Fluid characteristic sensor, sensor system, and method
AssigneeKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology
InventorsMuhammad Akram Karimi, Atif Shamim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor includes a planar T-resonator and an oscillator. The planar T-resonator can be a branched T-resonator with at least two symmetrical branches coupled to a stub. The oscillator has an input coupled to the planar T-resonator and an output. The oscillator has a negative resistance within a predetermined frequency range. The oscillator can be configured so that it has an input phase approximately equal to a phase of the planar T-resonator over a majority of the predetermined frequency range.
Claims20
A sensor system for determining a characteristic of a fluid in a container, the sensor system comprising:
- a planar T-resonator, which includes (1) a conductor having (i) a feedline coupled to (2) a stub, and (2) a ground plane, wherein the feedline has first and second ends and the stub is attached to the feedline between the first and second ends so that the planar T-resonator is shaped as letter T;
- and
- an oscillator having an input coupled to the first end of the feedline of the planar T-resonator and an output, wherein the oscillator has a negative resistance within a predetermined frequency range and an input phase of the oscillator is approximately equal to a phase of the planar T-resonator over a majority of the predetermined frequency range,
- wherein the second end of the feedline is coupled to an electrical load.
A sensor system for determining a characteristic of a fluid in a container, the sensor system comprising:
- a planar, branched T-resonator, which includes a conductor having a feedline coupled to a stub, at least two symmetrical branches coupled to the stub, and a ground plane, wherein the feedline has first and second ends and the stub is attached to the feedline between the first and second ends so that the planar, branched T-resonator is shaped as letter T;
- and
- an oscillator having an input coupled to the first end of the feedline of the planar, branched T-resonator and an output, wherein the oscillator has a negative resistance within a predetermined frequency range,
- wherein the second end of the feedline is coupled to an electrical load.
A method for determining a characteristic of a fluid in a container, the method comprising:
- exciting a planar, branched T-resonator that includes a feedline coupled to a stub, at least two symmetrical branches coupled to the stub, and a ground plane, wherein the feedline has first and second ends, the stub is connected to the feedline between the first and second ends so that the planar, branched T-resonator is shaped as letter T, the first end of the planar, branched T-resonator is connected to an oscillator having a negative resistance within a predetermined frequency range, and the second end of the feedline is connected to an electrical load, wherein the planar, branched T-resonator is applied to a surface of the container;
- obtaining a resonance frequency of the excited planar, branched T-resonator;
- and
- determining the characteristic of the fluid based on the obtained resonance frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.