363 results about "Pressure sensor array" patented technology

Force or pressure transducer arrays have elastically stretchable electrically conductive polymer threads disposed in parallel rows and columns that contact at intersections thereof a piezoresistive material which has an electrical resistivity which varies inversely with pressure or force exerted thereon to form a matrix array of force or pressure sensor elements. The threads are fixed to a single one or pair of flexible elastically stretchable substrate sheets made of thin sheets of an insulating polymer such as PVC, or for greater elasticity and conformability to irregularly-shaped objects such as human body parts, an elastically stretchable fabric such as LYCRA or SPANDEX. Elastic stretchability of the sensor arrays is optionally enhanced by disposing either or both row and column conductive threads in sinuously curved, serpentine paths rather than straight lines.

A mobile information terminal to determine whether a user's operation state is one-handed operation or two-handed operation. The mobile information terminal includes a pressure sensor array that acquires a gripping pressure distribution; a gripping pressure logger that records time-series changes in gripping pressure at each pressure sensor forming the pressure sensor array; a gripping pressure change point detection unit that includes a gripping pressure change amount calculation section that acquires time-series changes in gripping pressure at each pressure sensor and determines whether the amount of change in gripping pressure per unit time exceeds a predetermined value at any pressure sensor; and an operation state determination section that determines the operation state of the user of the mobile information terminal is one-handed operation when the amount of change in gripping pressure per unit time exceeds the predetermined value at any pressure sensor.

An input apparatus and method for tactile sensing are disclosed. The input apparatus includes a sensor array for outputting input data in an array format according to a touch input, and a controller for obtaining first input data for a first input from the sensor array if the first input above a predetermined pressure is imposed on the sensor array, for obtaining second input data for a second input from the sensor array if the second input above a predetermined pressure is imposed on the sensor array, for generating third input data indicating an input characteristic by comparing the first input data and the second input data, and for operating according to a program based on the third input data.

An apparatus for measuring at least one parameter associated with a fluid flowing within a pipe includes a spatial array of pressure sensors disposed at different axial locations x1. . . xN along the pipe. Each of the pressure sensors provides a pressure signal P(t) indicative of unsteady pressure within the pipe at a corresponding axial location of the pipe. A signal processor receives the pressure signals from each of the pressure sensors and determines the parameter of the fluid using pressure signals from selected ones of the pressure sensors. By selecting different pressure sensors, the signal processor can configure the array to meet different criteria. In one embodiment, the array of pressure sensors may be formed on a single sheet of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) that is wrapped around at least a portion of an outer surface of the pipe. This arrangement allows a large number of pressure sensors to be quickly and economically installed.

The force or pressure sensor array of the present invention effectively has both flexibility and elasticity. Since the substrate itself is a kind of a polymer material, the substrate can be bent or expanded. Although silicon, which is a material of the semiconductor strain gauge, is easily broken and solid, mechanical flexibility can be secured if it is fabricated extremely thin. To this end, particularly, disclosed is a flexible force or pressure sensor array using semiconductor strain gauges 110, the sensor array comprising: a substrate 10 including: the semiconductor strain gauges 110 in which a plurality of elements formed in a certain array pattern is deformed by force or pressure, a pair of polymer film layers 120 and 130 having film surfaces contacted facing each other and containing the semiconductor strain gauge 110 between the film surfaces contacted with each other, and a pair of signal line layers formed on top and bottom surfaces of an insulating layer using either of the pair of polymer film layers 120 and 130 as the insulating layer and connected to the elements 111 of the array pattern to form electrodes, for fetching deformation signals outputted due to deformation of the elements 111 to outside; and a pair of elastomer layers 20 and 30 formed on both sides of the substrate 10 to contain the substrate 10 inside.

A dual function flow measurement apparatus is provided that combines the functionality of an apparatus that measures the speed of sound propagating through a fluid flowing within a pipe, and measures pressures disturbances (e.g. vortical disturbances or eddies) moving with a fluid to determine respective parameters of the flow propagating through a pipe. The apparatus includes a sensing device that includes an array of pressure sensors used to measure the acoustic and convective pressure variations in the flow to determine desired parameters. The measurement apparatus includes a processing unit the processes serially or in parallel the pressure signals provided by the sensing array to provide output signals indicative of a parameter of the fluid flow relating to the velocity of the flow and the speed of sound propagating through the flow, respectively.

