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US 2014/0230563 A1Published application
Sensor assembly, method, and device for monitoring shear force and pressure on a structure
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorHaiying Huang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Shear force and pressure on a structure are simultaneously monitored using signals received from antennas on the structure. The shear force on the structure is monitored using a signal received from a patch antenna on the structure, and the pressure on the structure is monitored using a signal received from a loop antenna on the structure.
Claims19
A sensor assembly for monitoring a shear force and pressure on a structure, comprising:
- a first antenna on the structure, wherein the first antenna is disposed on one side of a first dielectric substrate, a ground plane having a slot is disposed on an opposing side of the first dielectric substrate, and the first dielectric substrate deforms laterally in response to an applied shear force, causing a change in a resonant frequency of the first antenna;
- a second antenna on the structure, wherein a radiation element of second antenna is disposed on one side of a second dielectric substrate, a reflector is disposed on an opposing side of the second dielectric substrate, and the second dielectric substrate deforms vertically in response to an applied pressure force, causing a change in a resonant frequency of the second antenna;
- a transceiver configured to:
- receive, from an interrogation unit, a series of first radio frequency (RF) signals with sweeping frequencies around a first known frequency;
- receive, from an interrogation unit, a series of second radio frequency (RF) signal with sweeping frequencies around a second known frequency;
- and
- transmit a first RF signal from the first antenna and a second RF signal from the second antenna to the interrogation unit;
- wherein the resonant frequency or a resonant frequency shift of the first antenna is determined based on the received first RF signal, the resonant frequency or a resonant frequency shift of the second antenna is determined based on the received second RF signal, a lateral deformation of the first dielectric substrate is determined based on the determined resonant frequency shift of the first antenna or by comparing the determined resonant frequency of the first antenna and the first known frequency, a vertical deformation of the second dielectric substrate is determined based on the determined resonant frequency shift of the second antenna or by comparing the determined resonant frequency of the second antenna and the second known frequency, a shear force applied on the structure is determined based on the determined lateral deformation, and a pressure applied on the structure is determined based on the vertical deformation.
5 more elements
A method for monitoring shear force and pressure on a structure, comprising:
- transmitting a series of first radio frequency (RF) signals with sweeping frequencies around a first known frequency to a first antenna on the structure, wherein a radiation element of the first antenna is disposed on one side of a first dielectric substrate, a ground plane having a slot is disposed on an opposing side of the first dielectric substrate, and the first dielectric substrate deforms laterally in response to an applied shear force, causing a change in a resonant frequency of the first antenna;
- transmitting a series of second radio frequency (RF) signal with sweeping frequencies around a second known frequency to a second antenna on the structure, wherein a radiation element of second antenna is disposed on one side of a second dielectric substrate, a reflector is disposed on an opposing side of the second dielectric substrate, and the second dielectric substrate deforms vertically in response to an applied pressure force, causing a change in a resonant frequency of the second antenna;
- receiving a first RF signal from the first antenna and a second RF signal from the second antenna;
- determining the resonant frequency or a resonant frequency shift of the first antenna based on the received first RF signal;
- determining the resonant frequency or a resonant frequency shift of the second antenna based on the received second RF signal;
- determining a lateral deformation of the first dielectric substrate based on the determined resonant frequency shift of the first antenna or by comparing the determined resonant frequency of the first antenna and the first known frequency;
- determining a vertical deformation of the second dielectric substrate based on the determined resonant frequency shift of the second antenna or by comparing the determined resonant frequency of the second antenna and the second known frequency;
- determining the shear force applied on the structure based on the determined lateral deformation;
- and
- determining the pressure applied on the structure based on the vertical deformation.
7 more elements
A device for monitoring shear force and pressure on a structure, comprising:
- a transceiver configured to:
- transmit a series of first radio frequency (RF) signals with sweeping frequencies around a first known frequency to a first antenna on the structure, wherein a radiation element of the first antenna is disposed on one side of a first dielectric substrate, a ground plane having a slot is disposed on an opposing side of the first dielectric substrate, and the first dielectric substrate deforms laterally in response to an applied shear force, causing a change in a resonant frequency of the first antenna;
- transmit a series of second radio frequency (RF) signal with sweeping frequencies around a second known frequency to a second antenna on the structure, wherein a radiation element of second antenna is disposed on one side of a second dielectric substrate, a reflector is disposed on an opposing side of the second dielectric substrate, and the second dielectric substrate deforms vertically in response to an applied pressure force, causing a change in a resonant frequency of the second antenna;
- and
- receive a first RF signal from the first antenna and a second RF signal from the second antenna;
- and
- a signal processor configured to:
- determine the resonant frequency or a resonant frequency shift of the first antenna based on the received first RF signal;
- determine the resonant frequency or a resonant frequency shift of the second antenna based on the received second RF signal;
- determine a lateral deformation of the first dielectric substrate based on the determined resonant frequency shift of the first antenna or by comparing the determined resonant frequency of the first antenna and the first known frequency;
- determine a vertical deformation of the second dielectric substrate based on the determined resonant frequency shift of the second antenna or by comparing the determined resonant frequency of the second antenna and the second known frequency;
- determine the shear force applied on the structure based on the determined lateral deformation;
- and
- determine the pressure applied on the structure based on the vertical deformation.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.