Patent ID: 11187717

Abstract:
Disclosure of a novel accelerometer sensor method for detecting and measuring acceleration using paired radio frequency (RF) quartz crystal oscillators (QCO). Quartz crystal oscillators/resonators are known to be sensitive to acceleration or force impact events. Force impact events cause fluctuations in the quartz crystal resonator's natural resonant frequency. Normally this sensitivity to acceleration in QCOs is viewed as a negative property to be mitigated. This innovation exploits it in order to make a solid-state accelerometer with no mechanical parts. The crystalline structure of quartz crystal also has a preferred direction of maximum sensitivity to acceleration. There exists a mathematical relationship which relates these fluctuations in the resonator's natural frequency to the magnitude and direction of the accelerating source. Pairing acceleration sensitive QCO resonators will increase this sensor's sensitivity to acceleration. This will improve the measurement resolution for tracking changes in the QCO's frequency to determine the magnitude and direction of acceleration over time.