# US 10,373,598 B2 · Integrated acoustic emission transducer apparatus and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,373,598 B2 - Document ID: US10373598B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/710,244 - Filed: 2017-09-20 - Published: 2019-03-21 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-20 - Assignees: Fisher Controls International LLC - Applicants: Fisher Controls International LLC - Inventors: Bret Anthony Dahme; Shawn Anderson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373598B2 ## CPC - G10K 11/02: Mechanical acoustic impedances; Impedance matching, e.g. by horns; Acoustic resonators - G01F 1/20: by detection of dynamic effects of the flow - G01H 1/00: Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector (G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence) - G01H 11/08: using piezoelectric devices - G01N 29/14: using acoustic emission techniques {(echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00)} - G01N 29/44: Processing the detected response signal {, e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor (digital signal processing per se G06F17/00)} - G01N 2291/02836: Flow rate, liquid level - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Integrated acoustic emission transducer apparatus and methods are described. An example apparatus includes an acoustic emission sensor having a data extractor and a process variable determiner integrated within the acoustic emission sensor. The acoustic emission sensor is to generate an acoustic emission signal. The data extractor is to extract signal data from the acoustic emission signal. The process variable determiner is to determine process variable data based on the extracted signal data. The process variable data includes at least one of leakage rate data, flow rate data, flow capacity data, flow area data, flow velocity data, mass accumulation data, or volume accumulation data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an integrated acoustic emission sensor including a data extractor, a process variable determiner, a status indication determiner, and a presentation device, the integrated acoustic emission sensor to generate an acoustic emission signal, the data extractor to extract signal data from the acoustic emission signal, the process variable determiner to determine process variable data based on the extracted signal data, the process variable data including at least one of flow rate data, flow capacity data, flow area data, flow velocity data, mass accumulation data, or volume accumulation data, the status indication determiner to determine status indication data based on the process variable data, the presentation device to present at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extracted signal data includes at least one of root mean square data associated with the acoustic emission signal, average signal level data associated with the acoustic emission signal, spectral content data associated with the acoustic emission signal, or transient data associated with the acoustic emission signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status indication data includes at least one of valve health data, valve wear data, or fugitive emissions data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the integrated acoustic emission sensor further includes a transmitter to transmit at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data from the integrated acoustic emission sensor to an external device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the integrated acoustic emission sensor further includes signal conditioning circuitry to condition the acoustic emission signal, the signal conditioning circuitry including a preamplifier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the data extractor or the process variable determiner is integrated within the preamplifier of the integrated acoustic emission sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation device is to present the at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor in real time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation device is to present the status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor as a percentage type. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: extracting signal data at an integrated acoustic emission sensor from an acoustic emission signal generated via the integrated acoustic emission sensor; determining process variable data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor based on the extracted signal data, the process variable data including at least one of flow rate data, flow capacity data, flow area data, flow velocity data, mass accumulation data, or volume accumulation data; determining status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor based on the process variable data; and presenting at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the extracted signal data includes at least one of root mean square data associated with the acoustic emission signal, average signal level data associated with the acoustic emission signal, spectral content data associated with the acoustic emission signal, or transient data associated with the acoustic emission signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the status indication data includes at least one of valve health data, valve wear data, or fugitive emissions data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data from the integrated acoustic emission sensor to an external device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the presenting of the at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor is in real time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the status indication data is presented at the integrated acoustic emission sensor as a percentage type. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least: extract signal data at an integrated acoustic emission sensor from an acoustic emission signal generated via the integrated acoustic emission sensor; determine process variable data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor based on the extracted signal data, the process variable data including at least one of flow rate data, flow capacity data, flow area data, flow velocity data, mass accumulation data, or volume accumulation data; determine status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor based on the process variable data; and present at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the extracted signal data includes at least one of root mean square data associated with the acoustic emission signal, average signal level data associated with the acoustic emission signal, spectral content data associated with the acoustic emission signal, or transient data associated with the acoustic emission signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the status indication data includes at least one of valve health data, valve wear data, or fugitive emissions data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to instruct a transmitter of the integrated acoustic emission sensor to transmit at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data from the integrated acoustic emission sensor to an external device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to present the at least one of the process variable data or the status indication data at the integrated acoustic emission sensor in real time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the status indication data is to be presented at the integrated acoustic emission sensor as a percentage type.