US 7,066,894 B2 · Sensor and method for detecting very low frequency acoustic signals

Abstract

There is disclosed a sensor and method for detecting very low frequency acoustic signals. The sensor is capable of detecting low frequency acoustic signals in the frequency range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz. The sensor comprises a chamber having portions that form a cavity and a low frequency microphone placed within the cavity. An alternate embodiment of the invention comprises a chamber having portions that form a resonant cavity, a low frequency microphone placed within the resonant cavity, and a membrane that covers the resonant cavity. Low frequency acoustic signals that are incident on the membrane cause the membrane to move and amplify the acoustic signals within the resonant cavity.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A sensor capable of detecting very low frequency acoustic signals, said sensor capable of being acoustically coupled to a source of acoustic signals, and said sensor capable of receiving low frequency acoustic signals in the frequency range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz and generating electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals, said sensor comprising:

a chamber capable of being acoustically coupled to a source of acoustic signals, said chamber having portions that define a resonant cavity within said chamber, said resonant cavity capable of amplifying the intensity of low frequency acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz by resonating said low frequency acoustic signals within said resonant cavity;
and
a microphone within said resonant cavity, said microphone capable of receiving said amplified low frequency acoustic signals and capable of generating electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said amplified low frequency acoustic signals.

A method for detecting low frequency acoustic signals comprising the steps of:

forming a low frequency sensor having a chamber capable of being acoustically coupled to a source of acoustic signals, said chamber having portions that define a resonant cavity within said chamber;
placing a microphone within said resonant cavity of said chamber;
acoustically coupling said chamber of said low frequency sensor to a source of low frequency acoustic signals;
receiving in said chamber of said low frequency sensor acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz;
amplifying the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals in the range of one tenth Hertz to thirty Hertz by resonating said low frequency acoustic signals within said resonant cavity;
receiving said amplified low frequency acoustic signals in said microphone;
and
generating in said microphone electronic signals indicative of the intensity of said low frequency acoustic signals.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sensor and method for detecting very low frequency acoustic signals

Life of this patent

Sensor and method for detecting very low frequency acoustic signals

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17