초록 ▼

A system and method for detecting the state and thickness of water accumulation on a surface incorporates a plurality of spaced, thin, electrically resonant circuits bonded to the surface and a radio frequency transmitter for exciting the circuits to resonance. A receiver detects the resonant signal

A system and method for detecting the state and thickness of water accumulation on a surface incorporates a plurality of spaced, thin, electrically resonant circuits bonded to the surface and a radio frequency transmitter for exciting the circuits to resonance. A receiver detects the resonant signal from each circuit, determines the resonant frequency and quality factor of the circuit and correlates that information with predetermined data representing changes in resonant frequency and quality factor as a function of liquid water and ice accretion to thereby establish the state and thickness of water overlaying the circuits.

대표청구항 ▼

An ice detection system for detecting the state and thickness of water overlying a surface, comprising: a plurality of resonant circuits spaced at predetermined locations about an electrically conductive surface, each of said circuits consisting entirely of a respective cutout in said surface and ha

An ice detection system for detecting the state and thickness of water overlying a surface, comprising: a plurality of resonant circuits spaced at predetermined locations about an electrically conductive surface, each of said circuits consisting entirely of a respective cutout in said surface and having a preselected resonant frequency which varies in response to thickness of overlying ice and liquid water; variable frequency generating means for generating a transmission signal which can be varied about the resonant frequency of each of said circuits to cause each of said circuits to generate a resonant frequency signal in response to said transmission signal; receiver means tunable to the resonant frequency of each of said circuits, said receiver means including means for identifying the resonant frequency of each of said circuits and for determining the quality factor of each of said circuits from the resonant frequency signals produced by the respective circuits; and processing means responsive to the identified resonant frequency and determined quality factor for each of said circuits, for determining the state and thickness of water overlying each of said circuits.