US 12,169,145 B2
Zero power micromechanical switch-based sensing and monitoring system
Matteo Rinaldi, Boston, MA (US); Zhenyun Qian, Boston, MA (US); Vageeswar Rajaram, Boston, MA (US); and Sungho Kang, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to Northeastern University, Boston, MA (US)
Appl. No. 17/422,861
Filed by Northeastern University, Boston, MA (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 21, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/014478
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 14, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/150743, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 23, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/794,568, filed on Jan. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/794,605, filed on Jan. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0099495 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01J 5/00 (2022.01); G01J 5/02 (2022.01); G01J 5/03 (2022.01); G01J 5/08 (2022.01); G01J 5/0806 (2022.01)
CPC G01J 5/0025 (2013.01) [G01J 5/026 (2013.01); G01J 5/03 (2022.01); G01J 5/0806 (2013.01); G01J 5/0853 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for monitoring a heat source, the device comprising:
(i) one or more zero power infrared (IR) sensors, each sensor comprising a first plasmonic absorber tuned to a selected wavelength range of IR radiation and comprising a switch actuatable using only energy of IR radiation absorbed by the plasmonic absorber; wherein the one or more zero power IR sensors are disposed within a circuit in series or in parallel, and wherein the circuit is interruptable by the switch of each sensor;
(ii) a transmitter disposed within the circuit and activatable by a selected configuration of said switches; and
(iii) optionally a battery disposed within the circuit, the battery capable of powering the transmitter;
wherein absorption by the one or more sensors of selected wavelengths of IR radiation originating from the heat source and characteristic of a heat emission from the source causes the transmitter to transmit an electromagnetic radiation signal.