US 7059195 B1
Disposable pressure sensor methods and systems are disclosed. A substrate can be provided, along with a capacitor and an inductor fixed to the substrate to form a pressure sensor thereof. In a variable L configuration, the inductor can be configured to comprise an inductor surface and a diaphragm, such that when the diaphragm is exposed to a pressure, the diaphragm moves close to the inductor surface, thereby resulting in an increase in the inductance and a decrease in the resonant frequency associated with the capacitor and the inductor and any associated circuitry. In a variable C configuration, the capacitor can be configured to comprise one electrode on the surface and one on the diaphragm, such that when the diaphragm is exposed to a pressure, the diaphragm moves close to the capacitor surface, thereby resulting in an increase in the capacitance and a decrease in the resonant frequency associated with the capacitor and the inductor and any associated circuitry. Such increase and/or decrease data are detectable by external interrogation.
1. A disposable sensor system, comprising:
a capacitor and an inductor fixed to said substrate to form a disposable pressure sensor thereof, wherein said inductor comprises an inductor surface, at least one electrode of a capacitor and a diaphragm, wherein when said diaphragm is exposed to a pressure, said diaphragm moves close to said inductor surface and/or said at least one capacitor electrode, thereby resulting in an increase in an inductance and/or a capacitance and a decrease in a resonant frequency associated with said capacitor and said inductor, wherein said increase and said decrease are detectable by external interrogation; and
interrogation electronics associated with said inductor and said capacitor, wherein said interrogation electronics externally detect said increase in said inductance and/or said capacitance and said decrease in said resonant frequency.
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9. A disposable sensor system, comprising:
a capacitor and an inductor fixed to said substrate to form a disposable pressure sensor thereof, wherein said inductor comprises an inductor surface, at least one electrode of a capacitor and a diaphragm, wherein when said diaphragm is exposed to a pressure, said diaphragm moves close to said inductor surface and/or said at least one capacitor electrode, thereby resulting in an increase in an inductance and/or a capacitance and a decrease in a resonant frequency associated with said capacitor and said inductor, wherein said increase and said decrease are detectable by external interrogation;
interrogation electronics associated with said inductor and said capacitor, wherein said interrogation electronics externally detect said increase in said inductance and/or said capacitance and said decrease in said resonant frequency; and
a laser trimming mechanism for laser trimming said capacitor in order to calibrate data based on said decrease in said resonant frequency and/or for laser trimming said inductor in order to calibrate data based on said increase in said inductance.
10. A disposable sensor method, comprising the steps of:
providing a substrate;
fixing a capacitor and an inductor fixed to said substrate to form a disposable pressure sensor thereof;
configuring said include an inductor surface, at least one capacitor electrode and a diaphragm, wherein when said diaphragm is exposed to a pressure, said diaphragm moves close to said inductor and/or a surface of said at least one capacitor electrode, thereby resulting in an increase in an inductance and/or a capacitance and a decrease in a resonant frequency associated with said capacitor and said inductor, wherein said increase and said decrease are detectable by external interrogation; and
associating interrogation electronics with said inductor and said capacitor, wherein said interrogation electronics externally detect said increase in said inductance and/or said capacitance and said decrease in said resonant frequency.
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Embodiments are generally related to sensing devices and applications. Embodiments are also related to pressure sensor devices, systems and methods thereof. Embodiments are additionally related to pressure sensors utilized in medical applications. Embodiments are additionally related to low cost disposable sensing devices.
A variety of sensors can be utilized to detect conditions, such as pressure and temperature. The ability to detect pressure and/or temperature is an advantage to any device exposed to variable pressure conditions, which can be severely affected by these conditions. An example of such a device is a catheter or a cartridge for hemodialysis machine, which of course, can experience variations in both temperature and pressure. Many different techniques have been proposed for sensing the pressure and/or temperature in catheters and cartridges, and for delivering this information to an operator so that he or she is aware of pressure and temperature conditions associated with a catheter or a cartridge and any fluid, such as blood flowing therein.
One type of sensor that has found wide use in pressure and temperature sensing applications is the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensor, which can be composed of a sense element on a base and pressure transducer sensor diaphragm that is part of the cover. For a SAW sensor to function properly, the sensor diaphragm should generally be located in intimate contact with the sense element at all pressure levels and temperatures.
One of the problems with current SAW sensor designs, particularly those designs adapted to lower pressure range applications, is the inability of conventional SAW sensing systems to meet the demand in low pressure applications. (e.g., 0 to 500 mmHg), while doing so in an efficient and low cost manner. Such systems are inherently expensive, awkward, and often are not reliable in accurately sensing air pressure and temperature. There is a continuing need to lower the cost of sensor designs utilized in pressure and/or temperature sensing applications, particularly wireless pressure sensors.
