Device with a Six-Port Circuit and Operating Method Therefor

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This invention describes a device and method using a six-port circuit with a delay unit and a computing module to accurately determine the frequency of an input signal. The delay device splits the input signal into two paths, applies different delays to each, and feeds them to the six-port circuit. The resulting outputs are then processed to extract frequency-related characteristics. Such a system is especially suitable for precise measurement applications, including those involving surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Measuring mechanical stress (bending, compression, extension, torsion) in structures and machine parts.
• Torque measurement in rotating shafts for automotive or industrial machinery.
• Force, temperature, and pressure sensing in various environments, including harsh and industrial settings.
• Vibration and shock detection in engineering structures, vehicles, and equipment.
• Monitoring resonance changes in sensors affected by physical or chemical influences.
• Applications in automotive (transmissions, axles, steering columns), e-bikes, mobile work machines, electric drives.
• Infrastructure and building monitoring for bridges, wind loads, earthquakes, snow loads, and general construction safety.
• Energy sector monitoring (wind turbine blades, pitch control, hydropower).
• Weight measurement in industrial scales and overload protection systems.
• Quality assurance and process monitoring in manufacturing and chemical plants.
• Medical technology (prosthetics, exoskeletons, beds, surgical tables).
• Aerospace (landing gear, wing structure and control surface monitoring).
• Maritime and railway (marine engineering, drive technology, load monitoring).
• Implementation in white goods (washing machine drum monitoring, dryers).
• Fluid technology (monitoring valves, flaps, pipelines), and chemical composition analysis.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables highly accurate and real-time measurement of frequencies, which correlates directly to physical quantities such as stress, strain, temperature, or pressure.
• Adaptable to a wide range of sensing tasks, including mechanical, thermal, and chemical applications.
• Contactless measurement possible, increasing the safety and durability of the sensing system in challenging environments (e.g., rotating machinery, high temperatures).
• Modular and flexible design, allowing different types of delay elements (surface acoustic wave lines, electrical traces).
• Enhanced robustness and reduced susceptibility to signal noise compared to traditional measurement methods.
• Facilitates digital signal processing and integration with modern microcontroller systems for data collection, control, and communication.
• Potential for high measurement rates and low latency, enabling monitoring of dynamic changes in the measured systems.
• Scalable for multi-channel and multiplexed measurements, improving efficiency for industrial and monitoring deployments.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus having a six-port circuit, a delay device and a computing device, wherein: the delay device is designed to split an input signal into a first input signal and a second input signal, to delay the first input signal by a first delay time so as to obtain, for example, a first delayed output signal, and to delay the second input signal by a second delay time so as to obtain, for example, a second delayed input signal, the second delay time being different from the first delay time; the delay device is designed to output the first delayed input signal to a first input of the six-port circuit and to output the second delayed input signal to a second input of the six-port circuit; and the computing device is designed to determine, on the basis of at least one output signal of the six-port circuit, a first variable characterising a frequency of the input signal.