Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100213929 | ROTOR BLADE SENSOR - A rotor blade sensor for detecting a rotor blade ( | 08-26-2010 |
20110314914 | ACOUSTIC OSCILLATOR - An acoustic oscillator arrangement includes an acoustic system having at least one acoustic transmission path through it, and at least one mode. The acoustic transmission path is of variable length. A controller is provided with an amplifier and a feedback network which together provide a positive feedback oscillator for exciting a mode of the acoustic system. The feedback network comprises a non linear amplitude control element (N-LACE), a frequency dependent gain element with an electronic transfer function, and a phase compensator. The acoustic oscillator arrangement also includes an acoustic transmitter which launches an acoustic signal into the acoustic system based upon an output from the controller, and an acoustic receiver which receives an acoustic signal from the acoustic system which is fed back to the controller. Such a stabilized positive feedback arrangement is self exciting at the effective resonance frequency of the acoustic system and avoids the need for an external fixed or variable frequency driver. | 12-29-2011 |
20110316560 | REMOTE SENSOR DEVICE - A self-oscillating remote sensor device includes a delay-line sensor system having at least one delay-line and at least one sensor element. The device also includes an oscillator control circuitry, and a frequency selection impedance connecting the delay-line sensor system and the oscillator control circuitry and presenting an impedance to the delay-line sensor system. The oscillator control circuitry includes an amplifier, a non linear amplitude control element (N-LACE) such as an active device with a negative differential conductance that provides an output whose amplitude has a negative second derivative with respect to an input signal, and a driver. Such a device permits successful interaction between electrical sensors and controlling (driving) electronics over long distances without the problems normally encountered when a delay-line is presented between an electrical sensor and its driver electronics. | 12-29-2011 |
20110316638 | DELAY-LINE SELF-OSCILLATOR - An electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic delay line self oscillator is described with a delay line arrangement, an oscillator control circuitry, and a frequency selection impedance connecting the delay line arrangement and the oscillator control circuitry and presenting an impedance to the delay line arrangement. The oscillator control circuitry includes an amplifier, a non linear amplitude control element (N-LACE) such as an active device with a negative differential conductance that provides an output amplitude has a negative second derivative with respect to an input signal, and a driver. The modal characteristics of electromagnetic delay lines can thus be exploited across a wide range of instrumentation applications, and a means is provided to enhance the achievable functionality and/or performance of the instrumentation without the need for expensive additional electrical hardware or electronics. | 12-29-2011 |
20120133448 | MECHANICAL OSCILLATOR - A mechanical oscillator arrangement includes a mechanical structure ( | 05-31-2012 |
20130076373 | TARGET SENSOR - Target sensor comprising: sensor probe having a resonance frequency that changes as the separation of the sensor probe and a target changes. Oscillator arranged to apply a radio frequency (RF) signal to the sensor probe, the oscillator having: control circuitry configured to regulate the frequency of the RF signal applied to the sensor probe to below the resonance frequency of the sensor probe. Detector arranged to detect an electrical characteristic of the oscillator that varies with the impedance of the sensor probe indicating an interaction of the sensor probe with the target. | 03-28-2013 |
20140091785 | TARGET CLEARANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A target or rotor blade clearance measurement device is disclosed for indicating an interaction of a measurement probe with a target or rotor blade. In a preferred embodiment, the measurement device comprises a measurement probe containing a coil, a frequency source arranged to apply an input alternating signal to the measurement probe, and a frequency regulator arranged to regulate the input alternating signal at a frequency below the resonance frequency of the measurement probe. A detector is arranged to detect an output signal from the measurement probe at a frequency of the frequency source which varies in amplitude with an admittance and resonance frequency of the measurement probe. A circuit is arranged to scale the amplitude of the output signal detected by the detector according to the amplitude of the input signal provided by the frequency source. | 04-03-2014 |