Patent abstracts

Sensor Review

ISSN: 0260-2288

Article publication date: 29 June 2010

31

Citation

(2010), "Patent abstracts", Sensor Review, Vol. 30 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2010.08730cad.002

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Patent abstracts

Article Type: Patent abstracts From: Sensor Review, Volume 30, Issue 3

Title: Apparatus and method for harvesting energy for wireless fluid stream sensors

Applicant: Honeywell International Inc. (USA)

Patent number: US2009206803 (A1)

Publication date: August 20, 2009

Abstract A method for harvesting energy for wireless fluid stream sensors is provided that includes locating a wireless fluid stream sensor in a fluid stream. The wireless fluid stream sensor includes a flexible membrane and a rod. Energy is harvested based on strain induced in the flexible membrane due to movement of the rod. The wireless fluid stream sensor may be powered with the harvested energy. The energy may be harvested with piezoelectric elements that are coupled to the flexible membrane or with piezoelectric elements or other type of energy-harvesting components that are located remotely from the wireless fluid stream sensor.

Title: Roving wireless sensor for vehicle health and usage monitoring system

Applicant: Simmonds Precision Products (USA)

Patent number: GB2457789 (A)

Publication date: September 2, 2009

Abstract A health and usage monitoring system for a vehicle, such as a helicopter, uses at least one roving wireless sensor that can be temporarily placed in a first position to monitor one or more components of the vehicle and then moved to another position to monitor one or more other components of the vehicle. The total number of sensors used to monitor the vehicle, and the vehicle weight, are thereby reduced. One or more roving wireless sensors may be provided, and the roving wireless sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more wired sensors. The sensors may include their own power supply, such as a battery or an inductive or piezoelectric energy-harvesting device. A method is also provided in which at least one roving wireless sensor is placed in position on the vehicle, the vehicle is operated and monitored, and the roving wireless sensor is then removed and placed in another position.

Title: Methods and systems for sensing activity using energy harvesting devices

Applicant: Boeing Co. (USA); Mitchell Bradley J. (USA); Wentland Mark E. (USA); Lamoree Bret L. (USA); Schalla James P. (USA)

Patent number: WO2009123773 (A1)

Publication date: October 8, 2009

Abstract A system for monitoring activities relating to movable and removable items within a vehicle is described. The system includes an electrical energy storage device, an energy harvesting device operable to store harvested energy in the electrical energy storage device, a sensor element configured to output signals corresponding to one or more of removal, installation, and a shift in position of a corresponding item within the vehicle, and a transmitter configured to receive the signals from the sensor element. The transmitter is also configured to transmit unique identification information and data corresponding to the signals received from the sensor element, where the unique identification information corresponds with a location of the item on the vehicle. The sensor element and the transmitter are configured to use energy from one or both of the energy harvesting device and the electrical energy storage device.

Title: Piezoelectric vibration energy collecting apparatus with resonance frequency adjustable

Applicant: Univ. Tsinghua (CN)

Patent number: CN101359882 (A)

Publication date: February 4, 2009

Abstract The invention discloses a piezoelectric vibration energy-harvesting device with adjustable resonance frequency, which belongs to the technique field of energy conversion and collection. The device adopts a supporting substrate as a vibration structure, and collects vibration energy through a piezoelectric material fixed thereon. The device combines a fixed mass block and a movable mass block, and adjusts the resonance frequency of the device simply and accurately in a rather large range, so as to keep the mechanical resonance with the ambient vibration for maximizing the vibration energy collecting capability. The energy-harvesting device can be applied to different vibration conditions in rather large frequency range, and can be combined with a sensor for making the sensor have the self-powered capability.

Title: Inductive position sensor

Applicant: KSR Technologies Co. (CA); Kim Gi Yeop (KR)+

Patent number: WO2009074864 (A2)

Publication date: June 18, 2009

Abstract A position sensor having a circular transmitter coil which generates electromagnetic radiation when excited by a source of alternating electrical energy. A receiver coil has a first loop wound in a first direction around a portion of the transmitter coil and a second loop wound in a second direction opposite from the first direction around a diametrically opposed portion of the transmitter coil. In addition, the receiver coil includes a first compensating coil wound in the second direction inside the first portion of the transmitter coil as well as a second compensating coil wound in the first direction inside the second portion of the transmitter coil. The first and second loops and the first and second compensating coils of the receiver coil are electrically connected in series with each other. A movable coupler element varies the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil as a function of the position of the coupler to thereby vary the electrical output signal from the receiver coil when excited by the transmitter coil.