A flow measurement apparatus is provided that combines the functionality of an apparatus that uses strain-based sensors and ultrasonic sensors to measure the speed of sound propagating through a fluid flowing within a pipe, and measure pressures disturbances (e.g. vortical disturbances or eddies) moving with a fluid to determine respective parameters of the flow propagating through a pipe. The apparatus includes a sensing device that includes an array of pressure sensors used to measure the acoustic and convective pressure variations in the flow to determine desired parameters and an ultrasonic meter portion to measure the velocity and volumetric flow of the fluid. In response to an input signal or internal logic, the processor can manually or dynamically switch between the pressure sensors and ultrasonic sensors to measure the parameters of the flow. The flow measurement apparatus thereby provides a robust meter capable of measuring fluid flows having a wide range of different characteristics and flows exposed to different environmental conditions.

A system for monitoring, diagnosing, and / or controlling a flow process uses one or more flow meters based on an array of pressure sensors. A signal processor outputs at least one of a flow signal, a diagnostic signal, and a control signal in response to the pressure signals from the pressure sensors. The flow signal indicates the at least one parameter of the fluid, the diagnostic signal indicates a diagnostic condition of a device in the flow process, and the control signal is effective in adjusting an operating parameter of at least one device in the flow process. The system may be arranged as a distributed control system (DCS) architecture for monitoring a plurality of flow meters based on array-processing installed at various locations throughout a flow process.

A device for carrying out gesture recognition based on a pressure sensor array, comprising a muscle tendon pressure signal acquisition unit, a signal conversion unit, a data processing and gesture action identification unit and the like, and being characterized in that the pressure sensor array of the muscle tendon pressure signal acquisition unit is mounted on an inner side, close to skin of a user, of a wearing mechanism. And a method for carrying out the gesture recognition based on the pressure sensor array, comprising: step 1, acquiring a signal caused by detected muscle tendon pressure of a wrist of the user; step 2, extracting characteristic data for characterizing hand gestures or actions of the user of detected muscle tendon from the acquired signal; and step 3, analyzing the extracted characteristic data to determine the hand gestures or actions of the user. The gesture recognition method and device, provided by the invention, have the advantages of being simple in principle and high gesture recognition accuracy. Meanwhile, the utilization of the device is not limited by conditions; and the device can be combined with wearable equipment including intelligent watches, bracelets and bangles, so that the device is more easily popularized and utilized.

A catheter terminates at a tip that includes an array of pressure sensors. The sensors are responsive to detect and alert the user to variations of pressure that indicate the tip is either encountering an obstruction or constriction of smaller diameter than the catheter, as well as to guide the catheter through the conduit into which it is being inserted.

Force or pressure transducer arrays have elastically stretchable electrically conductive polymer threads disposed in parallel rows and columns that contact at intersections thereof a piezoresistive material which has an electrical resistivity which varies inversely with pressure or force exerted thereon to form a matrix array of force or pressure sensor elements. The threads are fixed to a single one or pair of flexible elastically stretchable substrate sheets made of thin sheets of an insulating polymer such as PVC, or for greater elasticity and conformability to irregularly-shaped objects such as human body parts, an elastically stretchable fabric such as LYCRA or SPANDEX. Elastic stretchability of the sensor arrays is optionally enhanced by disposing either or both row and column conductive threads in sinuously curved, serpentine paths rather than straight lines.

A method and apparatus for recognizing a gait pattern are provided. The method for recognizing a gate pattern includes: obtaining a walker's foot pressure distribution values through a pressure sensor array disposed at the bottom of a pair of shoes; calculating valid pressure points among the foot pressure distribution values; calculating a center of pressure (COP) movement trace by using the valid pressure points; and recognizing the walker's gait pattern by using the COP movement trace.

An apparatus 10,110 is provided that measures the speed of sound or acoustic disturbances propagating in a fluid or mixture having entrained gas / air to determine the gas volume fraction of the flow 12 propagating through a pipe 14. The apparatus includes an array of pressure sensors disposed axially along the length of the pipe. The apparatus measures the speed of sound propagating through the fluid to determine the gas volume fraction of the mixture using adaptive array processing techniques to define an acoustic ridge in the k-ω plane. The slope of the acoustic ridge 61 defines the speed of sound propagating through the fluid in the pipe.

