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US 10,295,616 B2Granted
Magnetic field imaging system
AssigneeInnovaura Corporation
InventorsDavid B. Goodson, Keith Mullins, Alan Corwin, Ronald J. Schoenberg, C. Macgill Lynde, Christopher A. Wiklof
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to embodiments, multi-axis magnetic sensors (magnetometers) are disposed in an array or a plurality of arrays. The magnetic sensors can be disposed on modules that form the array. The magnetic sensors can each sense a local magnetic field coincident with the respective sensors. Data corresponding to the local magnetic fields can be analyzed by a magnetic field analysis circuit and assembled to form an image corresponding to the sensed magnetic field(s). The magnetic field analysis circuit can output the image corresponding to near-field magnetic features.
Claims46
A magnetic field imager, comprising:
- a sensor substrate including:
- a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a ground plane;
- a power plane disposed above the ground plane;
- and
- one or more signal planes disposed above the power plane;
- a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged in an array and disposed below the sensor substrate and the ground plane;
- a microcontroller disposed on the sensor substrate and configured to control sensing by the plurality of magnetic sensors;
- a data interface operatively coupled to the microcontroller and configured to enable data communications between the microcontroller and a magnetic field analysis circuit, wherein at least the ground plane is configured to shield the array of magnetic sensors from electromagnetic signals conducted from the microcontroller;
- and
- the magnetic field analysis circuit configured to execute a series of computer-executable instructions configured to cause the following formula to be solved:
- B=sqrt(b1^2+b2^2+b3^2);
- wherein:
- b1=b1meas−b1ref,
- b2=b2meas−b2ref, and
- b3=b3meas−b3ref;
- wherein:
- b1meas is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along a first axis during a time interval when a measured object is present within a field of view corresponding to an extent of the sensor array,
- b1ref is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along the first axis during a time interval when no measurable object is present within a field of view corresponding to the extent of the sensor array,
- b2meas is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along a second axis during a time interval when a measured object is present within a field of view corresponding to an extent of the sensor array,
- b2ref is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along the second axis during a time interval when no measurable object is present within a field of view corresponding to the extent of the sensor array,
- b3meas is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along a third axis during a time interval when a measured object is present within a field of view corresponding to an extent of the sensor array, and
- b3ref is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along the third axis during a time interval when no measurable object is present within a field of view corresponding to the extent of the sensor array.
20 more elements
A method for generating an image corresponding to a magnetic field, comprising:
- providing a microcontroller on a first side of a magnetic sensor substrate;
- providing signal planes coupled to the microcontroller in the magnetic sensor substrate adjacent to the first side of the magnetic sensor substrate;
- providing a plurality of magnetic sensors on or adjacent a second side of the magnetic sensor substrate;
- providing at least one of a power plane or a ground plane adjacent to the second side of the magnetic sensor substrate, between the magnetic sensors and the signal planes;
- operating the plurality of magnetic sensors in a magnetic sensor array supported by a substrate to generate a respective plurality of data values corresponding to a magnetic field strength coincident with each of the magnetic sensors;
- transferring the plurality of data values to a magnetic field analysis circuit;
- generating, with the magnetic field analysis circuit, a magnetic field image corresponding to the plurality of data values;
- and
- outputting the magnetic field image via a data interface portion of the magnetic field analysis circuit;
- wherein generating, with the magnetic field analysis circuit, a magnetic field image corresponding to the plurality of data values includes, for each location in the magnetic sensor array, calculating a magnetic field strength as a series of computer-executable instructions corresponding to solving the formula:
- B=sqrt(b1^2+b2^2+b3^2);
- wherein:
- b1=b1meas−b1ref,
- b2=b2meas−b2ref, and
- b3=b3meas−b3ref;
- wherein:
- b1meas is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along a first axis during a time interval when a measured object is present within a field of view corresponding to an extent of the sensor array,
- b1ref is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along the first axis during a time interval when no measurable object is present within a field of view corresponding to the extent of the sensor array,
- b2meas is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along a second axis during a time interval when a measured object is present within a field of view corresponding to an extent of the sensor array,
- b2ref is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along the second axis during a time interval when no measurable object is present within a field of view corresponding to the extent of the sensor array,
- b3meas is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along a third axis during a time interval when a measured object is present within a field of view corresponding to an extent of the sensor array, and
- b3ref is a scalar value corresponding to magnetic field strength along the third axis during a time interval when no measurable object is present within a field of view corresponding to the extent of the sensor array.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.