Method and apparatus for recording changes associated with acceleration of a structure
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorJames M. Stana
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to recording changes associated with the acceleration of a structure. An exemplary embodiment includes an accelerometer array having at least one silicon beam type accelerometer, a nonvolatile memory, a clock timer, a programmable control unit operatively coupled to the accelerometer array, at least one non-volatile memory, and clock timer. The accelerometer array, the at least one non-volatile memory, the clock timer and the programmable control unit can be formed on a common semiconductor substrate (e.g., integrated), with the accelerometer array disposed in a central region.
Claims50
Apparatus for recording changes associated with acceleration of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
- an accelerometer array having at least one silicon beam type accelerometer;
- non-volatile memory;
- a clock timer;
- and
- a programmable control unit operatively coupled to the accelerometer array, at least one non-volatile memory, and clock timer, wherein the accelerometer array, the at least one non-volatile memory, the clock timer and the programmable control unit are formed as an integrated circuit on a common semiconductor substrate with the accelerometer array provided in a center of the common semiconductor substrate, and wherein the non-volatile memory stores acceleration data related to changes associated with acceleration of the structure along with correlated time data.
Apparatus for recording changes associated with acceleration of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
- means for sensing acceleration;
- means for storing data;
- means for measuring temporal data associated with acceleration data;
- and
- means operatively coupled to the sensing means, storing means and measuring means for triggering the storing means to record acceleration data and associated temporal data as non-volatile data in response to a predetermined event, wherein the sensing means, storing means and measuring means are formed as an integrated circuit on a common semiconductor substrate with the sensing means provided in a center of the common substrate.
A method for recording changes associated with the acceleration of a structure using at least one accelerometer, non-volatile memory, clock timer, and programmable control unit integrated on a common semiconductor substrate with the accelerometer provided in a center of the semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
- detecting a predetermined event;
- monitoring temporal data from the clock timer correlated with acceleration data from the accelerometer;
- and
- triggering the non-volatile memory with the programmable control unit to record in the non-volatile memory acceleration data from the accelerometer and the temporal data.
A method for recording changes associated with the acceleration of a structure using at least one accelerometer, non-volatile memory, clock timer, and programmable control unit integrated on a common semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
- detecting a predetermined event;
- monitoring temporal data from the clock timer correlated with acceleration data from the accelerometer;
- triggering the non-volatile memory with the programmable control unit to record in the non-volatile memory acceleration data from the accelerometer and the temporal data;
- and
- determining peak acceleration data associated with at least one of a predetermined event and time period.
Apparatus for recording an acceleration of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
- an accelerometer;
- non-volatile memory;
- a clock timer;
- and
- a programmable control unit operatively coupled to the accelerometer, the non-volatile memory and clock timer, wherein the accelerometer, the non-volatile memory, the clock timer, and the programmable control unit are integrated on a common semiconductor substrate, and wherein the programmable control unit is operable to determine and store in the non-volatile memory peak acceleration data associated with at least one of a predetermined event and time period.
Apparatus for attachment to a rigid structure to record acceleration and corresponding time data associated with the structure, comprising:
- a self-contained package containing a semiconductor substrate, said substrate having integrated thereon:
- an accelerometer for sensing acceleration of the rigid body along at least one axis;
- a clock for providing a time data clocked at a predetermined rate;
- non-volatile memory;
- and
- a programmable control unit for triggering recording in the non-volatile memory at least one amount of the sensed acceleration along with associated time data according to the rate provided by the clock;
- and
- means provided on the self-contained package for adhering the package to the rigid structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.