Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
An integrated sensor system for providing a signal indicative of environmental temperature and pressure conditions comprising: a) a linear polarizer element for orienting an initial broad band light spectrum into a linearly polarized light wave; b) a first birefringent biasing element located adjacent said linear polarizer element for receiving said polarized wave, said polarized wave decomposing into first and second orthogonally polarized waves and experiencing a phase difference on propagating through said first element and said first element comprising means for directing a first portion of said phase-shifted light wave through said polarizer to create a first modulated light spectrum responsive to said environmental temperature; c) a second birefringent element located adjacent said first element for receiving a second portion of said phase-shifted light wave propagating through said first element and causing said first and second orthogonally polarized waves to experience a further phase difference on propagating through said second element; and d) a photoelastic sensing means of transparent material for receiving the light output of said second element wherein an application of pressure to said sensing means causes stress-induced birefringence causing said first and second orthogonally polarized waves to experience a still further phase difference on propagating through said sensing means; and e) means for directing the light wave output of said sensor to said polarizer element to create a second modulated light spectrum responsive to said environmental pressure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
An integrated sensor system for providing a signal indicative of environmental temperature and pressure conditions comprising: a) a linear polarizer element for orienting an initial broad band light spectrum into a linearly polarized light wave; b) a first birefringent biasing element located adjacent said linear polarizer element for receiving said polarized wave, said polarized wave decomposing into first and second orthogonally polarized waves and experiencing a phase difference on propagating through said first element and said first element comprising means for directing a first portion of said phase-shifted light wave through said polarizer to create a first modulated light spectrum responsive to said environmental temperature; c) a second birefringent element located adjacent said first element for receiving a second portion of said phase-shifted light wave propagating through said first element and causing said first and second orthogonally polarized waves to experience a further phase difference on propagating through said second element; and d) a photoelastic sensing means of transparent material for receiving the light output of said second element wherein an application of pressure to said sensing means causes stress-induced birefringence causing said first and second orthogonally polarized waves to experience a still further phase difference on propagating through said sensing means; and e) means for directing the light wave output of said sensor to said polarizer element to create a second modulated light spectrum responsive to said environmental pressure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The integrated sensor system of claim 1 further comprising: f) an opto-electronic interface for accepting a combined signal comprising said first and second modulated light spectrums to generate a corresponding electrical signal; and g) signal conditioning electronics for analyzing said electrical signal and to extract a waveform at pre-selected frequencies indicative of said environmental temperature and pressure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The integrated sensor system of claim 1 further comprising means for collimating said initial polarized broad band light spectrum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The integrated senor of claim 1 further comprising means for directing said first portion of said phase-shifted light wave through said first element before traveling through said polarizer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The integrated sensor of claim 1 further comprising means for twice directing said light wave through said sensor before traveling through said polarizer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The integrated sensor of claim 5 further comprising means for directing said light wave output from said sensor through said first and second elements before traveling through said polarizer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The integrated sensor of claim 1 further comprising means for directing said first portion of said phase-shifted light wave through said first element before traveling through said polarizer and means for twice directing said light wave through said sensor before traveling through said polarizer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The integrated sensor of claim 7 wherein the birefringent bias of said first element is defined as: 2·ABS·[L.sub.1 ·B.sub.1 ]=A·λ and the combined birefringent bias of said first and second elements is defined 2·ABS·[L.sub.1 ·B.sub.1 +L.sub.2 ·B.sub.2 ]=B·λ where A and B are values from about 20 to about 60 and A<B.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The integrated sensor of claim 1 wherein said first and second birefringent elements are Beryllium Lanthanate having a birefringence of 0.0378 at 830 nm.