A portable flow measuring apparatus is provided that measures the speed of sound and / or vortical disturbances propagating in a fluid flow to determine a parameter of the flow propagating through a pipe. The apparatus includes a sensing device that includes an array of pressure sensors, which may be removable, used to measure the acoustic and convective pressure variations in the flow to determine a desired parameter. A portable processing instrument processes the signals provided by the sensing array to provide an output signal indicative of a parameter of the fluid flow. The portable processing instrument includes a processor having appropriate processing algorithms to determine the desired or selected parameter(s) of the process flow 12. The portable processing instrument has a user interface to permit the user to select the parameters to be measured in the process flow, and / or more importantly, to enable the user to modify particular parameters or functions in the processor 30 and / or processing algorithms. The user interface 32 also enables a user to modify the code of the algorithm via a graphic user interface (GUI), keyboard and / or user input signal 34.

A system for directionally selective sound reception comprises an array of pressure sensors each arranged to output a pressure signal indicative of pressure, and processing means arranged to receive the pressure signals, identify a plurality of frequency components of the signals, identify at least one source direction, and identify at least one of the components as coming from the source direction. The sensor array comprises support means having two opposite sides and four sensors, at least one of the sensors being supported on each of the sides of the support means.

The present invention is systems and methods using an array of pressure based sensors to monitor biometric information in a human patient. Data assembled and analyzed form the pressure sensor array can be compared to reference data to analyze a variety of parameters including posture, position, movement, both at individual points and over time. The assembled data is correlated to behavior, or the presence, progression, or recovery relative to a disease state. Analytical methods are disclosed for processing absolute and relative position, time, and physical data from the pressure sensor array. The sensor may be creating single plane sensor, with arbitrary layers of pressure sensitive material. These sensor configurations can be used for a variety of end uses, such as pressure sensors, moisture sensors, temperature sensors, and any kind of flexible or rigid array of one or more sensors.

The invention relates to a traditional Chinese medical science pulse-taking instrument, which comprises a flexible body, a flexible pressure sensor array, an air bag, a signal processing system and a connecting structure; the flexible body is used for arranging the flexible pressure sensor array and the air bag; the air bag covers the side, far away from a wrist, of the flexible pressure sensor array; the connecting structure is used for fixing the flexible body at the wrist of a user. According to a pressure signal collected by the flexible pressure sensor array at the area of the radial styloid process of the wrist, the signal processing system determines the position of the highest point of the radial styloid process, and by combining the position of the highest point of the radial styloid process and a pressure signal collected by the flexible pressure sensor array at the area of a radial artery vessel of the wrist, the positions of Cun-Guan-Chi pulse points are finally determined. The invention further relates to a method for determining the Cun-Guan-Chi positions by using the pulse-taking instrument. The traditional Chinese medical science pulse-taking instrument can automatically search for Cun-Guan-Chi pulse points, and the degree of accuracy, repeatability and usability of the traditional Chinese medical science pulse-taking instrument are improved.

The present invention provides a method and device for high resolution 3-D detection of changes in mechanical and structural properties of the breast tissue that are indicative of breast cancer development. In one embodiment of the invention a compact hand held device comprises a pressure sensor array, a self-contained motion tracking system integrated with the pressure sensor array, and an electronic unit with a display. Mechanical imaging of the breast is achieved by pressing the sensing pad onto the breast, oscillating it over breast tissue portions with sequential returning to a reference point. Calculation of a trajectory and orientation of the pressure sensor array can include correction of the device position and orientation with a suitable Kalman filter using measured signals supplied from the motion tracking system and from the pressure sensor array. Analysis of pressure response data for oscillatory deformations comprises cumulative summation of a plurality of pressure patterns after spatially shifting every pattern by a pre-calculated value in an opposite direction of pressure sensor array motion. Determining mechanical and geometrical features of the breast inner structures includes formation of a 3-D mechanical image of the breast combining results of local scanning at all breast sites using calculated position and orientation data for the pressure sensor array.

