Package, made of building material, for a parameter monitoring device, within a solid structure, and relative device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9791303-B2
Application number	US-201314401332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2013
Priority date	May 25, 2012
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A package for a device to be inserted into a solid structure may include a building material that includes particles of one of micrometric and sub-micrometric dimensions. The device may include an integrated detection module having at least one integrated sensor and the package arranged to coat at least one portion of the device including the integrated detection module. A method aspect includes a method of manufacturing the device. A system aspect is for monitoring parameters in a solid structure that includes the device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A package for a device configured to detect at least one local parameter in a solid structure comprising:
a housing comprising a plurality of cement particles and a plurality of silica particles joined together, said plurality of cement particles and said plurality of silica particles having a dimension less than or equal to 10 microns.

2. The package according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of silica particles has a dimension less than or equal to 1 micron.

3. The package according to claim 1 , wherein said package is isotropic on a millimetric scale.

4. The package according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of silica particles comprises microsilica particles.

5. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an integrated detection module; wherein said housing has a recess therein configured to receive said integrated detection module therein; and wherein said housing comprises a filling within the recess and configured to surround said integrated detection module.

6. The package according to claim 5 , wherein said housing is configured to be rotated with respect to an axes system of the package to determine a predefined positioning of the integrated detection module to detect the at least one local parameter along a corresponding predefined direction relative to the predefined positioning.

7. A device for detecting at least one local parameter within a solid structure comprising:
an integrated detection module comprising at least one integrated sensor configured to detect the at least one parameter; and
a package configured to cover said integrated detection module;
said package comprising a plurality of cement particles and a plurality of silica particles joined together, said plurality of cement particles and said plurality of silica particles having a dimension less than or equal to 10 microns.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said package has an internal surface in contact with said at least one integrated sensor, and has an external surface in contact with the solid structure, the internal and external surfaces defining a separation between said at least one integrated sensor and the solid structure and configured to allow the transfer of at least one detectable quantity related to the at least one local parameter to said at least one integrated sensor.

9. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said at least one integrated sensor is configured to detect the at least one parameter selected from the group of pressure, temperature, and mechanical stress.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein said integrated sensor comprises at least one temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature based upon variations in a mobility of silicon based upon temperature values at a plurality of different points of contact between the solid structure and said package.

11. The device according to claim 9 , wherein said at least one integrated sensor comprises a pressure sensor comprising a crystalline material having at least one crystalline axis, said pressure sensor being configured to measure a pressure along the at least one crystalline axis based upon piezoresistivity of silicon based upon a pressure along the at least one crystalline axis and at plurality of different points of contact between the solid structure and said package.

12. The device according to claim 9 , wherein said at least one integrated sensor comprises a mechanical stress sensor comprising a crystalline material having at least one crystalline axis, said mechanical stress sensor being configured to measure a mechanical stress along the at least one crystalline axis based upon piezoresistivity of silicon based upon a mechanical stress along the at least one crystalline axis and at plurality of different points of contact between the solid structure and said package.

13. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said integrated detection module further comprises an integrated antenna coupled to said at least one integrated sensor to define a single integrated circuit (IC) chip; and wherein said package surrounds said single IC chip.

14. The device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
electromagnetic circuitry configured to communicate between said integrated antenna and a remote antenna, said integrated antenna, electromagnetic circuitry, and the remote antenna being configured to communicate via at least one of a magnetic and electromagnetic coupling; and
a support configured to provide support to said integrated detection module and said electromagnetic circuitry, and further configured to fix the device to a supporting structure passing through points to be monitored within the solid structure;
said package covering at least a portion of said support.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein said electromagnetic circuitry comprises:
a first antenna configured to communicate with said integrated antenna via a magnetic coupling for near-field electromagnetic communication;
a second antenna configured to communicate with the remote antenna via a far-field electromagnetic communication; and
connection circuitry configured to connect said first antenna and said second antenna;
said package covering a portion of the support including said first antenna.

16. The device according to claim 15 , wherein said first antenna and said second antenna are configured to be inclined to each other at an angle between 0° and 180°.

17. The device according to claim 15 , wherein said connection circuitry further comprise:
a third antenna and a first transmission line coupled thereto, said first transmission line connected to said first antenna; and
a fourth antenna and a second transmission line coupled thereto, said second transmission line connected to said second antenna, and said second and fourth antennas and said second transmission line defining an electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit;
said third antenna and said fourth antenna being configured to communicate via a magnetic coupling for near-field electromagnetic communication;
said first antenna and said third antenna being inclined to each other at an angle between 0° and 180°;
said second antenna and said fourth antenna being inclined to each other at an angle between 0° and 180°;
said package covering a portion of the support including said at least one electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit.

18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein said connection circuitry comprises at least one further electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit between said third antenna and said fourth antenna, said at least one further electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit comprising a fifth antenna and a sixth antenna coupled to said fifth antenna and configured to communicate, via a magnetic coupling for near-field electromagnetic communication, respectively, with one of the fourth and second antennas of said electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit arranged in cascade upstream from said at least one further electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit, and an antenna of another electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit arranged in cascade downstream from said at least one further electromagnetic expansion and concentration unit; said fifth antenna and said sixth antenna being inclined to each other at any angle between 0° and 180°, based upon an inclination of a corresponding antenna connected via a wireless coupling; and said package covering a portion of said support including said at least one further electromagn

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl

Inventors

• Pagani Alberto
• Murari Bruno
• Ziglioli Federico Giovanni
• Ronchi Marco
• Ricotti Giulio

Classifications

• G01M5/00

  Investigating the elasticity of structures, e.g. deflection of bridges or air-craft wings (G01M9/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01D11/245 Primary

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• G01K17/00

  Measuring quantity of heat (measuring temperature by calorimetry G01K3/00 - G01K11/00; specially adapted for measuring thermal properties of materials, e.g. specific heat, heat of combustion G01N) · CPC title

• G01L1/18

  using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material · CPC title

• G01N33/383

  Concrete or cement · CPC title