Wireless vibrating strain gauge for smart civil structures
First Claim
1. A gauge, comprising a wire, a coil, and a source of excitation current pulses, wherein said wire is mounted to vibrate at natural frequency of said wire, wherein said coil is magnetically coupled to said wire, wherein said source of excitation current pulses includes a programmable processor and a memory, wherein said source of excitation current pulses is connected to provide a train of excitation current pulses to said coil, wherein each excitation current pulse of said train of excitation current pulses has an excitation time, wherein said train of excitation current pulses has a period and a time between excitation current pulses, wherein said excitation time is less than said time between excitation current pulses, wherein said memory includes a program to automatically vary said period of said train of pulses to reach a period that stimulates said wire to vibrate at said natural frequency.
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Abstract
A gauge includes a wire, a housing, a coil, a processor, and a power supply. The wire is mounted in the housing to vibrate at a natural frequency. The coil is magnetically coupled to the wire. The processor is connected to provide a digital signal to the coil and the processor is further connected to detect when the wire is vibrating. An embodiment provides an efficient technique to excite the wire into vibration. Another embodiment enables long term operation from a small battery. Another embodiment enables wireless communications to be used, eliminating the need for cable runs.
66 Citations
87 Claims
- 1. A gauge, comprising a wire, a coil, and a source of excitation current pulses, wherein said wire is mounted to vibrate at natural frequency of said wire, wherein said coil is magnetically coupled to said wire, wherein said source of excitation current pulses includes a programmable processor and a memory, wherein said source of excitation current pulses is connected to provide a train of excitation current pulses to said coil, wherein each excitation current pulse of said train of excitation current pulses has an excitation time, wherein said train of excitation current pulses has a period and a time between excitation current pulses, wherein said excitation time is less than said time between excitation current pulses, wherein said memory includes a program to automatically vary said period of said train of pulses to reach a period that stimulates said wire to vibrate at said natural frequency.
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48. A method of making a measurement, comprising:
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a. providing a wire, a coil, and a source of excitation current pulses, wherein said wire is mounted to vibrate at natural frequency of said wire, wherein said coil is magnetically coupled to said wire, wherein said source of excitation current pulses includes a programmable processor and a memory, wherein said source of excitation current pulses is connected to provide a train of excitation current pulses to said coil; b. providing said train of excitation current pulses to said coil, wherein each excitation current pulse of said train of excitation current pulses has an excitation time, wherein said train of excitation current pulses has a period and a time between excitation current pulses, wherein said excitation time is less than said time between excitation current pulses, wherein said memory includes a program for running on said processor to automatically vary said period of said train of pulses to reach a period that stimulates said wire to vibrate at said natural frequency; c. using said processor to automatically vary said period to reach a period that stimulates said wire to vibrate at said natural frequency; and d. receiving a response signal derived from said vibration of said wire. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. A gauge comprising a wire, a coil, a programmable processor, a memory, a wireless transmitter, and an energy harvesting circuit, wherein said wire is mounted to vibrate at natural frequency of said wire, wherein said coil is magnetically coupled to said wire, wherein said programmable processor provides a digital signal, wherein said programmable processor is connected to provide a train of excitation current pulses to said coil, wherein said train of excitation current pulses is derived from said digital signal, wherein each excitation current pulse of said train of excitation current pulses has an excitation time, wherein said train of excitation current pulses has a period and a time between excitation current pulses, wherein said excitation time is less than said time between excitation current pulses, wherein said memory includes a program to automatically vary said period of said train of pulses to reach a period that stimulates said wire to vibrate at said natural frequency, wherein said coil, said programmable processor, said memory and said wireless transmitter receive all power for their operation derived from said energy harvesting circuit.
Specification