US4878226A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiple point remote temperature sensing
Assignee: Combustion Engineering Inc
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Filing: 1988-04-22
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Granted: 1989-10-31
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Expires: 2008-04-22
Abstract
Abstract A multiple point remote temperature sensing system includes a cable having temperature responsive segments as spaced along the length of the cable and being integral therewith. Each of the temperature responsive segments includes a temperature measuring device and a circuit which establishes a unique address for the segment whereby the local ambient temperature at each segment may be interrogated from a remote location.
Inventors
- 👤 Bryan K. McQuoid
- 👤 Earl J. Charlson
- 👤 Huber Graham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 00:14
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01K; G01K1/00; G01K1/02; G01K1/026; G08; G08B; G08B17/00; G08B17/06; G01K3/00; G01K3/08; G01K3/14; G01K2003/145
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
298 words
Apparatus for sensing the temperature at a plurality of remotely located points in a predetermined sequence comprising: elongated cable means, said cable means having a pair of opposite ends and at least a pair of access terminals at a first of the said ends thereof, said cable means including a conductor extending from each of said access terminals to the second end thereof, said cable means further including plural spatially separated inactive segments positioned along the length thereof, said inactive segments being comprised of material which is an electrical and thermal insulator; a plurality of spatially separated temperature responsive electrical circuit components carried by said cable means, said components being located along said cable means in regions between said inactive segments thereof, each of said components providing a signal which varies as a function of local ambient temperature; a plurality of sensor circuits, each of said sensor circuits being juxtapositioned to and electrically connected to an associated one of said temperature responsive components, said sensor circuits each having a unique address and being responsive to an interrogating signal which includes the unique address; means connecting each of said sensor circuits to at least a first of said cable means conductors whereby information commensurate with the signal provided by said temperature responsive components may be sampled via the sensor circuit associated therewith in response to an interrogating signal which includes the sensor circuit address; and address signal generator means connected to said first cable means conductor via a cable means access terminal for generating interrogating signals for said sensor circuits in a predetermined sequence, each of said interrogating signals including the address of a sensor circuit whereby the information commensurate with the signals provided by said temperature responsive components will be individually available on said first cable means conductor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
298 words
Apparatus for sensing the temperature at a plurality of remotely located points in a predetermined sequence comprising: elongated cable means, said cable means having a pair of opposite ends and at least a pair of access terminals at a first of the said ends thereof, said cable means including a conductor extending from each of said access terminals to the second end thereof, said cable means further including plural spatially separated inactive segments positioned along the length thereof, said inactive segments being comprised of material which is an electrical and thermal insulator; a plurality of spatially separated temperature responsive electrical circuit components carried by said cable means, said components being located along said cable means in regions between said inactive segments thereof, each of said components providing a signal which varies as a function of local ambient temperature; a plurality of sensor circuits, each of said sensor circuits being juxtapositioned to and electrically connected to an associated one of said temperature responsive components, said sensor circuits each having a unique address and being responsive to an interrogating signal which includes the unique address; means connecting each of said sensor circuits to at least a first of said cable means conductors whereby information commensurate with the signal provided by said temperature responsive components may be sampled via the sensor circuit associated therewith in response to an interrogating signal which includes the sensor circuit address; and address signal generator means connected to said first cable means conductor via a cable means access terminal for generating interrogating signals for said sensor circuits in a predetermined sequence, each of said interrogating signals including the address of a sensor circuit whereby the information commensurate with the signals provided by said temperature responsive components will be individually available on said first cable means conductor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said temperature responsive components and its associated sensor circuits are encapsulated in an electrical insulating material having a high thermal conductivity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said encapsulated temperature responsive components and associated sensor circuit are integral with said cable means and abuts a pair of adjacent non-active segments thereof to define a flexible continuous cable having a substantially constant outer diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said non-active cable means segments are comprised of an organic electrical insulating material which has low thermal conductivity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said temperature responsive components and associated circuits are encapsulated in a ceramic material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said encapsulated temperature responsive components and its associated sensor circuit is integral with said cable means and abuts a pair of adjacent non-active segments thereof to define a continuous cable having a substantially constant outer diameter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said non-active cable means segments are comprised of an organic electrical insulating material which has low thermal conductivity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said non-active cable means segments are comprised of a flexible organic electrical insulating material which has a low thermal conductivity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said temperature responsive components and its associated sensor circuit are integral with said cable means and wherein said cable means has a substantially constant outer diameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said sensor circuits are connected in parallel between said cable conductors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said non-active cable means segments are comprised of a flexible organic electrical insulating material which has a low thermal conductivity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of said temperature responsive components and its associated sensor circuits is encapsulated in an electrical insulating material having a relatively high thermal conductivity, said encapsulated components and circuits being integral with said cable means and abutting non-active segments thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said the insulating material is a ceramic.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of magnesium silicide, boron carbide, and boron nitride.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 14 said flexible organic material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, cross-linked polyethylene, ethylenepropylenediene monomers (EPDM), ethylenepropylene monomers (EPM), and polychloroprene.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor circuits are connected in parallel between said cable conductors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor circuits are connected in series.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of said sensor circuits are resonant circuits and wherein each of said resonant circuits has a different resonant frequency.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said sensor circuits are parallel resonant circuits defined by passive circuit components and wherein the temperature responsive component connected to each of said parallel resonant circuits is characterized by a resistance which varies with temperature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said temperature responsive components are connected in parallel with said parallel resonant circuits.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said temperature responsive components are thermistors.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said sensor circuit unique addresses comprise the resonant frequency thereof and wherein said address signal generator means includes a scanning frequency generator.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said temperature responsive components are characterized by an impedance which varies with temperature and are connected in parallel with said sensor circuits whereby the impedance of each parallel connection of a sensor circuit and temperature responsive component will vary with temperature and the information commensurate with the signals provided by said temperature responsive components will be the impedance of each parallel sensor circuit/temperature responsive component combination at its unique resonant frequency.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said sensor circuits are parallel resonant circuits and the said variable impedance of said temperature responsive components comprises the resistance thereof.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein each of said temperature responsive components and its associated resonant circuit is encapsulated in electrical insulating material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said non-active cable means segments are comprised of a flexible electrical insulating material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said flexible electrical insulating material has a low thermal conductivity.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 27 wherein each of said encapsulated temperature responsive components and associated sensor circuit is integral with said cable means and abuts a pair of adjacent non-active segments thereof to define a flexible continuous cable having a substantially constant outer diameter.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said parallel resonant sensor circuits are connected in series along said first cable means conductor.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-10-30 | 1993-05-01 | 1993-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-10-30 | 1997-05-01 | 1997-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-10-30 | 2001-05-01 | 2001-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |