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US 10,943,577 B2Granted
Solid-state transducer, system, and method
AssigneeMichigan Technological University
InventorAndrew Robert Barnard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure includes solid-state transducers, a system, and a method. In one embodiment, a solid-state transducer includes a housing, a first end portion, a second end portion, a plurality of electrical conductors, and a thin-film resistive material. The thin-film resistive material is disposed between and in electrical communication with a plurality of electrical conductors. The thin-film resistive material is configured to receive one or more electrical signals from the plurality of electrical conductors, and generate thermal oscillations to create pressure waves in a medium in response to receiving the one or more electrical signals.
Claims20
A solid-state transducer comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing defining an aperture between the first end and the second end;
- a first end portion positioned at the first end of the housing, the first end portion defining a first main aperture and a first plurality of apertures;
- a second end portion positioned at the second end of the housing, the second end portion defining a second main aperture and a second plurality of apertures;
- a plurality of electrical conductors, wherein a first group of the plurality of electrical conductors is within and extends from one of the first plurality of apertures to the second end portion, and wherein a second group of the plurality of electrical conductors is within and extends from one of the second plurality of apertures to the first end portion;
- and
- a thin-film resistive material disposed between and in electrical communication with the plurality of electrical conductors, the thin-film resistive material configured to
- receive one or more electrical signals from the plurality of electrical conductors, and
- generate thermal oscillations to create pressure waves in a medium in response to receiving the one or more electrical signals.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- an audio amplifier configured to generate one or more electrical signals;
- and
- a solid-state transducer including
- a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing defining an aperture between the first end and the second end;
- a first end portion positioned at the first end of the housing, the first end portion defining a first main aperture and a first plurality of apertures;
- a second end portion positioned at the second end of the housing, the second end portion defining a second main aperture and a second plurality of apertures;
- a plurality of electrical conductors, wherein a first group of the plurality of electrical conductors is within and extends from one of the first plurality of apertures to the second end portion, and wherein a second group of the plurality of electrical conductors is within and extends from one of the second plurality of apertures to the first end portion;
- and
- a thin-film resistive material disposed between and in electrical communication with the plurality of electrical conductors, the thin-film resistive material configured to
- receive the one or more electrical signals from the plurality of electrical conductors, and
- generate thermal oscillations to create pressure waves in a medium in response to receiving the one or more electrical signals.
8 more elements
A method for operating a solid-state transducer, the method comprising:
- generating, with an audio amplifier, one or more electrical signals;
- receiving, with a plurality of electrical conductors of the solid-state transducer, the one or more electrical signals from the audio amplifier;
- receiving, with a thin-film resistive material of the solid-state transducer, the one or more electrical signals from the plurality of electrical conductors;
- and
- generating, with the thin-film resistive material, thermal oscillations to create pressure waves in a medium in response to receiving the one or more electrical signals,
- wherein the solid-state transducer includes
- a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing defining an aperture between the first end and the second end;
- a first end portion positioned at the first end of the housing, the first end portion defining a first main aperture and a first plurality of apertures;
- a second end portion positioned at the second end of the housing, the second end portion defining a second main aperture and a second plurality of apertures;
- wherein a first group of the plurality of electrical conductors is within and extends from one of the first plurality of apertures to the second end portion,
- wherein a second group of the plurality of electrical conductors is within and extends from one of the second plurality of apertures to the first end portion, and
- wherein the thin-film resistive material is disposed between and in electrical communication with the plurality of electrical conductors.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.