Passive and wireless acoustic wave accelerometer

• US 7,243,544 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Rahman, Aziz, Liu, James Z T
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US11/156,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20060283247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 735/142.8, 310/329
• US Class Current: 73/514.28
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0975 by acoustic surface wave resonators or delay lines

Abstract

An acoustic wave acceleration sensor comprises an acoustic wave device including a plate that functions as a propagation medium and at least one interdigital transducer configured upon the plate. One or more antennas can be integrated with the acoustic wave device, wherein the antenna(s) communicates with interdigital transducers. Such antennas can receive wireless interrogation signals and transmit signals indicative of acceleration data.

Claims

1. An acceleration sensor, comprising:

an acoustic wave device including a plate that functions as a propagation medium and at least one Interdigital transducer configured upon said plate; and

an antenna integrated with said acoustic wave device, wherein said antenna communicates with said at least one interdigital transducer such that said antenna receives and transmits signals indicative of acceleration data, wherein said acoustic wave device is clamped at one end of said plate to an object under an acceleration wherein said plate is positioned such that said plate is perpendicular to said acceleration and submitted to a force at said free end of said plate; and

an inertial mass fixed to said plate such that when said acceleration is applied to said acoustic wave device perpendicularly to said plate, said acceleration is converted to a proportional force through utilization of said inertial mass, thereby generating signals indicative of said acceleration data for wireless transmission from said antenna.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a BAW device, wherein frequency data of said BAW device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

3. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a SAW-R device wherein frequency data of said SAW-R device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

4. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a SAW-DL device wherein phase data of said SAW DL device comprises data indicative of said accelerations.

5. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said plate comprises a piezoelectric substrate.

6. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said acceleration data for wireless transmission from said antenna is based on at least one parameter change produced in an acoustic phase velocity associated with said acoustic wave device.

7. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said inertial mass is fixed at end of said plate.

8. An acceleration sensor, comprising:

an acoustic wave device including a plate that functions as a propagation medium and at least one interdigital transducer configured upon said plate;

an antenna integrated with said acoustic wave device, wherein said antenna communicates with said at least one interdigital transducer such that said antenna receives and transmits signals indicative of acceleration data, wherein said acoustic wave device is clamped at one end of said plate to an object under an acceleration wherein said acceleration is in a direction perpendicular to said plate and submitted to a force at said free end of said plate; and

an etched rectangular frame-shaped channel located on a back side of said at least one interdigital transducer, such that a mass within said etched rectangular frame-shaped channel possesses a high sensitivity to said acceleration when said acceleration is applied to said acoustic wave device; and

wherein said acceleration is converted to a proportional force, thereby generating signals indicative of said acceleration data for wireless transmission from said antenna.

9. The sensor of claim 8 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a BAW device, wherein frequency data of said BAW device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

10. The sensor of claim 8 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a SAW-R device, wherein frequency data of said SAW-R device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

11. The sensor of claim 8 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a SAW-DL device, wherein a phase of said SAW-DL device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

12. The sensor of claim 8 wherein said plate comprises a piezoelectric substrate.

13. The sensor of claim 8 wherein said acceleration data for wireless transmission from said antenna is based on at least one parameter change produced in an acoustic phase velocity associated with said acoustic wave device.

14. An acceleration sensor, comprising:

an acoustic wave device including a plate that functions as a propagation medium and at least one Interdigital transducer configured upon said plate; and

an antenna integrated with said acoustic wave device, wherein said antenna communicates with said at least one interdigital transducer such that said antenna receives and transmits signals indicative of acceleration data, wherein said acoustic wave device is clamped at one end of said plate to an object under an acceleration wherein said acceleration is in a direction perpendicular to said plate and submitted to a force at said free end of said plate; and

a coating with a heavy mass such that said acoustic wave sensor possesses a high sensitivity to said acceleration when said acceleration is applied to said acoustic wave device, such that said acceleration is converted to a proportional force, thereby generating signals indicative of said acceleration data for wireless transmission from said antenna.

15. The sensor of claim 14 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a BAW device, wherein frequency data of said BAW device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

16. The sensor of claim 14 wherein said acoustic wave Device comprises a SAW-R device, wherein frequency data of said SAW-R device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

17. The sensor of claim 14 wherein said acoustic wave device comprises a SAW-DL device, wherein a phase of said SAW-DL device comprises data indicative of said acceleration.

18. The sensor of claim 14 wherein said plate comprises a piezoelectric substrate.

19. The sensor of claim 14 wherein said acceleration data for wireless transmission from said antenna is based on at least one parameter change produced in an acoustic phase velocity associated with said acoustic wave device.