Phase-based sensing system

Details Phase-based sensing system Phase-based sensing system

2001-11-06

2002-12-03

Sotomayor, John B. (Department: 3662)

Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,

Determining distance

Phase comparison

C342S357490, C342S028000, C342S109000, C342S115000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06489917

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to sensing systems and, more particularly, to non-contact sensing systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sensing systems are employed for a wide variety of purposes and in diverse fields. There are sensing systems for detecting motion, surface irregularities, environmental conditions, and for physiological conditions, to name a few. Applications can be used in such industries as medical, process, aeronautical, and others. Such diversity in purpose and industry results in a multitude of considerations for the designer or user of the sensing system. These considerations include cost, precision, measurement range, durability, maintenance requirements, and even the physical characteristics of the sensed object, among others.
Non-contact, or non-invasive, sensing systems are sensing systems that, unlike direct contact sensing systems, do not require the sensing portion (e.g. sensor) to physically contact (directly or through an intermediary) the sensed, or targeted object. Non-contact sensing systems offer many advantages over traditional direct contact sensing systems, such as the ability to provide information regarding an object and/or condition of interest without expensive and invasive sensor mounting assemblies. Non-contact systems, unlike contact systems, also have the advantage of not changing the system they are measuring. Radar systems are an example of one non-invasive sensing system. Radar systems use reflected radio waves, typically on the order of 0.9-100 giga hertz (GHz) to determine the presence, location, and speed of sensed objects. Some radar systems operate by transmitting either a constant continuous wave (CW) signal or a pulsed signal. Most of these CW radar systems operate under the principle of the Doppler effect, which is the change in received signal frequency with respect to transmitted signal frequency, due to motion. CW radar systems using the Doppler effect provide a mechanism of detecting a moving target by transmitting microwaves at a targeted object and detecting the change in frequency of microwave signals reflected from the target. Continuous wave radar techniques are non-contact, relatively inexpensive, and provide a sensing mechanism that is relatively unaffected by dust, debris, rain, and many other obscurants when the proper transmit frequencies are used. Conventional radar sensing systems provide limited information on the speed, location, and direction of movement of targets being sensed, but are unable to provide high resolution information of “sensed objects” on the subwavelength scale. Thus, there exists a need for a radar sensing system that improves the information received about the sensed target.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides, among other things, a sensing system. The sensing system can generally be described as including, among other things, a transceiver device configured to transmit a signal toward an object, a plurality of detectors offset in phase to receive the transmitted signal and a reflected signal, and a processor configured with logic to measure a phase shift resulting from the relative motion of the object between the transmitted signal and the reflected signal at the plurality of detectors, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to relate the phase shift to the relative motion of the object.
The present invention can also be viewed as, among other things, a sensing method. The method can generally be viewed as including the following steps: measuring a phase shift resulting from the relative motion of an object between a transmitted signal and a reflected signal at a plurality of detectors; and relating the phase shift to the relative motion of the object.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4045727 (1977-08-01), Yu et al.
patent: 4346383 (1982-08-01), Woolcock et al.
patent: 4359683 (1982-11-01), Chivers
patent: 4384819 (1983-05-01), Baker
patent: 4481825 (1984-11-01), Kliuev et al.
patent: 4484193 (1984-11-01), Bellew
patent: 4490718 (1984-12-01), Opitz et al.
patent: 4507658 (1985-03-01), Keating
patent: 4641138 (1987-02-01), Opitz
patent: 4643592 (1987-02-01), Lewis et al.
patent: 4673940 (1987-06-01), Barley et al.
patent: 4700127 (1987-10-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 4862061 (1989-08-01), Damon
patent: 4881079 (1989-11-01), Peregrim
patent: 4901083 (1990-02-01), May et al.
patent: 5422477 (1995-06-01), de La Chapelle et al.
patent: 5459405 (1995-10-01), Wolff et al.
patent: 5479826 (1996-01-01), Twerdochlib et al.
patent: 5565872 (1996-10-01), Prevatt et al.
patent: 5600253 (1997-02-01), Cohen et al.
patent: 5642194 (1997-06-01), Erskine
patent: 5670886 (1997-09-01), Wolff et al.
patent: 5760731 (1998-06-01), Holmes
patent: 5818242 (1998-10-01), Grzybowski et al.
patent: 5828331 (1998-10-01), Harper
patent: 5905380 (1999-05-01), Weiner et al.
patent: 6236352 (2001-05-01), Walmsley
patent: 6426716 (2002-07-01), McEwan
patent: 2002/0097180 (2002-07-01), Geisheimer et al.
patent: 59063531 (1984-04-01), None
Woods, et al.; :A High Accuracy Microwave Ranging System for Industrial Applications; 1993; pp. 812-816.
Maskell, et al.; “A Microprocessor Controlled Microwave Ranging System for High Accuracy Industrial Applications”; May, 1994; pp. 1269-1272.
Gueuning, et al.; “Accurate Distance Measurement by an Autonomous Ultrasonic System Combining Time-of-Flight and Phase-Shift Methods”; Dec., 1997; pp. 1236-1240.
NSF Grant Proposal, Sep. 15, 2000.
Geisheimer, et al.; “A Microwave Terrain Sensor for Automotive Sensing Applications”; Mar., 2001; pp. 1-7.
Geisheimer, et al.; “Radio Frequency (RF) Vibrometer”; Jun. 5, 2000.
Kirk, et al.; “Precision Terrain Height Measurement Sensor”; 1994; pp. 7-10.
Kaleja, et al.; “Active Integrated Antennas for Automotive Applications”.
Wollitzer, et al.; “Multifunctional Millimeter Wave Radar Sensor for Vehicle Applications”; Sep., 1998; pp. 124-129.
Josef Buechler; “Two Frequency Multifunctional Radar for Mobile Application”; 1995; pp. 125-128.
Sarabandi, et al.; “Polarimetric Characterization of Debris and Faults in the Highway Environment at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies”; Nov. 2000; pp. 1756-1768.
Sarabandi, et al.; “Modeling and Measurements of Scattering from Road Surfaces at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies”; Nov. 1997, pp. 1679-1688.
Hocknell, et al.; “Remote Vibration Measurements: Compensation of Waveform Distortion Due to Whole Body Translations”; 1998; pp. 285-307.
Dhadwal, et al., “Integrated Fiber Optic Light Probe: Measurement of Static Deflections in Rotating Turbomachinery”; Feb., 1996; pp. 546-552.
Flotow, et al., “Health Monitoring and Prognostics of Blades and Disks with Blade Tip Sensors”; 2000; pp. 433-440.
Lubetsky, et al.; “Microwave Vibrometer for Testing of the Rotating Objects”; May, 1998; pp. 2912-2913.
Wagner, et al., “Novel Microwave Vibration Monitoring System for Industrial Power Generating Turbines”; 1998; pp. 1211-1214.
Figueroa, et al.; “An Ultrasonic Ranging System for Structural Vibration Measurements”; Aug., 1991; pp. 764-769.
Matar, et al.; “Non Contact Measurment of Vibration Using Airborne Ultrasound”; 1996; pp. 697-700.
Flotow, et al.; “Health Monitoring and Prognostics of Blades and Disks with Blade Tip Sensors”; 2000; pp. 433-440.
Mast, et al.; “Micropower Impulse Radar Technology and Applications”; Apr., 1998.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Phase-based sensing system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Phase-based sensing system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Phase-based sensing system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2995935