The present invention relates to an automatic speed-controlled treadmill using a pressure sensor array and a method of operating the same. The automatic speed-controlled treadmill includes a walking belt, a pressure sensor array including pressure sensors for detecting loads of the exerciser's feet and outputting the detected loads of the feet as load detection signals, a pace speed status storage unit for storing a pace speed and variation in pace speed of the exerciser, and a control unit provided with an algorithm for calculating a pace speed of the exerciser using the load detection signals, calculating a difference between a previous pace speed and a current pace speed as the variation in pace speed, calculating the exercise center of the exerciser, and proportionally accelerating / decelerating a driving speed of the walking belt in consideration of the variation in pace speed and the exercise center.

A micro-rheometer for measuring flow characteristics such as viscosity, elasticity, and flow rate of a sample liquid combines well defined micro-fabricated flow channels having geometry changes forming a constriction region therein to a monolithically fabricated pressure sensor arrays. The pressure sensor array positions pressure sensors to measure the viscosity of the sample liquid while flowing in a uniform length of the flow passage and to measure the extensional viscosity while flowing through the constriction region of the passage. The invention can improve the measurement accuracy of the flow rate, viscosities, or elasticities over a wide range of shear rate. The accuracy of the viscosity over a broader range of shear rate or flow rate measurement over broader range of flow rates can be accomplished by employing monolithically integrated pressure sensors fabricated with different sensitivities disposed in a known manner. The invention further includes necessary components such as a display, a pumping system, valve manifolds, and software for a portable or laboratory measurement instrument, process control, and high throughput measurements.

The invention provides a leakage rate estimation system and method for product oil pipelines based on zero dimension and belongs to the technical field of leakage rate detection for the product oil pipelines. The method comprises the following steps: effectively analyzing a lot of data collected on site in a reasonable time, obtaining the state of a whole pipe segment by using a pressure sensor array, and therefore obtaining the pressure changing trend of the pipeline; meanwhile, analyzing whether the pipeline has abnormal conditions or not by adopting a flow balance method and combining with an information consistency theory. The method is visualized and simple, is high in sensitivity and low in false alarm rate and can precisely give an alarm for detection of the small leakage rate and slow leakage. A BP neural network is adopted to calculate the rate of pressure decay of the pipeline, so that the accuracy of the final result is improved. Meanwhile, the method adopting dimensionless modeling decreases the calculated amount and increases the calculation accuracy.

The invention discloses a wireless charging method and system of an electric vehicle. The charging method comprises the following steps that firstly, preparatory work is conducted, wherein a wireless transmitting device is arranged on the ground of a parking area, electric vehicle guide rails are arranged on the two sides of the parking area and are each provided with a set of pressure sensor arrays, and a wireless receiving device is arranged on the bottom of the electric vehicle in a lifting mode through a lifting device; secondly, charging position alignment of the electric vehicle is conducted through the pressure sensor arrays; thirdly, the electric vehicle executes charging operation, wherein the wireless receiving device drives the lifting device to descend the wireless receiving device towards the wireless transmitting device to enable the wireless receiving device to get close to the wireless transmitting device, and energy transmission maximization is achieved.

An input apparatus and method for tactile sensing is provided. The input apparatus includes a sensor array for outputting input data in an array format according to a touch input, and a controller for obtaining first input data for a first input from the sensor array if the first input above a predetermined pressure is imposed on the sensor array, for obtaining second input data for a second input from the sensor array if the second input above a predetermined pressure is imposed on the sensor array, for generating third input data indicating an input characteristic by comparing the first input data and the second input data, and for operating according to a program based on the third input data.

An apparatus measures the speed of sound and / or vortical disturbances propagating in a fluid flow to determine a parameter of the flow propagating through a pipe. The apparatus includes a sensing device that includes an array of pressure sensors used to measure the acoustic and convective pressure variations in the flow to determine a desired parameter. The sensing device includes a unitary strap having a plurality of bands disposed parallel to each other. The bands are interconnected by cross members to maintain the bands a predetermined distance apart. Each of the bands having a strip of piezoelectric film material mounted along a substantial length of the bands. The piezoelectric film material provides a signal indicative of the unsteady pressures within the pipe. The sensing device includes a conductive shield around the multi-band strap and the piezoelectric film material to provide a grounding shield.

