WIRELESS SENSOR AND METHOD OF INTERROGATING THEREOF

摘要

A wireless sensor array communication system includes a plurality of wireless sensors each including a resonant circuit that is excited by an RF pulse so as to provide a resonant energy proportional to a measurand being monitored. A transceiver of an interrogator system transmits RF pulses to each of the sensors to excite the resonant circuits therein and receives RF signals transmitted from each of the sensors that are indicative of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit. A magnet-gradient coil arrangement of the interrogator system generates a magnetic field and selectively applies magnetic field gradients along a number of axes, such that a frequency and phase of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit of each wireless sensor is altered responsive thereto, with the altered frequency and phase of the resonant energy being a function of a location of the respective wireless sensor within the magnetic field.

主权项

1. A wireless sensor array communication system comprising:
a sensor array composed of a plurality of wireless sensors, each of the plurality of wireless sensors comprising a resonant circuit that is excited responsive to an RF pulse received by the wireless sensor such that the resonant circuit provides a resonant energy, with a characteristic of the resonant energy being proportional to a measurand monitored by the passive wireless sensor; and an interrogator system comprising:
a transceiver in operable communication with each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array, the transceiver configured to:
transmit RF pulses to each of the plurality of wireless sensors to excite the respective resonant circuits therein; andreceive RF signals transmitted from each of the plurality of wireless sensors in the sensor array, each of the RF signals being indicative of the resonant energy provided by the resonant circuit; anda magnet-gradient coil arrangement configured to generate a magnetic field and selectively apply magnetic field gradients to the magnetic field along a number of axes; wherein each of the plurality of wireless sensors is configured such that a frequency and phase of the resonant energy provided by its respective resonant circuit, and included in the RF signal transmitted therefrom, is altered responsive to the generated magnetic field and the applied magnetic field gradients, the altered frequency and phase of the resonant energy being a function of a location of the respective wireless sensor within the magnetic field.