US5051645A — Acoustic wave H2 O phase-change sensor capable of…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 92 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor comprising: (a) a piezoelectric substrate; (b) metallization patterns fabricated on said piezoelectric substrate to form an input interdigitated transducer and an output interdigitated transducer; (c) electrical connectors connected to said metallization patterns; (d) a hydrophobic surface treatment covering said metallization patterns to form a sensing surface; and (e) means for detecting and discriminating between at least water, frost and ice on said sensing surface, said means including said piezoelectric substrate configured to have a thickness to acoustical wavelength ration of 9 or higher.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 92 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor comprising: (a) a piezoelectric substrate; (b) metallization patterns fabricated on said piezoelectric substrate to form an input interdigitated transducer and an output interdigitated transducer; (c) electrical connectors connected to said metallization patterns; (d) a hydrophobic surface treatment covering said metallization patterns to form a sensing surface; and (e) means for detecting and discriminating between at least water, frost and ice on said sensing surface, said means including said piezoelectric substrate configured to have a thickness to acoustical wavelength ration of 9 or higher.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as defined by claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric substrate is composed of lithium niobate cut with substantially 128 degree Y rotation.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as defined by claim 1 wherein said interdigitated transducers are oriented for substantially X-propagation of surface acoustic waves.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as defined by claim 1 wherein said metallization patterns are composed of RF-diode sputtered Cr/Au.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 48 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as defined by claim 1 wherein said input interdigitated transducer has 10 finger pairs, said output interdigitated transducer has 30 finger pairs, and said unput interdigitated transducer to said output interdigitated transducer center-to-center spacing is substantially 30 acoustical wavelengths.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 25 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as defined by claim 1 wherein said thermally conductive package is composed substantially of gold-plated nickel.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as defined by claim 1 wherein said hydrophobic surface treatment is a polysiloxane derivatizer.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as defined by claim 1 wherein said sensor operates at about 75 MHz.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as recited in claim 1, further comprising: (f) a thermally conductive package; and (g) means for thermally coupling said thermally conductive package to said piezoelectric substrate.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 33 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as recited in claim 9, wherein said thermally coupling means comprises a thermally conductive adhesive attaching said thermally conductive package to said piezoelectric substrate.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 70 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a surface acoustic wave device with a hydrophobic sensing surface so that various H 2 O phases form on said hydrophobic sensing surface: (b) measuring an electrical parameter from said surface acoustic wave device; and (c) determining from said electrical parameter whether said various H 2 O phases are air, water, frost, dew, or ice.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 70 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a surface acoustic wave device with a hydrophobic sensing surface so that various H 2 O phases form on said hydrophobic sensing surface: (b) measuring an electrical parameter from said surface acoustic wave device; and (c) determining from said electrical parameter whether said various H 2 O phases are air, water, frost, dew, or ice.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes as defined by claim 11 wherein said electrical parameter is insertion loss.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes as defined by claim 11 wherein said electrical parameter is radiation conductance.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes as defined by claim 11 further comprising the step of determining from said electrical parameter a thickness of said various H 2 O phases formed on said hydrophobic sensing surface.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes as defined by claim 11 further comprising the step of orienting said hydrophobic sensing surface so that gravity will remove water from said hydrophobic sensing surface.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 94 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor comprising: (a) a piezoelectric substrate; (b) metallization patterns fabricated on said piezoelectric substrate to form an input interdigitated transducer and an output interdigitated transducer; (c) electrical connectors connected to said metallization patterns; (d) a hydrophobic surface treatment covering said metallization patterns to form a sensing surface; and (e) means for detecting and discriminating between at least air, water, frost, dew and ice on said sensing surface, said means including said piezoelectric substrate configured to have a thickness to acoustical wavelength ratio of 9 or higher.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 94 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor comprising: (a) a piezoelectric substrate; (b) metallization patterns fabricated on said piezoelectric substrate to form an input interdigitated transducer and an output interdigitated transducer; (c) electrical connectors connected to said metallization patterns; (d) a hydrophobic surface treatment covering said metallization patterns to form a sensing surface; and (e) means for detecting and discriminating between at least air, water, frost, dew and ice on said sensing surface, said means including said piezoelectric substrate configured to have a thickness to acoustical wavelength ratio of 9 or higher.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as recited in claim 16, further comprising: (f) a thermally conductive package; (g) means for thermally coupling said thermally conductive package to said piezoelectric substrate.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 89 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor comprising: (a) a piezoelectric substrate: (b) metallization patterns fabricated on said piezoelectric substrate to form an input interdigitated transducer and an output interdigitated transducer; (c) electrical connectors connected to said metallization patterns; (d) a thermally conductive package; (e) means for thermally coupling said thermally conductive package to said piezoelectric substrate; and (f) a hydrophobic surface treatment covering said metallization patterns to form a sensing surface; (g) said piezoelectric substrate having a thickness to acoustical wavelength ratio of 9 or higher.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 89 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor comprising: (a) a piezoelectric substrate: (b) metallization patterns fabricated on said piezoelectric substrate to form an input interdigitated transducer and an output interdigitated transducer; (c) electrical connectors connected to said metallization patterns; (d) a thermally conductive package; (e) means for thermally coupling said thermally conductive package to said piezoelectric substrate; and (f) a hydrophobic surface treatment covering said metallization patterns to form a sensing surface; (g) said piezoelectric substrate having a thickness to acoustical wavelength ratio of 9 or higher.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 34 words

A surface acoustic wave H 2 O phase-change sensor as recited in claim 18, further comprising: (h) a thermally conductive package; (i) means for thermally coupling said thermally conductive package to said piezoelectric substrate.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes comprising the steps of: (a) providing an interdigitated piezoelectric surface acoustic wave device with a hydrophobic surface treatment, said acoustic wave device having a thickness to acoustical wavelength ratio of 9 or higher; (b) exposing the treated surface of the acoustic wave device so that various H 2 O phases form on the treated surface; (c) measuring an electrical parameter from said surface acoustic wave device; and (d) determining from said electrical parameter whether said various H 2 O phases are water, frost or ice.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of detecting H 2 O phase changes comprising the steps of: (a) providing an interdigitated piezoelectric surface acoustic wave device with a hydrophobic surface treatment, said acoustic wave device having a thickness to acoustical wavelength ratio of 9 or higher; (b) exposing the treated surface of the acoustic wave device so that various H 2 O phases form on the treated surface; (c) measuring an electrical parameter from said surface acoustic wave device; and (d) determining from said electrical parameter whether said various H 2 O phases are water, frost or ice.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising the steps of: (e) thermally and mechanically coupling said surface acoustic wave device to a thermally conductive package so that said treated surface is exposed; and (f) positioning the thermally conductive package to a component of a system desired to be monitored.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising the step of determining from said electrical parameter whether said various H 2 O phases are air, water, dew, frost or ice.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-09-23	1995-03-25	1995-09-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-09-23	1999-03-25	1999-09-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-09-23	2003-03-25	2003-09-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Acoustic wave H2 O phase-change sensor capable of self-cleaning and distinguishing air, water, dew, frost and ice

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