Microscale autonomous sensor and communications module
| DWPI Title: Microscale autonomous sensor and communications module for outputting e.g. signal informing human of existence of corrosion in piping has energy storage device that provides electric power to integrated circuit, sensor, and optical emitter |
| Abstract: Various technologies pertaining to a microscale autonomous sensor and communications module are described herein. Such a module includes a sensor that generates a sensor signal that is indicative of an environmental parameter. An integrated circuit receives the sensor signal and generates an output signal based at least in part upon the sensor signal. An optical emitter receives the output signal and generates an optical signal as a function of the output signal. An energy storage device is configured to provide power to at least the integrated circuit and the optical emitter, and wherein the module has a relatively small diameter and thickness. |
| Use: Microscale autonomous sensor and communications module for relaying information pertaining to existence of environmental parameters to human beings such as outputting optical signal informing human of existence of particular chemical that corresponds to corrosion in set of piping utilized in e.g. nuclear power plant, outputting optical signals in response to sensing electromagnetic radiation from sun and receiving optical signals from other modules to create ever-changing light display in toy or floating display device such as snow globe. |
| Advantage: Allows module to continuously operate autonomously over relatively long period of time since integrated circuit causes the optical emitter to be provided with electric power from the energy storage device. |
| Novelty: The microscale autonomous sensor and communications module (100) has an integrated circuit (104) that generates an output signal based at least in part upon the sensor signal output by a sensor (110) and executable instructions in a memory. The sensor signal indicates at least one environmental parameter pertaining to the module. An energy storage device (102) provides electric power to integrated circuit, sensor, and optical emitter (116). The module has a size of less than two millimeters in diameter and less than two millimeters in thickness. |
| Filed: 9/22/2011 |
| Application Number: US13240354A |
| Tech ID: SD 11600.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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