Abstract: An apparatus and method for distributed physical parameter measurements of the surrounding environment is disclosed. The apparatus can include a waveguide with an elongated body configured with three gratings along the body where each of the three gratings is configured to fully or partially reflect an acoustic wave on the waveguide at a different frequency than the other gratings of the three gratings. Further, each of the three gratings can comprise discontinuities in the grating configured to reflect one or more frequencies of acoustic waves, and each of the discontinuities for each of the three gratings has an internal geometry configured according to fractions of an acoustic wave's frequency and corresponding wavelength.

Abstract: The invention includes devices and methods used to regulate the power, voltage and/or current out of an individual energy storage module. A plurality of energy storage modules and/or individual interconnected energy storage modules can form an energy storage system when interconnected in series, parallel or series/parallel. The invention includes a method for storing and delivering energy, comprising providing an energy storage module for boosting the voltage of the energy storage component while delivering power to a load.

Abstract: The technology of the invention relates to an ultrasonic characterization method for a flowstream to detect impurities that can include placing a first transducer and a second transducer aligned confocally to a flowstream, transmitting, from the first transducer, ultrasonic waveform signals into the flowstream, receiving, by the second transducer, the ultrasonic waveform signals, removing waveform signal reflections using a pitch-catch configuration of the first transducer and the second transducer, detecting waveform signals indicating impurities in the flowstream using induced nucleation of the impurities, detecting waveform signals indicating bubbles in the flowstream using nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the bubbles, and differentiating between the waveform signals of the impurities and the waveform signals of the bubbles using cavitation properties of the impurities and the bubbles.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an ultrasonic characterization method for a flowstream to detect impurities that can include placing a first transducer and a second transducer aligned confocally to a flowstream, transmitting, from the first transducer, ultrasonic waveform signals into the flowstream, receiving, by the second transducer, the ultrasonic waveform signals, removing waveform signal reflections using a pitch-catch configuration of the first transducer and the second transducer, detecting waveform signals indicating impurities in the flowstream using induced nucleation of the impurities, detecting waveform signals indicating bubbles in the flowstream using nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the bubbles, and differentiating between the waveform signals of the impurities and the waveform signals of the bubbles using cavitation properties of the impurities and the bubbles.

Abstract: A system for testing an entity using ultrasonic signal transmission and reception is disclosed. The system can include a central node comprising a logic digital subsystem with memory that is capable of transmitting and receiving mixed analog and digital signals, at least one remote node that is capable of transmitting and receiving mixed analog and digital signals with the central node through a bus architecture, each remote node comprising a logic digital subsystem and memory, and at least one transmitter ultrasonic transducer operatively connected to the remote node, the transmitter ultrasonic transducer being capable of transmitting and receiving the mixed analog and digital signals. The central node is capable of addressing the ultrasonic transducer using the digital signals over the bus through the remote node and routing an ultrasonic driving signal originating in the central node and propagating through the bus to the addressed ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose a pulsed power generator system that can include a cantilever comprising a cantilever tip disposed on a lower surface of a first end and a permanent magnet mounted on an upper surface of the first end, wherein the cantilever is connected to an electric circuit at a second end, an electromagnet generating a time varying periodic magnetic flux, wherein the magnetic flux interacts with the permanent magnet to generate a direction-changing mechanical force that drives oscillation in the cantilever, a conducting pad, disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the first end of the cantilever and configured so that the cantilever tip can contact the conducting pad. An oscillation of the cantilever causes the cantilever tip to periodically contact the conducting pad forming an electrical switch suitable for pulse generation through the electric circuit.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to the application of a system and a signal processing method for data acquired from a Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM) to obtain a high axial resolution and enhanced imaging. The SAM is one of ultrasound imaging methods used for NDE. Embodiments may provide methods for decreasing or reducing the duration (width) of the pulses scattered/reflected by multiple objects/scatters. Such embodiments can accomplish this by eliminating, or at least partially eliminating, the background noise by deconvolving the system responses (i.e., reference signals) obtained from either theoretical modeling or experimental acquiring. In one embodiment, the method minimizes the pulse duration by using a regression technique to predict the spectra responses outside a frequency band.

Abstract: A sensor system that combines the sensing application of surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor and sensor signal transfer though the enclosure wall via acoustic means. The sensor system includes SAW sensor placed inside the enclosure and at least one pair of bulk acoustic wave (BAW) transducers, one mounted inside and second outside the enclosure wall, allowing the interrogation of SAW sensor from outside the enclosure. The external BAW transducer converts interrogation electrical pulse into acoustic pulse which travels though the enclosure wall to the internal BAW transducer. The internal BAW transducer converts the interrogation electrical pulse to electrical pulse and transfers it to SAW sensor. The response of the SAW transducer containing series of electric pulses is converted to the series of acoustic pulses by internal BAW transducer which propagates though enclosure wall.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for management and control of interconnected energy storage modules, such as battery packs, that can form a larger energy storage system. The disclosure also relates to methods and system for the measurement of cell impedances in a battery pack in-situ and on-line and using active balancing circuits that may already be present in the battery pack. The methods and systems can inject disturbances of different frequencies and measure impedance by using the active balancing circuits present in the battery pack, which can transform an active balancer into a dual active balancer and impedance measurement system. The speed up of impedance measurement energy storage modules can be accomplished by using multi-tone, orthogonal or spread spectrum waveforms applied simultaneously on all or a sub-set of the active balancer circuits in an active balancer.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose an ultrasonic transducer that can require a piezoelectric element attached to the transducer to be constantly under high pressure, and this required pressure can be provided and maintained by the transducer's design at all temperatures during its operation. The exemplary ultrasonic transducer can eliminate a failure of the bond between the piezoelectric element and a delay block by using the mechanical structure to hold all components in place while permitting the piezoelectric transducer to generate pulses of the desired frequency, frequency bandwidth, and pulse width without undesired echoes and/or attenuations.

Abstract: An acoustic sensor for sensing environmental attributes within an enclosure is disclosed. The acoustic sensor may include a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) transducer configured to be installed outside the enclosure. The BAW transducer may generate an acoustic wave pulse and receive a reflected acoustic wave pulse. The acoustic sensor may further a waveguide assembly configured to be installed inside the enclosure. The waveguide assembly configured to receive the acoustic wave pulse from the BAW transducer. The acoustic sensor may further include a sensing device, wherein the sensing device may determine a change in one or more acoustic wave propagation parameters, based on the generated acoustic wave pulse and the reflected acoustic wave pulse. The sensing device may further determine one or more environmental attributes within the enclosure, based on the change in the one or more acoustic wave propagation parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that are related to a set of reconfigurable energy storage modules that can be assisted by an algorithm used to create larger energy storage systems in a flexible and efficient manner. The modules can interconnect in series, parallel or series/parallel and achieve balancing of the energy in every module while providing terminal voltage and/or current control and regulation. The modules can reconfigure on-the-fly and behave as a regular battery, a by-passing unit with a very low resistance, or a module capable of bucking or boosting voltage.

Abstract: The present disclosure comprises devices and methods used to regulate the power, voltage and/or current out of an individual energy storage module. A plurality of energy storage modules and/or individual interconnected energy storage modules can form an energy storage system when interconnected in series, parallel or series/parallel. The present disclosure also provides a method for storing and delivering energy, comprising providing an energy storage module for boosting the voltage of the energy storage component while delivering power to a load.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for management and control of interconnected energy storage modules, such as battery packs, that can form a larger energy storage system. The disclosure also relates to methods and system for the measurement of cell impedances in a battery pack in-situ and on-line and using active balancing circuits that may already be present in the battery pack. The methods and systems can inject disturbances of different frequencies and measure impedance by using the active balancing circuits present in the battery pack, which can transform an active balancer into a dual active balancer and impedance measurement system. The speed up of impedance measurement energy storage modules can be accomplished by using multi-tone, orthogonal or spread spectrum waveforms applied simultaneously on all or a sub-set of the active balancer circuits in an active balancer.