Piezoelectric identification device and applications thereof

Abstract

Provided is a transducer having first and second surfaces including first electrode lines positioned along the first surface in a first direction and configured for grounding and second electrode lines positioned along the second surface in a direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second electrode lines are configured switching between receiving and transmitting in an interlaced manner.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A transmitting and receiving sonic transducer,
 comprising:
 a two dimensional array of sensor elements, wherein each sensor element within said array is separately addressable via electronic control; and wherein each sensor element is capable of transmitting during a first time interval and alternatively receiving during a second time interval, as directed via said electronic control; and wherein 
 a first set of sensor elements are selected to form a first pattern within said array and a second set of elements are selected to form a second pattern within said array; and wherein 
 said first pattern and said second pattern each form groups of sensor elements that are mutually exclusive and that are proximate to each other; and wherein 
 control electronics are configured to control said first set of sensor elements to transmit and to not receive during a first set of one or more selected time intervals, and said control electronics are configured to control said second set of sensor elements to receive and to not transmit during a second set of one or more selected time intervals, and wherein 
 said first set of selected time intervals to not overlap in time with any of said second set of time intervals. 
   
     
     
       2. The transducer of  claim 1  wherein said first pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements and said second pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements. 
     
     
       3. The transducer of  claim 2  wherein said first pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements and said second pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements. 
     
     
       4. The transducer of  claim 3  where in at least one straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       5. The transducer of  claim 3  where each straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       6. The transducer of  claim 3  wherein said lines of said first pattern are interlaced with said lines of said second pattern. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for transmitting and receiving sonic energy, comprising
 a two dimensional array of sensor elements, wherein each sensor element within said array is separately addressable via electronic control; and wherein each sensor element is capable of transmitting during a first time interval and alternatively receiving during a second time interval, as directed via said electronic control; and wherein   a first set of sensor elements are selected to form a first pattern within said array and a second set of elements are selected to form a second pattern within said array; and wherein   said first pattern and said second pattern each form groups of sensor elements that are mutually exclusive and that are proximate to each other; and wherein   control electronics are configured to control said first set of sensor elements to transmit and to not receive during a first set of one or more selected time intervals, and said control electronics are configured to control said second set of sensor elements to receive and to not transmit during a second set of one or more selected time intervals, and wherein   at least one of said second set of sensor elements receives immediately as at least one of said first set of sensor elements begins transmitting.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements and said second pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements and said second pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9 where in at least one straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 9 where each straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said lines of said first pattern are interlaced with said lines of said second pattern. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first pattern elements are activated in sequence along a scanning direction. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first pattern elements and said second pattern elements alternately switched along a scanning direction. 
     
     
       15. A system for transmitting and receiving sonic energy, comprising
 a two dimensional array of sensor elements, wherein each sensor element within said array is separately addressable via electronic control; and wherein each sensor element is capable of transmitting during a first time interval and alternatively receiving during a second time interval, as directed via said electronic control; and wherein   a first set of sensor elements are selected to form a first pattern within said array and a second set of elements are selected to form a second pattern within said array; and wherein   said first pattern and said second pattern each form groups of sensor elements that are mutually exclusive and that are proximate to each other; and wherein   control electronics are configured to control said first set of sensor elements to transmit and to not receive during a first set of one or more selected time intervals, and said control electronics are configured to control said second set of sensor elements to receive and to not transmit during a second set of one or more selected time intervals, and wherein   at least one of said second set of sensor elements receives immediately as at least one of said first set of sensor elements begins transmitting.   
     
     
       16. The system of claim 15 wherein said first pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements and said second pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements. 
     
     
       17. The system of claim 16 wherein said first pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements and said second pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim 17 where in at least one straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       19. The system of claim 17 where each straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       20. The system of claim 17 wherein said lines of said first pattern are interlaced with said lines of said second pattern. 
     
     
       21. The system of claim 15 wherein said first pattern elements are activated in sequence along a scanning direction. 
     
     
       22. The system of claim 15 wherein said first pattern elements and said second pattern elements alternately switched along a scanning direction. 
     
     
       23. A method for transmitting and receiving sonic energy, comprising the steps of:
 providing a two dimensional array of sensor elements, wherein each sensor element within said array is separately addressable via electronic control; and wherein each sensor element is capable of transmitting during a first time interval and alternatively receiving during a second time interval, as directed via said electronic control; and   selecting a first set of sensor elements to form a first pattern within said array and selecting a second set of elements to form a second pattern within said array; and wherein   said first pattern and said second pattern each form groups of sensor elements that are mutually exclusive and that are proximate to each other; and   providing control electronics configured to control said first set of sensor elements to transmit and to not receive during a first set of one or more selected time intervals, and configured to control said second set of sensor elements to receive and to not transmit during a second set of one or more selected time intervals, and wherein   at least one of said second set of sensor elements receives immediately as at least one of said first set of sensor elements begins transmitting.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23 wherein said first pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements and said second pattern is a contiguous series of sensor elements. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24 wherein said first pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements and said second pattern forms at least one straight line of sensor elements. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25 where in at least one straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 25 where each straight line formed by said first pattern is adjacent to at least one straight line formed by said second pattern. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 25 wherein said lines of said first pattern are interlaced with said lines of said second pattern. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 23 wherein said first pattern elements are activated in sequence along a scanning direction. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 23 wherein said first pattern elements and said second pattern elements alternately switched along a scanning direction.