Angular accelerometer device and method based on capacitive sensing
AssigneeKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology
InventorsMuhammad Mustafa HUSSAIN, Wedyan BABATAIN, Rishabh MISHRA
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Abstract
An angular acceleration sensor includes a curved track having first and second metallic layers, and a spherical conductive ball provided within the track. The first metallic layer has a constant, uniform, width along a length of the track while the second metallic layer has a varying-width along the length of the track. An angular acceleration experienced by the spherical conductive ball is associated with a change in a capacitance between the spherical conductive ball and the curved track, which is uniquely associated with an external linear acceleration experienced by the sensor.
Claims20
An angular acceleration sensor comprising:
- a curved track having first and second metallic layers;
- and
- a spherical conductive ball provided within the track,
- wherein the first metallic layer has a constant, uniform, width along a length of the track while the second metallic layer has a varying-width along the length of the track, and
- wherein an angular acceleration experienced by the spherical conductive ball is associated with a change in a capacitance between the spherical conductive ball and the curved track, which is uniquely associated with an external linear acceleration experienced by the sensor.
An acceleration measuring system comprising:
- an angular acceleration sensor configured to measure a linear acceleration;
- a processing and communication unit electrically connected to the angular acceleration sensor and configured to read an equivalent capacitance of three different capacitors (C1 to C3) of the angular acceleration sensor;
- and
- a power supply configured to supply power to the processing and communication unit.
A method for determining a linear acceleration, the method comprising:
- applying a linear acceleration to an angular acceleration sensor, wherein the angular acceleration sensor includes a curved track having first and second metallic layers;
- allowing a spherical conductive ball, which is provided within the track, to freely move inside the track due to inertia;
- measuring an equivalent capacitance formed by three different capacitors (C1 to C3) of the angular acceleration sensor;
- and
- calculating the linear acceleration experienced by the angular acceleration sensor based on the measured equivalent capacitance,
- wherein the first metallic layer associated with the second and third capacitors has a constant, uniform, width along a length of the track while the second metallic layer associated with the first and third capacitors has a varying-width along the length of the track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.