detection system comprising:

a sensor unit including the sensor device according to claim 1; and

an information processing device, wherein;

the sensor unit includes a transmission unit which transmits the plurality of first signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of first vibration sensors included in the first sensor group; and

the information processing device includes;

a reception unit which receives the plurality of first signals;

a phase difference calculation unit which, based on the plurality of first signals, calculates the first phase difference indicating the phase difference between the plurality of first signals; and

an acceleration calculation unit which, using the first phase difference and the plurality of first signals, calculates vibration acceleration in the first direction perpendicular to the surface on which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged, and vibration acceleration in the second direction parallel to the surface.

8. A vibration detection method including:

by a sensor device including a first sensor group in which a plurality of first vibration sensors for detecting vibration acceleration, each first vibration sensor arranged to face in a same direction with respect to an object,

calculating, based on a plurality of first signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of first vibration sensors included in the first sensor group, a first phase difference indicating a phase difference between the plurality of first signals; and

calculating, using the first phase difference and the plurality of first signals, vibration acceleration in a first direction perpendicular to a surface on which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged, and vibration acceleration in a second direction parallel to the surface.

9. The vibration detection method according to claim 8, wherein:

the first direction is a direction perpendicular to a propagating direction of vibration generated in the object to be detected; and

the second direction is a direction parallel to the propagating direction.

10. The vibration detection method according to claim 8,

the sensor device further including a second sensor group in which a plurality of second vibration sensors for detecting vibration acceleration in one direction with respect to the object to be detected are arranged side by side in a direction different from that in which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged when the surface is seen from a perpendicular direction,

the method further including:

further calculating, by the sensor device, a second phase difference indicating a phase difference between a plurality of second signals based on the plurality of second signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of second vibration sensors included in the second sensor group; and

further calculating, by the acceleration calculation unit, vibration acceleration in a third direction different from the first and second directions based on the second phase difference and the plurality of second signals.

11. The vibration detection method according to claim 10, wherein when the surface is seen from the perpendicular direction, the direction in which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged and the direction in which the second vibration sensors are arranged are orthogonal to each other.

12. The vibration detection method according to claim 8, wherein the vibration sensor is a piezoelectric vibration sensor.

13. The vibration detection method according to claim 8, wherein the object to be detected is water piping.

14. A vibration detection method achieved by a sensor unit including the sensor device according to claim 8, and an information processing device,

the method including:

by the sensor unit,

transmitting a plurality of first signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of first vibration sensors included in the first sensor group; and

by the information processing device,

receiving the plurality of first signals;

calculating, based on the plurality of first signals, a first phase difference indicating a phase difference between the plurality of first signals; and

calculating, using the first phase difference and the plurality of first signals, vibration acceleration in a first direction perpendicular to a surface on which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged, and vibration acceleration in a second direction parallel to the surface.

15. A non-transitory computer readable media storing program for causing a sensor device including a first sensor group in which a plurality of first vibration sensors for detecting vibration acceleration, each first vibration sensor arranged to face in a same direction with respect to an object, to achieve:

a phase difference calculation function of calculating, based on a plurality of first signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of first vibration sensors included in the first sensor group, a first phase difference indicating a phase difference between the plurality of first signals; and

an acceleration calculation function of calculating, using the first phase difference and the plurality of first signals, vibration acceleration in a first direction perpendicular to a surface on which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged, and vibration acceleration in a second direction parallel to the surface.

16. The non-transitory computer readable media storing program according to claim 15,

the sensor device further including a second sensor group in which a plurality of second vibration sensors for detecting vibration acceleration in one direction with respect to the object to be detected are arranged side by side in a direction different from that in which the plurality of first vibration sensors are arranged when the surface is seen from a perpendicular direction,

the program further causing the sensor device to achieve:

a function of further calculating, based on a plurality of second signals indicating the vibration acceleration detected by each of the plurality of second vibration sensors included in the second sensor group, a second phase difference indicating a phase difference between the plurality of second signals; and

a function of further calculating, based on the second phase difference and the plurality of second signals, vibration acceleration in a third direction different from the first and second directions.