A number of conventional passive wireless technologies have been utilized in commercial and industrial applications. For example, an LC resonator (tank) sensor has the potential of being utilized as a low cost sensor with a low interrogation cost, but provides a relatively poor sensor performance. An LC tank with regulated power, an associated ASIC and so forth has also been implemented, such a device may be good for multiple sensing applications, but such a configuration presents a high sensor cost and a large area coil.
PVDF acoustic wave sensors are also known and are based on low cost materials such as polymer along with flexible components thereof, but PVDF acoustic wave sensors are typically both piezo-electric and pyro-electric (i.e., highly temperature dependent), and cannot be exposed to temperatures greater than 120° C. Additionally the dimensions for a PVDF sensor are frequency dependent, such that the higher frequencies increase the associated costs to the sensor. Another example of a conventional sensor is the magneto elastic sensor, which is based on a low cost material, but such a sensor has difficulties in overcoming ambient RF effects, while also possessing long term stability issues associated with permanent magnetic materials, temperature variation and hysteresis problems.
A further example of a passive sensor is a quartz SAW sensor, which is generally accurate but results in a high sensor cost (i.e., material and etching) and trimming thereof lowers the Q value, and hence the performance of the device. Additionally the interrogation electronics (IE) for such a device can be expensive. A PZT SAW sensing device presents an alternative. The PZT material possesses a high coupling coefficient, which makes it possible working in low pressure range without an etched diaphragm. But it is difficult to control PZT chemistry (e.g., grain size, orientation, residual stress, control of nucleation at the at the electrode/PZT interface, Zr/Ti ratio control). PZT SAW sensor devices are also plagued with issues related to electrode materials migration, another drawback to the use of such a device.
A further example of a conventional sensor is the LiNbO3 SAW sensor, which also possesses high coupling coefficient/sensitivity. Such a sensor can be utilized in low pressure measurement without using a costly etching step. The LiNbO3 SAW sensor possesses a lower cost structure than the Quartz SAW sensor, but remains too high for cost-effective applications, particularly when considering its associated sensor packaging and interrogation electronics (IE) costs. Optical sensors represent additional types of conventional sensing applications and utilize optical fibers positioned in front of a flexible reflecting diaphragm. The intensity of the reflected light is related to the pressure induced deflections of the diaphragm. The relative position needs reference sensor, and therefore the alignment is difficult to control in sensing applications. Another drawback to optical sensors is that such devices are susceptible to environmental interference.
To lower the cost and raise efficiency, few components, less expensive materials and fewer manufacturing-processing steps are necessary. In order to achieve these goals, it is believed that a disposable LC tank pressure sensor should be implemented, along with reusable wireless interrogations. To date, such components have not been adequately achieved.
One area where the ability to detect pressure and/or temperature is critically important is in medical applications. Pressure in and out during a dialysis routine, for example, can be measured utilizing several techniques. Perhaps the most common methodology for such pressure measurement involves the use of a pressure sensor, which may be molded inside one wall of the conduit to the fluid pressure within the conduit. Inside the gauge, a needle is deflected over a scale in proportion to the pressure within the conduit. In some instances, the standard pressure gauge may be replaced with a transducer which converts pressure into an electrical signal which is then monitored. One important medical application for a pressure sensor involves detecting a patient's blood pressure, and/or intracranial pressure.
One typical method of monitoring blood pressure is to measure the fluid pressure within an intravenous tube which is hydraulically coupled to the patient's vein. A catheter is inserted into the patient's vein and a plastic tube or conduit coupled to the catheter. A saline solution can be drip-fed through the plastic tubing or conduit to maintain a pressure balance against the pressure within the patient's vein. The saline fluid acts as a hydraulic fluid to cause the pressure within the plastic tubing to correspond to the pressure within the patient's vein. Hence, by measuring the fluid pressure within the tubing, the patient's blood pressure will be known.
Conventional pressure sensors are expensive to implement in medical applications, rendering their wide-spread use limited, particularly in medical applications. It is therefore believed that a solution to such problems involves a disposable low cost sensor packaging system, particularly one which is suited to medical applications.
The following summary of the invention is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present invention and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.
It is, therefore, one aspect of the present invention to provide for improved sensing devices and applications
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide for improved pressure sensor devices, systems and methods thereof.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide for an improved disposable pressure sensor.
It is an additional aspect of the present invention to provide for a pressure sensor, which can be utilized in medical applications (e.g., a catheter or a cartridge for hemodialysis machine).