A portable flow measuring apparatus measures the speed of sound and / or vortical disturbances propagating in a fluid flow to determine a parameter of the flow propagating through a pipe. The apparatus includes a sensing device that includes an array of pressure sensors, which may be removable, used to measure the acoustic and convective pressure variations in the flow to determine a desired parameter. A portable processing instrument processes the signals provided by the sensing array to provide an output signal indicative of a parameter of the fluid flow. The portable processing instrument includes a processor having appropriate processing algorithms to determine the desired or selected parameter(s) of the process flow 12. The portable processing instrument has a user interface to permit the user to select the parameters to be measured in the process flow, and / or more importantly, to enable the user to modify particular parameters or functions in the processor 30 and / or processing algorithms. The user interface 32 also enables a user to modify the code of the algorithm via a graphic user interface (GUI), keyboard and / or user input signal 34.

An infant monitoring system, comprising: a blanket member having a pressure sensor array in an arcuate shape; a speaker module; a control module to control the relay of signals; a remote alert module for audio and vibratory alerts; and a relay module, in communication with the control module, remote alert module and a user. The blanket member has multiple layers. The pressure sensor array includes at least one pressure sensor disposed in a fluid filled member for registering pressure differentials applied thereto. There is a multiplicity of pressure sensor arrays inside the blanket member; the multiplicity of pressure sensor arrays is formed in concentric arcuate shapes proximate to each other. The pressure sensor array is curved so as to define a top half of a body outline. The pressure sensor array has a material disposed around it to form a semi-tubular shape to keep an infant in a proper position.

The invention discloses a flexible resistive-type pressure sensor array and a preparation method therefor. The flexible resistive-type pressure sensor array comprises a surface packaging layer, an electrode layer and a functional layer, wherein the electrode layer comprises a base film and a plurality of thin film metal wires arranged on the base film at equal intervals. The thin film metal wiresare connected with a multi-way gate. The functional layer is a flexible elastic film with a convex microstructure on the surface, and the flexible elastic film is covered by a plurality of conductivemetal wires arranged at equal intervals, wherein the conductive metal wires are connected with an operational amplifier. The thin film metal wires of the electrode layer and the conductive metal wiresof the functional layer are stacked and assembled in a vertical crossing manner. The pressure sensor array provided by the invention has a series of advantages, such as high sensitivity, fast response and recovery, low operating voltage, large array scale, simple preparation process, and low cost.

The invention discloses a distributed flexible pressure sensor based on an electrically active polymer. The distributed flexible pressure sensor comprises a sensor array, a switching circuit, an interface circuit and a computer. The sensor array is used for preparing a corresponding array according to the size of a measuring plane and inputting pressure. The switching circuit is used for converting a sensed capacitance value into a voltage value. The interface circuit is used for conducting line-rank scanning, filtering, amplifying and A / D conversion on an input signal and converting an analog voltage signal into a digital voltage signal capable of being read by the computer. The computer is used for collecting, analyzing, processing and displaying the data input by the interface circuit. The flexible pressure sensor can be widely applied to the fields of human health monitoring, physical training, medical rehabilitation, biomechanics and safety monitoring and the like.

Disclosed are a pressure sensor, a pressure sensor array and a preparation method thereof. The pressure sensor comprises an organic thin film transistor, the organic thin film transistor comprising asubstrate, a gate electrode at the surface of the substrate, an insulating layer covering the gate electrode and the substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode on the surface of the insulating layer, and a semiconductor layer covering the source and drain electrodes and the insulating layer; an insulating pressure-sensitive thin film over the semiconductor layer of the organic thin film transistor, a gap being present between the pressure-sensitive thin film and the semiconductor layer; and a top electrode located on the surface of the pressure-sensitive thin film. The above pressuresensor has a higher sensitivity and integration degree.

A non-invasive array-based hemodynamic monitoring system on chip is disclosed. The non-invasive array-based hemodynamic monitoring system on chip comprises a CMOS MEMS pressure sensor array, a readout circuit, and a signal control system. The CMOS MEMS pressure sensor array is configured to sense a pulse wave of a blood vessel. The readout circuit is coupled with each of the CMOS compatible MEMS pressure sensors and is configured to read the pulse wave and transformed the pulse wave into a voltage signal. The signal control system is coupled with each of the readout circuit, and is configured to estimate a wave velocity according to the voltage signal.