Patent ID: 9709447
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: G01K

Claim:
1. A system comprising: an elongated sensor wire having a first end and a second end, wherein the elongated sensor wire has a material resistivity configured to prevent internal heat-up of the elongated sensor wire; a jacket, surrounding at least a portion of the elongated sensor wire, the jacket having a first end and a second end; wherein the elongated sensor wire within the jacket extends from the first end of the elongated sensor wire down a length of the jacket and back up the length of the jacket at least one time, such that the first and second ends of the elongated sensor wire are at the first end of the jacket; and a processor electrically coupled to the elongated sensor wire, the processor configured to provide electrical signals to the first end of the elongated sensor wire and sense signals from the second end of the elongated sensor wire to determine a resistance of the elongated sensor wire at a point in time, and to determine changes in the resistance of the elongated sensor wire over a period of time, wherein a sensitivity of determining the changes in the resistance of the elongated sensor wire over the period of time is based on the material resistivity.