The aforementioned aspects of the invention and other objectives and advantages can now be achieved as described herein. Disposable LC wireless pressure sensor systems and methods are disclosed. A substrate can be provided. The substrate can be, for example, plastic, PCB or other low cost materials. In the variable capacitance design, a capacitor electrode and a planar inductor can be printed on the substrate to form a pressure sensor thereof. Another capacitor electrode can be located on the pressure diaphragm. In a variable inductance design, the inductor can be configured to comprise a planar inductor on the substrate and a ferromagnetic pressure diaphragm, such that when the diaphragm is exposed to a pressure, the diaphragm moves close to the planar inductor, thereby resulting in an increase in the inductance and a decrease in the resonant frequency of the LC tank resonant circuit associated with the capacitor and the inductor and any associated circuitry.
Such increase and/or decrease data are detectable by external interrogation. The diaphragm can be configured from a ferromagnetic material, such as, for example, Fe3O4, alloys containing iron, nickel or cobalt, ferrite lamination, and the like. The diaphragm can also be configured as a bossed or corrugated structure. Interrogation electronics can be associated with the pressure sensor, including the inductor and/or the capacitor, in order to detect the capacitance or inductance variation and changes in the resonant frequency. Calibration can be accomplished utilizing, for example, a laser trimming mechanism for laser trimming the capacitor and/or inductor.
The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.
The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate at least one embodiment of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The diaphragm 112 can be configured from a ferromagnetic material 106, such as, for example, Fe3O4, alloys containing iron, nickel or cobalt, ferrite lamination, and the like. The diaphragm 112 can also be configured as a bossed or a corrugated structure. Interrogation electronics 102 can additionally be associated with the pressure sensor, including the planar inductor 114 (as antenna) and other associated electronics in order to detect the inductance variation and/or changes in the resonant frequency. Calibration can be accomplished utilizing, for example, a laser trimming mechanism (not shown in
Thus, in the variable inductance configuration, a fixed capacitor 110 and a fixed inductor 104 can be implemented, along with a movable diaphragm 112. The ferromagnetic materials 106 are located on the outside surface of the diaphragm 112. When the diaphragm 112 is under pressure, as indicated by arrows 108, the diaphragm 112 moves (i.e., together with ferromagnetic materials 106) close to inductor 104, so that the inductance thereof increases and any resonant frequency associated with the circuitry thereof decreases. Such a frequency change can be detected utilizing interrogation electronics 102.
Output from sample hold circuit 406 can be provided to an ASIC 410. Output from VCO 404 is generally provided at node A and node B. The interrogation antenna can be, for example, an inductor or coil 412, and is also generally connected to node A and node B and is located adjacent to an inductor or coil 414, which lies in parallel with a capacitor 416. Coil 414 and capacitor 416 together can form a sensor circuit. A Grid Dip Oscillator (GDO) 408 can provide sample data to sample hold circuit 406 and can additionally provide read data to ASIC 410, which in turn provides a linear output signal as indicated by arrow 411.
Two circuits 401 and 403 are therefore effectively coupled to one another through inductive coupling via the configuration of system 400. The first circuit 401 generally provides the interrogation electronic (IE) and is generally composed of function generator 402, a voltage controlled oscillator (i.e., VCO 404), sample hold circuit 406, GDO 408, ASIC 410 and an interrogation inductor or coil 412. The second circuit 403, which functions as a sensor or forms part of a sensor, can be composed of inductor or coil 414 in parallel with capacitor 416.
Inductor or coil 412 functions generally as a probe coil. Thus, when the probe coil 412 is close to the coil 414 of the sensor circuit 403, the two circuits 401 and 403 are effectively coupled through inductive coupling. As the frequency of the oscillator (VCO) 404 is swept, oscillations induced in the sensor circuit 403 will be of very low amplitude until the test oscillator reaches the resonant frequency of the sensor tuned circuit, at which point they will “peak” or increase sharply in amplitude. A high circulating current is thus developed in the sensor circuit 403, which is reflected back into the GDO 408 as high impedance, tending to reduce the level of oscillation, or showing a “dip” in oscillation.
By measuring the “dip,” the resonant frequency of the sensor and therefore the displacement (or pressure) of the variable elements coil 414, 416 (L, C or L&C) may be determined.
Note that the sample hold circuit 406 generally possesses an input provided by the voltage output of function generator 402. Sample hold circuit 406 also provides an output voltage that can be held at the constant value until another pulse from GDO 408 and comparator is applied to the “sample” input of sample hold circuit 406 as indicated by arrow 405. The output of the sample hold circuit 406 can be directed into a linearization circuit, i.e., ASIC 410.
