Acoustic sensor utilizing acoustoelectric effect
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsRussell S. Witte, Ragnar Olafsson, Sheng-Wen Huang, Timothy L Hall, Matthew O'Donnell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasound system that detects a characteristic of an ultrasound wave. The system includes a circuit member defining a sensing portion operable to be exposed to the ultrasound wave. The system also includes a current generating device that generates a current in the sensing portion of the circuit member. Furthermore, the system includes a voltage sensor that detects a voltage across the sensing portion due to the exposure to the ultrasound wave to thereby detect the characteristic of the ultrasound wave.
Claims11
An acoustic system that detects a characteristic of an acoustic wave, the acoustic system comprising:
- a circuit member defining a sensing portion operable to be exposed to the acoustic wave;
- a current generating device that generates a predetermined current in the sensing portion of the circuit member while the sensing portion is exposed to the acoustic wave;
- a voltage sensor that detects a voltage across the sensing portion while the predetermined current flows in the sensing portion and while the sensing portion is exposed to the acoustic wave, the voltage being a combination of a predetermined voltage resulting from the predetermined current and an unknown voltage generated from the acoustic wave;
- a processor that calculates the unknown voltage to detect the characteristic of the acoustic wave;
- and
- a position sensor that detects a position of the sensing portion in order to detect a position characteristic of the acoustic wave.
An acoustic system that detects a characteristic of an acoustic wave, the acoustic system comprising:
- a circuit member defining a sensing portion operable to be exposed to the acoustic wave;
- a current generating device that generates a current in the sensing portion of the circuit member;
- and
- a voltage sensor that detects a voltage across the sensing portion due to the exposure to the acoustic wave to thereby detect the characteristic of the acoustic wave,
- wherein the circuit member includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the sensing portion electrically couples the first and second portions, the first portion defining a first width dimension, the second portion defining a second width dimension, and the sensing portion defining a third width dimension, wherein the third width dimension is less than the first width dimension and the second width dimension.
An acoustic sensor for an acoustic system that detects a characteristic of an acoustic wave, the acoustic system including a current generating device, a voltage sensor, a processor, and a position sensor, the acoustic sensor comprising:
- a circuit member defining a sensing portion operable to be exposed to the acoustic wave;
- wherein the current generating device is operable to generate a predetermined current in the sensing portion of the circuit member while the sensing portion is exposed to the acoustic wave;
- wherein the voltage sensor is operable to detect a voltage across the sensing portion while the predetermined current flows in the sensing portion and while the sensing portion is exposed to the acoustic wave, the voltage being a combination of a predetermined voltage resulting from the predetermined current and an unknown voltage generated from the acoustic wave;
- wherein the processor is operable to calculate the unknown voltage to detect the characteristic of the acoustic wave, and
- wherein the position sensor is operable to detect a position of the sensing portion in order to detect a position characteristic of the acoustic wave.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.