Resonant sensor reader
Inventors
Reuel, Nigel F. • Jackson, Kyle • Gupta, Charu • Greenwalt, Cameron
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11636755-B2
Publication Date
2023-04-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system for reading at least one wireless resonant sensor includes a signal parameter measuring device, a reader housing, a computing device electrically connected to the signal parameter measuring device, and a plurality of reader antennas disposed within the reader housing and electrically connected to the signal parameter measuring device, wherein the plurality of reader antennas comprises a first reader antenna for signal output and a second reader antenna for signal input. The signal parameter measuring device is configured to sweep frequencies over a range of frequencies to acquire signal parameters for the wireless resonant sensor. The computing device is configured to determine changes in resonant frequency of the wireless resonator sensor based on the signal parameters. The reader housing may be sized and shaped for placement against a surface of a vessel in which a chemical or biological process is occurring.
Core Innovation
A resonant sensor reader system wirelessly interrogates at least one wireless resonant sensor associated with a vessel in which a chemical or biological process is occurring. The system includes a reader housing that contains a plurality of reader antennas, with a first reader antenna for signal output and a second reader antenna for signal input, electrically connected to a signal parameter measuring device. The signal parameter measuring device sweeps frequencies over a range of frequencies to acquire signal parameters for the wireless resonant sensor.
The computing device determines changes in resonant frequency of the wireless resonant sensor based on the acquired signal parameters and also considers changes in transmission loss. A transfer function is applied to one of the changes in resonant frequency and the changes in transmission loss to determine at least one physical characteristic associated with the chemical or biological process occurring within the vessel associated with the at least one wireless resonant sensor. Calibration includes removing background noise and determining a scan frequency range.
The disclosed approach further supports capturing and storing signal parameters, and it can include extracting resonant frequency and transmission-loss-related values such as transmission loss magnitude and derived dip frequency and dip magnitude from transmission loss data. The system can also apply post-processing to determine resonant frequency minima and support illustrative sensing of physical characteristics associated with hydration, conductivity, temperature, and biological monitoring.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claims. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on sweeping frequencies to acquire signal parameters, determining changes in resonant frequency and/or transmission loss, and applying a transfer function to determine a physical characteristic associated with a chemical or biological process occurring in a vessel. It also covers reader structure with a resonant sensor reader housing and multiple antennas, plus calibration for removing background noise and, in one independent claim, storing signal parameters in memory.
Wireless resonant sensor reading with swept-frequency acquisition and transfer-function determination
A system for reading at least one wireless resonant sensor including a signal parameter measuring device, a reader housing, a computing device electrically connected to the signal parameter measuring device, and a plurality of reader antennas disposed within the reader housing, wherein the signal parameter measuring device sweeps frequencies over a range of frequencies to acquire signal parameters for the at least one wireless resonant sensor, and wherein the computing device determines changes in resonant frequency based on the signal parameters and applies a transfer function to one of changes in resonant frequency and changes in transmission loss to determine at least one physical characteristic associated with a chemical or biological process occurring within a vessel associated with the at least one wireless resonant sensor.
Calibration removed background noise and transfer-function correlation of transmission loss data to determine physical characteristics
A method for wirelessly reading a resonant sensor associated with a vessel in which a chemical or biological process is occurring comprising positioning a resonant sensor reader proximate the resonant sensor, calibrating the resonant sensor reader for reading the resonant sensor by removing background noise, collecting signal parameters over a range of frequencies to provide transmission loss data using the signal parameter measuring device and the plurality of reader antennas, determining at the computing device change in resonant frequency or transmission loss magnitude for the resonant sensor from the transmission loss data acquired using the resonant sensor reader, and applying at the computing device a transfer function to correlate at least one of change in resonant frequency or changes in transmission loss to determine at least one physical characteristic associated with the chemical or biological process occurring within the vessel.
System with memory storage of signal parameters and transfer-function determination of physical characteristics
A system for reading a wireless resonant sensor associated with a vessel in which a biological or chemical process is occurring comprising a computing device, a resonant sensor reader housing, a signal parameter measuring device disposed within the resonant sensor reader housing and electrically connected to the computing device, and a plurality of reader antennas electrically connected to the signal parameter measuring device and disposed within the resonant sensor reader housing, wherein the signal parameter measuring device is configured to sweep frequencies over a range of frequencies to acquire signal parameters for the wireless resonant sensor, wherein the computing device is configured to store the signal parameters within a memory, and wherein the computing device is configured to determine changes in resonant frequency based on the signal parameters and apply a transfer function to one of changes in resonant frequency and changes in transmission loss to determine at least one physical characteristic associated with the biological or chemical process occurring within the vessel.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage combines a resonant sensor reader with swept-frequency acquisition of signal parameters, computation of changes in resonant frequency and/or transmission loss magnitude, and application of a transfer function to determine a physical characteristic associated with a chemical or biological process in a vessel. The independent claims also include reader housing and multiple antennas, calibration by removing background noise, and storage of signal parameters in memory.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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