Title: Fuel cell apparatus having a current sensor and a current sensor for a fuel cell apparatus

Inventor: Belschner Werner (DE); Kugel Matthias (DE); Leitz Juergen (DE); Mueller Ralf (DE)

Patent number: US2009305101 (A1)

Publication date: December 10, 2009

Abstract A fuel cell apparatus includes at least one busbar for discharging high electrical currents from a high-voltage side of a fuel cell unit and a current sensor that comprises an evaluation electronics unit. A resistance element of the current sensor is integrated in the outgoing electrical conductor.

Title: Method and apparatus for calibration remain capacity of smart battery

Applicant: LG Electronics Inc. (KR)

Patent number: KR20090097262 (A)

Publication date: September 16, 2009

Abstract A method and an apparatus for compensating residual capacity of a smart battery are provided to store residual capacity of a smart battery to a memory of a terminal before a minimum operation voltage of the terminal or the smart battery by comparing the minimum operation voltage with an input voltage. A smart battery includes a battery cell, a current sensor, and a fuel gauge. The battery cell charges an electric charge applied from an external power source. The current sensor supplies a power to a terminal. The fuel gauge provides residual capacity of the battery cell to the terminal. The terminal includes a voltage sensing part, a control part, and a memory. The voltage sensing part senses a voltage inputted from the smart battery. If a voltage sensed by the voltage sensing part is a low temperature operation voltage, the memory stores capacity information of the smart battery according to a control of the control part.

Title: Micro direct methanol fuel cell of integrated temperature control system and manufacturing method thereof

Applicant: Univ. Tsinghua (CN)

Patent number: CN101533922 (A)

Publication date: September 16, 2009

Abstract The invention discloses a micro direct methanol fuel cell of an integrated temperature control system and a manufacturing method thereof, belonging to the field of micro energy technology. The temperature control system is integrated into the interior of the micro direct methanol fuel cell, the temperature control system is composed of a micro heater and a micro temperature sensor; the micro heater is integrated on the back of a cathode plate, the micro temperature sensor is integrated on the back of the anode plate, or, vice versa; for the manufacturing method, the micro heater and the micro temperature sensor are integrated into the interior of the micro direct methanol fuel cell. The micro heater can radiate heat to raise the cell working temperature, and the micro temperature sensor can probe the cell working temperature; the invention can improve the performance thereof by adjusting the working temperature of the micro direct methanol fuel cell and can keep the micro direct methanol fuel cell working in low temperature environment by raising the working temperature.

Title: Method and apparatus for providing power

Applicant: Powercast Corp. (USA); Martin Donald Corey (USA); Greene Charles E. (USA); Pesavento Philip Victor (USA)

Patent number: WO2009036115 (A1)

Publication date: March 19, 2009

Abstract An apparatus includes a first converter module, a second converter module, and a sensor module. The first converter module converts a wireless power associated with an electromagnetic wave to a first DC voltage. The first converter module can include, for example, a Villiard cascade voltage multiplier, a precision rectifier, or a full-wave bridge rectifier. The sensor module monitors the first DC voltage. The second converter module converts the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage that is larger than the first DC voltage. The second converter module is enabled by the sensor module when the first DC voltage is above a first threshold voltage. The second converter module is disabled by the sensor module when the first DC voltage is below a second threshold voltage that is lower than the first threshold voltage. The second converter module provides power to a load based on the second DC voltage.

Title: Receiver device, use of a receiver device, system, and also method for low-energy reception of data

Applicant: EnOcean GmbH (DE)

Patent number: DE102008031406 (A1)

Publication date: January 21, 2010

Abstract The device has an antenna providing an electrical quantity modulated in amplitude with information at an output side. A resistive element, i.e. thermistor, is coupled to receive an antenna output. An evaluation unit is connected downstream to the element to evaluate a modification of a physical parameter, e.g. light intensity, of the element in comparison to a load with an unmodulated electrical quantity. The unit varies a signal related to the parameter due to the amplitude modulation of the electrical quantity and provides the information at an output of the unit. Independent claims are also included for the following: a system with a transmitter device that records data or commands of a sensor or input device a method for energy-saving reception of a signal having an amplitude that has been modulated with information in a receiver device.

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