The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 02, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 04, 2001
Scott Knudson Anderson, Meridian, ID (US);
Technical Development Consultants, Inc., Meridian, ID (US);
Abstract
A method of sensing moisture based on propagation-delay provides absolute readings of volumetric water content in a moisture-bearing medium without calibrating the sensor or its readings for the conductivity or temperature of the medium. A fast transition is launched on a transmission line that is immersed in the medium to be measured. The amplitude of the resultant waveform is analyzed at precise, programmable time increments by using a high-speed latching comparator. Firmware in a controlling microprocessor facilitates the successive reconstruction of the significant characteristics of the returning waveform. The microprocessor analyzes these characteristics to provide an accurate determination of propagation delay and conductivity, even for severely distorted waveforms. The moisture content of the medium is derived from the propagation delay.