The output of the ASIC 410 as indicated by arrow 411 can be directed into a voltmeter or an appropriate customer input circuit. Additionally, the function generator 402 can oscillate at a relatively low frequency (e.g., 10 Hz to 100 Hz) with a ramp or triangular waveform that causes the voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 404 to sweep its output between a desired range (e.g. 10 MHz +/−1 MHz).
The interrogation electronics depicted in system 400 are generally associated with inductor 414 and capacitor 416. Note that capacitor 110 depicted in
The determination of pressure applied to sensor circuit 403 is generally independent of the amplitude of the response, and may dependent only on the frequency of resonant oscillation, which is inherently a digital measurement. Digital measurement can be configure with greater accuracy through the utilization of an analog quantity, because measurement drift and gain instability do not affect the digital measurement. The accuracy of a frequency count is dependent solely on the stability of the time base. With a crystal oscillator time base, for example, stabilities of 1 PPM are commonplace. The accuracy with which the resonant frequency of the sensor may be determined it limited only by the ability to resolve the “peak” or “dip” of the response. This is a function of the sharpness of the response peak of the transducer resonant circuit, which can be determined by a circuit “Q” or quality factor. Because a circuit “Q” is simply the ration of the circuit reactance to circuit resistance, the transducers should be designed to possess the highest possible inductance or capacitance and the lowest possible resistance to ensure a high “Q”.
Thus, the output of VCO 404 can be implemented as a swept radio frequency signal sweeping between a desired range (e.g., 10 MHz +/−1 MHz). The output of VCO 404 drives the probe coil 412, which can be brought into proximity to the LC sensor circuit formed by inductor 414 and capacitor 416. A portion of the output of VCO 404 can be directed into a tracking oscillator 408 and/or a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit 502, the output of which normally tracks and remains synchronized with the input frequency from the VCO 404. Signal proportional to the instantaneous power driving probe coil 412 can be directed into GDO 408 in order to generate an output pulse at the minimum point of the “dip” response as indicated in
A number of methods can be utilized for detecting the “dip,” such as a differentiating circuit followed by a zero-crossing detector. The pulse output of the GDO 408 is present only when a dip has been detected, and then only at the minimum point of the dip where the derivative is zero. This output can be directed to the tracking oscillator/PLL 502 in order to “freeze” its frequency of oscillation at the input frequency at the instant where the “dip” was detected. The same signal can be utilized to gate a frequency counter 504, which can read the output frequency of the tracking oscillator/PLL 502 and displays the resultant count.
System 500 can be implemented in the context of a medical application, such as, for example, a dialysis machine. A dialysis machine typically includes a dialysis cartridge. When the dialysis cartridge is away from the dialysis machine, the probe coil 412 is distant from a resonant sensor and no dip is detected by the GDO 408 as the VCO 404 is swept through its range. The digital display of the frequency counter is blanked as the system 500 is initially activated and remains blanketed until a dip is detected. As the dialysis cartridge is brought near enough to the probe coil 412 to become inductively coupled, that condition is reflected back into the probe circuit 501 of system 500. A dip can therefore be detected during each frequency sweep, which causes the frequency counter 504 display to update once per sweep.
As the pressure changes, the resonant frequency of the sensor also varies, and this change can be detected by the GDO 408 and the frequency counter 504. This count will vary slightly with distance between probe coil 412 and LC sensor circuit 403 due to the loading effect of the probe coil 412 on the resonant circuit of the sensor thereof. The most accurate measurement of the resonant frequency of a tune circuit can be produced when the coupling between the probe coil and the LC sensor circuit 403 is as “loose” as possible.
System 600 is generally composed of a dialysis machine 612 that includes an interrogation system coil 412, which is similar to coil 412 depicted in
A ferrite core 604, which is analogous to ferromagnetic materials 106 illustrated in
The inductance of the coil 414 increases directly as the permeability of the core material 604 increases or the capacitance associated with capacitor 606 changes. If a coil is wound around iron or ferrite core 604, the permeability of core 604 is high. If the iron or ferrite core 604 is pulled away from the coil of wire formed by coil 414, the permeability of the core 604 decreases. As the permeability of the core 604 decreases, the inductance of the coil 414 also decreases. Such a configuration increases the frequency of the resonating circuit. The permeability of the core 604 or inductance of the coil 414 changes with mechanical movement induced by pressure change.
Note that in
The embodiments and examples set forth herein are presented to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the invention. Those skilled in the art, however, will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. Other variations and modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art, and it is the intent of the appended claims that such variations and modifications be covered.
The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the scope of the following claims. It is contemplated that the use of the present invention can involve components having different characteristics. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.