US5617020A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microelectromechanical-based power meter
Assignee: University of California
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Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1997-04-01
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Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A self-excited microelectromechanical device is described. The device includes a resonating structure, such as a cantilever, which responds to a physical phenomenon by generating an induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to the physical phenomenon. Self-excitation circuitry connected to the cantilever processes the induced variable frequency voltage signal and produces a variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant pass band of interest that is applied to the cantilever to augment the effect of the physical phenomenon on the cantilever. An exemplary use of the device is as a power meter. In this context, the cantilever responds to the electric field associated with a power signal on a metered line. The cantilever transforms the voltage signal of the electric field into a corresponding frequency signal. The noise-immune frequency signal can be readily processed to reconstruct the power signals carried by the power line.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory A. Campbell
- 👤 Richard M. White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:51
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R21/00; G01R21/133; G01R15/00; G01R15/14; G01R15/16; G01R15/165; G01R21/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
A power meter, comprising: a microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a first electric field generated by a current signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a first induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said current signal, and a second electric field generated by a voltage signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a second induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal; self-excitation circuitry connected to said microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said first induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a first variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said first electric field on said resonating structure, and process said second induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a second variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said second electric field on said resonating structure; and a circuit to convert said first variable frequency voltage signal into a reconstructed current signal corresponding to said current signal carried by said metered line, said second variable frequency voltage signal into a reconstructed voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal carried by said metered line, and said reconstructed current signal and said reconstructed voltage signal into a watt signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
A power meter, comprising: a microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a first electric field generated by a current signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a first induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said current signal, and a second electric field generated by a voltage signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a second induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal; self-excitation circuitry connected to said microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said first induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a first variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said first electric field on said resonating structure, and process said second induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a second variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said second electric field on said resonating structure; and a circuit to convert said first variable frequency voltage signal into a reconstructed current signal corresponding to said current signal carried by said metered line, said second variable frequency voltage signal into a reconstructed voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal carried by said metered line, and said reconstructed current signal and said reconstructed voltage signal into a watt signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The power meter of claim 1 wherein said circuit converts said reconstructed current signal and said reconstructed voltage signal into a watt-hour signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The power meter of claim 1 wherein said first electric field is generated by a coil magnetically coupled to said metered line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The power meter of claim 1 wherein said second electric field is generated by a voltage divider connected to said metered line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The power meter of claim 1 wherein said microelectromechanical resonating structure is a cantilever.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The power meter of claim 1 wherein a switch alternately applies said first electric field and said second electric field to said microelectromechanical resonating structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
266 words
A power meter comprising: a first microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a first electric field generated by a current signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a first induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said current signal; first self-excitation circuitry connected to said first microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said first induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a first variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said first electric field on said resonating structure; a second microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a second electric field generated by a voltage signal carried by said metered line so as to produce a second induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal; second self-excitation circuitry connected to said second microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said second induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a second variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said second electric field on said resonating structure; a frequency processor circuit to convert the frequency of said first variable frequency voltage signal into a first digital signal corresponding to said current signal carried by said metered line, and the frequency of said second variable frequency voltage signal into a second digital signal corresponding to said voltage signal carried by said metered line; and a conversion circuit connected to said frequency processor to convert said first digital signal and said second digital signal into a corresponding power signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
266 words
A power meter comprising: a first microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a first electric field generated by a current signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a first induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said current signal; first self-excitation circuitry connected to said first microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said first induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a first variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said first electric field on said resonating structure; a second microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a second electric field generated by a voltage signal carried by said metered line so as to produce a second induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal; second self-excitation circuitry connected to said second microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said second induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a second variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said second electric field on said resonating structure; a frequency processor circuit to convert the frequency of said first variable frequency voltage signal into a first digital signal corresponding to said current signal carried by said metered line, and the frequency of said second variable frequency voltage signal into a second digital signal corresponding to said voltage signal carried by said metered line; and a conversion circuit connected to said frequency processor to convert said first digital signal and said second digital signal into a corresponding power signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The power meter of claim 7 wherein said conversion circuit converts said first digital signal and said second digital signal into a corresponding watt signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The power meter of claim 8 wherein said conversion circuit converts said first digital signal and said second digital signal into a corresponding watt-hour signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The power meter of claim 7 wherein said first microelectromechanical resonating structure responds to an electric field generated by a coil magnetically coupled to said metered line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The power meter of claim 7 wherein said second microelectromechanical resonating structure responds to an electric field generated by a voltage divider connected to said metered line.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The power meter of claim 7 wherein said frequency processor circuit includes: a set of bandpass filters to identify odd harmonic signals in said first digital signal and said second digital signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The power meter of claim 7 wherein said microelectromechanical resonating structure is a cantilever.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
202 words
A power meter, comprising: a microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a first electric field generated by a current signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a first induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said current signal, and a second electric field generated by a voltage signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a second induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal; self-excitation circuitry connected to said microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said first induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a first variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said first electric field on said resonating structure, and process said second induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a second variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said second electric field on said resonating structure; and a circuit to convert said first variable frequency voltage signal and said second variable frequency voltage signal into an address that is used to access a memory location that specifies a corresponding watt signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
202 words
A power meter, comprising: a microelectromechanical resonating structure responding to a first electric field generated by a current signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a first induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said current signal, and a second electric field generated by a voltage signal carried by a metered line so as to produce a second induced variable frequency voltage signal corresponding to said voltage signal; self-excitation circuitry connected to said microelectromechanical resonating structure to process said first induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a first variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said first electric field on said resonating structure, and process said second induced variable frequency voltage signal and produce a second variable frequency voltage signal in a resonant frequency band of interest that is applied to said resonating structure to augment the effect of said second electric field on said resonating structure; and a circuit to convert said first variable frequency voltage signal and said second variable frequency voltage signal into an address that is used to access a memory location that specifies a corresponding watt signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The power meter of claim 14 wherein said circuit converts said first variable frequency voltage signal and said second variable frequency voltage signal into an address that is used to access a memory location that specifies a corresponding watt-hour signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The power meter of claim 14 wherein said first electric field is generated by a coil magnetically coupled to said metered line.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The power meter of claim 14 wherein said second electric field is generated by a voltage divider connected to said metered line.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The power meter of claim 14 wherein said microelectromechanical resonating structure is a cantilever.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The power meter of claim 14 wherein a switch alternately applies said first electric field and said second electric field to said microelectromechanical resonating structure.
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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) | 2000-03-31 | 2000-09-30 | 2001-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-03-31 | 2004-09-30 | 2005-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-03-31 | 2008-09-30 | 2009-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |