US 12,066,306 B1
Systems and methods for proactive monitoring through smart coatings
Andre Rene Buentello, San Antonio, TX (US); Nathan Lee Post, Rockport, TX (US); Justin Royell Nash, Little Elm, TX (US); Gregory David Hansen, Fuquay Varina, NC (US); Jose L Romero, Jr., San Antonio, TX (US); and Brian Francisco Shipley, Plano, TX (US)
Assigned to United Services Automobile Association (USAA), San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by United Services Automobile Association (USAA), San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/875,894.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/227,713, filed on Jul. 30, 2021.
Int. Cl. G01D 5/24 (2006.01); G01D 5/14 (2006.01); G01R 27/26 (2006.01)
CPC G01D 5/24 (2013.01) [G01R 27/2605 (2013.01); G01D 5/14 (2013.01); G01R 27/26 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a conductive paint disposed on an object to be monitored for a contact event, structural change event, or both; and
a sensor system, configured to:
measure, at a first time, an electrical attribute of the conductive paint, as a baseline electrical attribute measurement;
measure, at a second time, the electrical attribute of the conductive paint, as a subsequent electrical attribute measurement;
determine a magnitude of a change between the baseline electrical attribute measurement and the subsequent electrical attribute measurement;
when the magnitude of the change breaches a pre-defined event threshold, determine an event has occurred;
determine whether the event is a contact event or a structural event by:
identifying whether, within a prescribed time period the change reduces to or below a prescribed threshold;
when the change reduces to or below the prescribed threshold within the prescribed time period, ascribing the event to a contact event;
otherwise, when the change does not reduce to or below the prescribed threshold within the prescribed time period, ascribing the event to a structural event; and
provide an indication that the contact event, structural change event, or both has occurred to an electronic device.