US6144332A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Passive surface wave sensor which can be wirelessly interrogated
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1994-07-05
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Granted: 2000-11-07
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Expires: 2014-07-05
Abstract
Abstract In a passive surface wave sensor for measured value determination, a measured value is transmitted by radio from a remote measuring location to an interrogation device, which transmits energy by radio to a sensor element as an interrogation pulse. The surface wave sensor is suitable for contactless measured value acquisition. A surface wave configuration is the sensor element and a surface wave reference element is provided for phase discrimination and/or propagation time measurement. As a further development, a sensor operated with chirped transmitting signals and having chirped reflectors is provided, in which the configuration has a reference function in place of the reference element. A sensor constructed in such a way that it has a chirped function has the characteristics of an imminently temperature-compensated sensor for measuring other physical or similar variables.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonhard Reindl
- 👤 Folkhard Muller
- 👤 Clemens Ruppel
- 👤 Wolf-Eckhart Bulst
- 👤 Franz Seifert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:04
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/74; G01S13/75; G01S13/751; G01S13/755; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/067; G06K19/0672; G06K19/0675; G01S13/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/08; G01S13/32; G01S13/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
In a system including an interrogation device having a transmitting part supplying interrogation signals, a receiving part and an evaluation part, a passive-apparatus to be interrogated by radio and used as a measuring sensor, comprising: a first passive surface wave structure defining a sensor element supplying sensor output signals upon receiving interrogation signals from the transmitting part of the interrogation device; a second passive surface wave structure defining a reference element supplying reference output signals upon receiving the interrogation signals from the transmitting part of the interrogation device; the interrogation device interrogating a measured value being formed from a comparison of the output sensor signals of said sensor element and the reference output signals of said reference element resulting from the interrogation signals; and said sensor element and said reference element having different sensitivities to a variable to be measured.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a system including an interrogation device having a transmitting part supplying interrogation signals, a receiving part and an evaluation part, a passive-apparatus to be interrogated by radio and used as a measuring sensor, comprising: a first passive surface wave structure defining a sensor element supplying sensor output signals upon receiving interrogation signals from the transmitting part of the interrogation device; a second passive surface wave structure defining a reference element supplying reference output signals upon receiving the interrogation signals from the transmitting part of the interrogation device; the interrogation device interrogating a measured value being formed from a comparison of the output sensor signals of said sensor element and the reference output signals of said reference element resulting from the interrogation signals; and said sensor element and said reference element having different sensitivities to a variable to be measured.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said first surface wave structure is at least one surface wave sensor element for a sensor function; and said second surface wave structure is a surface wave reference element for a reference function.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said surface wave elements are spatially combined; and including: antennas for radio transmission between the evaluation device and the sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including a carrier, and respective substrates disposed on said carrier for said sensor element and said reference element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said respective substrates for said sensor element and for said reference element are formed of different piezoelectric materials.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including a carrier on which said at least one sensor element and said reference element are disposed, and a passively operating signal-preprocessing device disposed on said carrier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reference element is disposed in the interrogation device remote from said sensor element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including a further surface wave element for sensor identification.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said surface wave structure acting as said sensor element has an identification function integrated therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said surface wave structure acting as said sensor element has an identification structure additionally inserted therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a measured-value signal and an identification signal with different frequencies are supplied.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said sensor element and said reference element have a fixed mutual assignment, and said reference element has an identification function integrated or inserted therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including at least one other sensor element, said sensor elements being in radio communication with the interrogation device, and said sensor elements having different output signal frequencies.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including at least one other sensor element, said sensor elements being in radio communication with the interrogation device, and said sensor elements having different basic propagation times for differentation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein signal evaluation is performed by phase discrimination.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein signal evaluation is performed by signal mixing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein signal evaluation is performed by propagation time comparison.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein signal evaluation is performed by frequency comparison.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein band spreading is performed in the interrogation device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including matched filters with pulse compression in the interrogation device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor and reference surface wave structures are surface wave resonators.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor and reference surface wave structures are surface wave converters.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor and reference surface wave structures are surface wave delay lines.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor and reference surface wave structures are dispersive/PSK surface wave delay lines.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surface wave structures include low-loss filter surface wave configurations.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surface wave structures include chirped surface wave structures for a sensor function and a reference function.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, including at least one converter, said surface wave structures including non-mirror-symmetrical surface wave structures with respect to said at least one converter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, including at least one converter, said surface wave structures including mirror-symmetrical surface wave structures with respect to said at least one converter.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said chirp structures have the same chirp rate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, including at least one converter, said surface wave structures being disposed at different distances from said converter.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surface wave sensor element is prepared for a predetermined measured variable.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein one of said mirror-symmetrical surface wave structures is additionally prepared as a sensor element for sensitivity with respect to the predetermined measured or detection variable.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said surface wave sensor structure has a gas-sensitive coating.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said chirped surface wave structures have an additional identification coding, at least with respect to component parts.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said coded surface wave structure has finger shifting.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including a converter, said converter and said surface wave structures being constructed as an in-line configuration.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, including converters, said converters and said surface wave structures being distributed over parallel tracks .
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said surface wave elements are constructed for an interrogation with chirp interrogation signals.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein a chirp rate is matched to a chirp rate of said surface wave structures.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein an interrogation pulse is short.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the interrogation signal is a non-matched chirped interrogation signal.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein a signal response has envelope detection.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein a signal response has envelope detection.
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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) | 2003-11-07 | 2004-05-08 | 2004-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-07 | 2008-05-08 | 2008-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-07 | 2012-05-08 | 2012-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |