Patent ID: 11898925
Assignee: ULTRASENSE SYSTEMS, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A system for mapping data of force transmission from a plurality of force-imparting points to each force-measuring device, comprising:
a linear actuator assembly comprising a Z-axis actuator and a slider;
a load cell secured to the slider, such that actuation of the Z-axis actuator is mechanically coupled to a vertical movement of the load cell via the slider;
a sample stage comprising a sample stage positioner and configured to retain a sample comprising a force-measuring device, each force-measuring device comprising a signal processing circuitry;
a controller electronically coupled to the Z-axis actuator and to the sample stage positioner;
a load cell signal processing circuitry electronically coupled to the load cell and the controller, configured to measure force signals at the load cell and output amplified force signals to the controller;
a force-measuring device controller electronically coupled to the signal processing circuitry of each force-measuring device; and
a computer electronically coupled to the controller and the force-measuring device controller;
wherein the load cell is configured, in a force-imparting mode, to impart a time-varying applied force to the sample during the vertical movement of the load cell, the time-varying applied force being imparted via at least one elastic member positioned between the load cell and the sample;
the controller is configured, in the force-imparting mode, to control actuation of the sample stage positioner to position the load cell at each one of a plurality of force-imparting points on the sample and, for each respective force-imparting point, to repeatedly carry out the following until a desired force trajectory has been executed: (1) calculate digital force signals in accordance with the amplified force signals, (2) calculate a next actuation of the Z-axis actuator in accordance with the desired force trajectory and an elastic parameter, and (3) control the actuation of the Z-axis actuator in accordance with its next calculated actuation, the elastic parameter relating actuation of the Z-axis actuator to digital force signals resulting from the actuation;
the force-measuring device controller is configured to: (1) read digital transducer data output from the respective signal processing circuitry of each of the force-measuring devices when the time-varying applied force is imparted to the sample at each force-imparting point, and (2) transmit the digital transducer data to the computer; and
the computer is configured to generate a map of data of force transmission from each of the plurality of force-imparting points to the force-measuring device in accordance with digital transducer data obtained from the force-measuring device upon the imparting of the time-varying applied force at each respective force-imparting point.