Systems and methods for detecting physical changes without physical contact
Inventors
LANGLEY, II, John B. • McIlroy, Guy
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10631752-B2
Publication Date
2020-04-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for detecting and analyzing changes in a body. A system includes an electric field generator, an external sensor device, a quadrature demodulator, and a controller. The electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field that associates with a body. The external sensor device sends information to the electric field generator and is configured to detect a physical change in the body in the electric field, where the physical change causes a frequency change of the electric field. The quadrature demodulator receives the electric field from the electric field generator and is configured to detect the frequency change of the electric field and to produce a detected response. The controller, coupled to the electric field generator, is configured to output a frequency control signal to the electric field generator and to modify the frequency of the electric field by adjusting the frequency control signal.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a system and method for detecting and analyzing a change in a body using an electric field generator that generates an electric field associated with the body. An external sensor device detects a physical change in the body in the electric field, where the physical change causes a frequency change of the electric field. A quadrature demodulator receives the electric field from the electric field generator and detects the frequency change to produce a detected response.
The controller receives the detected response from the quadrature demodulator and outputs a frequency control signal to the electric field generator. The controller modifies the frequency of the electric field by adjusting the frequency control signal, and the electric field generator modifies the electric field associated with the body based on the frequency control signal. The detected response includes at least a frequency component, and the frequency component is used in the controller to perform the feedback adjustment.
Dependent claim refinements describe low-frequency extraction and amplitude comparison. A low pass filter receives the detected response from the quadrature demodulator and filters out high frequency components to produce a filtered response containing a low frequency component that can be used as a feedback response. Further refinements add an amplitude reference source and an amplitude comparison switch for comparing an amplitude reference to the amplitude of an electric field generator output, with resulting amplitude comparison information processed by a signal processor.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims: a system, a method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium. Across these independent claims, the main inventive features are organized around electric-field generation with frequency-coupled sensing, quadrature demodulation producing a frequency-component detected response, and controller-driven feedback via a frequency control signal to modify the electric field frequency.
Electric field associated with the body and external frequency-change sensing
An electric field generator generates an electric field that associates with the body; an external sensor device detects a physical change in the body in the electric field such that the physical change causes a frequency change of the electric field.
Quadrature demodulator producing a frequency-component detected response
A quadrature demodulator receives the electric field and detects changes in the frequency of the electric field to produce a detected response with at least a frequency component.
Controller feedback using a frequency control signal to modify field frequency
A controller receives the detected response and outputs a frequency control signal to modify the frequency of the electric field; the electric field generator modifies the electric field associated with the body based on the frequency control signal.
Non-transitory instructions to perform the electric-field feedback detection workflow
A non-transitory computer readable medium stores executable instructions that cause a processor to generate the electric field, detect the physical change that affects frequency, quadrature-demodulate frequency changes to produce a detected response with at least a frequency component, receive that response, output a frequency control signal, and modify the electric field based on the frequency control signal.
All independent claims share the same core workflow: generate an electric field associated with the body, detect a physical change that affects the field frequency, use a quadrature demodulator to produce a detected response containing at least a frequency component, and use controller output to modify the electric field frequency via the electric field generator. Dependent claim refinements referenced in the provided claim list add low-pass filtering and amplitude reference comparison with an amplitude comparison switch.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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