Patent Document ID: 7849752
Application ID: 12289306
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of detecting the amount of deformation of an object using a strain gauge affixed to the object comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a wireless RF signal to the gauge; (b) receiving the RF signal at the gauge; (c) shifting the RF frequency as a function of the deformation of the object, comprising; (i) passing selected frequencies from the wideband signal; and (ii) creating at least one harmonic of the selected frequencies; (d) transponding the shifted RF frequency signal to an analyzer; and (e) in the analyzer, determining a strain in the object as a function of the shift in RF frequency; wherein the steps are performed without providing power to the gauge; and wherein the step of transmitting the shifted RF frequency includes transponding the selected frequencies and at least one harmonic as a wireless signal to an analyzer wherein the step of determining a strain comprises the steps of (i) isolating the at least one harmonic from the transponded signal; and (ii) estimating the amount of strain as a function of isolated harmonic.