This application relates to methods and apparatus for temperature monitoring for integrated circuits, and in particular to temperature monitoring using a locked-loop circuits, e.g. FLLs, PLLs or DLLs. According to embodiments a locked-loop circuit (200, 600) includes a controlled signal timing module (201, 601), wherein the timing properties of an output signal (S.sub.OUT, S.sub.FB) are dependent on a value of a control signal and on temperature. A controller (201, 601) compares a feedback signal (S.sub.FB) output from the timing module to a reference signal (S.sub.REF) and generates a control signal (S.sub.C) to maintain a desired timing relationship. A temperature monitor (202) monitors temperature based on the value of the control signal. For FLLs and PLLs the signal timing module may be a controlled oscillator (201).

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for touch, force and/or thermal sensing by an ultrasonic transceiver chip. In some aspects, an ultrasonic transceiver sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a CMOS layer attached to the substrate; an array of piezoelectric transducers coupled to the CMOS layer to generate ultrasonic pulses; and a contact layer attached to the substrate on a side opposite the substrate for providing a surface for contact with an object, where an ultrasonic pulse generated by a piezoelectric transducer propagates through the substrate and the contact layer, such that when the object is in contact with the surface of the contact layer, a reflected ultrasonic pulse is produced and propagates through the contact layer and the substrate to be received at the array of piezoelectric transducers, and the CMOS layer receive and process outputs from the piezoelectric transducers produced in response to the received reflected ultrasonic pulses.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for touch, force and/or thermal sensing by an ultrasonic transceiver chip. In some aspects, an ultrasonic transceiver sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a CMOS layer attached to the substrate; an array of piezoelectric transducers coupled to the CMOS layer to generate ultrasonic pulses; and a contact layer attached to the substrate on a side opposite the substrate for providing a surface for contact with an object, where an ultrasonic pulse generated by a piezoelectric transducer propagates through the substrate and the contact layer, such that when the object is in contact with the surface of the contact layer, a reflected ultrasonic pulse is produced and propagates through the contact layer and the substrate to be received at the array of piezoelectric transducers, and the CMOS layer receive and process outputs from the piezoelectric transducers produced in response to the received reflected ultrasonic pulses.

This disclosure relates to a system and method for measuring average temperature of mixed fluid in an enclosed chamber. Measurement is based on two independent principle as measuring variation in acoustic wave velocity and variation in resistivity that works on a single setup. First principle is based on measuring acoustic wave velocity in a known medium, which is isolated from the surrounding. The system comprises a primary pipe and a secondary pipe, wherein the ends of the pipes reside inside the enclosed chamber. The primary pipe is made out of good conductor of heat and filled with air. Ends of the primary pipe is fitted with a transducers have one transmitter at one end and one receiver at another end. Average temperature of the mixed fluid is measured based on the variations in sound velocity of acoustic wave passed through the primary pipe and resistivity variations of the primary pipe.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for touch, force and/or thermal sensing by an ultrasonic transceiver chip. In some aspects, an ultrasonic transceiver sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a CMOS layer attached to the substrate; an array of piezoelectric transducers coupled to the CMOS layer to generate ultrasonic pulses; and a contact layer attached to the substrate on a side opposite the substrate for providing a surface for contact with an object, where an ultrasonic pulse generated by a piezoelectric transducer propagates through the substrate and the contact layer, such that when the object is in contact with the surface of the contact layer, a reflected ultrasonic pulse is produced and propagates through the contact layer and the substrate to be received at the array of piezoelectric transducers, and the CMOS layer receive and process outputs from the piezoelectric transducers produced in response to the received reflected ultrasonic pulses.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for touch, force and/or thermal sensing by an ultrasonic transceiver chip. In some aspects, an ultrasonic transceiver sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a CMOS layer attached to the substrate; an array of piezoelectric transducers coupled to the CMOS layer to generate ultrasonic pulses; and a contact layer attached to the substrate on a side opposite the substrate for providing a surface for contact with an object, where an ultrasonic pulse generated by a piezoelectric transducer propagates through the substrate and the contact layer, such that when the object is in contact with the surface of the contact layer, a reflected ultrasonic pulse is produced and propagates through the contact layer and the substrate to be received at the array of piezoelectric transducers, and the CMOS layer receive and process outputs from the piezoelectric transducers produced in response to the received reflected ultrasonic pulses.

Apparatuses relate generally to a fiber optic cable. In such an apparatus, a housing has a channel or bore for receipt of a portion of the fiber optic cable having a fiber optic sensor. An acoustic interface layer is coupled to a surface of the housing to reduce stress wave coupling loss at an interface between the fiber optic sensor and a host structure surface. In another such apparatus, a patch structure is for a fiber optic cable coupled to a fiber optic voltage conditioner. In yet another such apparatus, a fiber optic voltage conditioner is coupled for optical communication to a fiber optic cable having a Fiber Bragg Grating sensor. The fiber optic voltage conditioner includes a tunable light source having a broadband light source or a gain medium configured to provide a narrowband light signal from a broadband light signal for providing to the fiber optic cable.

Apparatuses relate generally to a fiber optic cable. In such an apparatus, a housing has a channel or bore for receipt of a portion of the fiber optic cable having a fiber optic sensor. An acoustic interface layer is coupled to a surface of the housing to reduce stress wave coupling loss at an interface between the fiber optic sensor and a host structure surface. In another such apparatus, a patch structure is for a fiber optic cable coupled to a fiber optic voltage conditioner. In yet another such apparatus, a fiber optic voltage conditioner is coupled for optical communication to a fiber optic cable having a Fiber Bragg Grating sensor. The fiber optic voltage conditioner includes a tunable light source having a broadband light source or a gain medium configured to provide a narrowband light signal from a broadband light signal for providing to the fiber optic cable.

The present invention relates to a temperature information assembly for a cooking hob (18). The temperature information assembly comprises at least one SAW (surface acoustic wave) temperature sensor (10) permanently or removably attached or attachable at or in a cooking pot (24), at least one sensor antenna (12) permanently or removably attached or attachable at the cooking pot (24) and electrically connected to the SAW temperature sensor (10), at least one reader (14) permanently or removably attached or attachable in or on the cooking hob (18), and at least one reader antenna (16) permanently or removably attached or attachable in or on the cooking hob (18) and electrically connected to the reader (14). The SAW temperature sensor (10) is wireless connected or connectable to the reader (14) via the sensor antenna (12) and the reader antenna (16). The reader (14) is electrically connected or connectable to a control unit (22) of the cooking hob (18) in order to control the cooking process. Further, the present invention relates to a cooking hob (18) with the temperature information assembly. Moreover, the present invention relates to a cooking pot (24) with the SAW temperature sensor (10) and the sensor antenna (12) or prepared for receiving said SAW temperature sensor (10) and sensor antenna (12).

This invention relates to a waveguide with distributed sensors that support traveling ultrasonic wave modes to provide quantitative local distributed sensing of the physical and chemical properties of the medium surrounding the sensor locations and/or the material properties of the waveguide. The plurality of sensors is operably associated with a plurality of wave modes for probing and identifying a plurality of properties simultaneously. The reflected waves are representative of local information about the surrounding media at that sensor location.