Methods and apparatus to measure and analyze vibration signatures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019361117-A1
Application number	US-201916534593-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 7, 2019
Priority date	Aug 17, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to measure and analyze vibration signatures are disclosed. In some examples, a meter is provided comprising a waveform generator to generate a waveform based on first distance measurements of an object. In some examples, the meter includes a waveform generator to determine a first vibration characteristic of the object based on the waveform. In some examples, the meter includes a comparator to compare the first vibration characteristic to a signature vibration characteristic of the object, the signature vibration characteristic of the object indicative of normal characteristics of the object. In some examples, the meter includes a reporter to, in response to determining the first vibration characteristic does not match the signature vibration characteristic, generate an alert.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer to:
generate an emission at a first frequency;
receive a reflection by an object in response to the emission; and
provide a signal in response to the reflection;
a waveform generator to sample the signal provided by the ultrasonic transducer to produce a waveform; a waveform analyzer to determine, based on the waveform, a characteristic of a vibration of the object at a second frequency that is different form the first frequency; and a comparator to compare the characteristic to a database.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the waveform analyzer is to determine the characteristic based on distance measurements between the ultrasonic transducer and the object associated with the waveform.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the waveform analyzer is to determine the characteristic based on a zero crossing of the waveform.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the waveform analyzer is to determine the characteristic based on an envelope of the waveform.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic is from a group consisting of: a frequency of the vibration of the object, an amplitude of the vibration of the object, a height of the vibration of the object, a velocity associated with the vibration of the object, and an acceleration associated with the vibration of the object.

6 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a signature associator to record the characteristic in the database in response to the characteristic not matching the database.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the signature associator is further to increment a count of a recorded characteristic in the database that is associated with the object in response to the characteristic matching the recorded characteristic.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the signature associator is further to assign an identifier to the characteristic in response to the count of the recorded characteristic exceeding a threshold.

9 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the signature associator is further to assign an abnormal identifier to the characteristic in response to the characteristic conflicting with a recorded characteristic in the database that is associated with the object.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the reflection is a first reflection; the ultrasonic transducer is a first ultrasonic transducer configured to receive the first reflection from a first surface of the object; and the device further includes a second ultrasonic transducer to receive a second reflection by a second surface of the object.

11 . A method, comprising:
obtaining, via an ultrasonic transducer, an echo from an object in response to an emission at a first frequency; generating, via a processor, a waveform based on the echo; determining, via the processor, a vibration characteristic representing vibration of the object at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency based on the waveform; and comparing, via the processor, the vibration characteristic to a signature vibration characteristic of the object in a database.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the vibration characteristic includes at least one of: a frequency, an amplitude, a height, a velocity, or an acceleration.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining of the vibration characteristic includes:
determining a maximum amplitude of the waveform; determining a time where an amplitude of the waveform is greater than half a maximum amplitude the waveform; performing phase linear regression on points of the waveform around the time; determining a nearest zero crossing of the waveform based on the points; and determining a sub wavelength resolution based on the nearest zero crossing.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining of the vibration characteristic includes:
determining an amplitude of the waveform; determining a velocity of the waveform based on the amplitude; and determining an acceleration of the waveform based on the velocity.

15 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
recording the vibration characteristic in the database in response to the vibration characteristic not matching the signature vibration characteristic in the database.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
incrementing a count of the signature vibration characteristic based on the vibration characteristic matching the signature vibration characteristic.

17 . The method of claim 11 further comprising identifying a walking pattern of a person based on the vibration characteristic.

18 . A meter comprising:
an ultrasonic transceiver to:
obtain distance measurements of an object using an emission at a first frequency; and
convert the distance measurements into a signal;
a controller coupled to the ultrasonic transceiver, the controller to:
receive the signal from the ultrasonic transceiver;
determine, based on the signal, a characteristic of vibration of the object at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency; and
compare the characteristic of vibration to a database.

19 . The meter of claim 18 , wherein the controller is further to:
increment a counter associated with a signature characteristic in the database that is associated with the object in response to the characteristic of vibration matching the signature characteristic; and associate an identifier with the characteristic of vibration in response to the counter exceeding a threshold.

20 . The meter of claim 18 further comprising a filter circuit coupled between the ultrasonic transceiver and the controller to filter the signal prior to providing it to the controller.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Estevez Leonardo William
• Zhu Yuming
• Patole Sujeet Milind

Classifications

• G01N29/11

  by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01S15/582

  using transmission of interrupted pulse-modulated waves and based upon the Doppler effect resulting from movement of targets · CPC title

• G01S15/10 Primary

  using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurement G01S15/32) · CPC title

• G01N29/075

  by measuring or comparing phase angle (measuring frequencies or phase angles per se G01R23/00, G01R25/00) · CPC title

• G01N2291/014

  Resonance or resonant frequency · CPC title