MEMS sensor power supply system

Abstract

The invention provides an MEMS sensor power supply system, and relates to the technical field of sensors. The MEMS sensor power supply system comprises a switch, a control module and a power supply, the control module comprises a switch chip, an Ethernet chip and a CPU. Wherein the switch is connected with the server through an optical fiber interface, is connected with the switch chip through an electrical interface, and is used for converting an initial control signal sent by the server into a target control signal and sending the target control signal to the switch chip; the switch chip is used for receiving the target control signal forwarded by the switch and transmitting the target control signal to the Ethernet chip; the CPU is used for receiving a target control signal transmitted by the Ethernet chip; the GPIO port of the CPU is used for outputting a target control signal and controlling the power supply state of the sensor; wherein the initial control signal is an optical signal; the target control signal is an electric signal. Control is carried out at the sensor control end by converting optical signals into electric signals, and the signal transmission reliability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sensor technology, and in particular to a MEMS sensor power supply system. Background Art

[0002] Against the backdrop of the rapid development of the Internet of Things and intelligent control technology, Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors are rapidly penetrating into diversified application scenarios due to their small size, high sensitivity, and low power consumption. They are widely used in security, infrastructure inspection, smart water services, smart grids, smart transportation, national defense, agricultural meteorological monitoring and other fields.

[0003] Currently, there are two main ways to control the power supply of MEMS sensors: wired cable control and wireless communication remote control. The wired solution requires additional cable laying, which is costly and susceptible to environmental influences such as lightning strikes and corrosion, making maintenance difficult. The wireless solution controls the power supply by receiving instructions from the base station, but electromagnetic interference and signal attenuation in the environment where the MEMS sensor is deployed can easily lead to loss of control instructions or false triggering, resulting in energy waste and data collection interruption. In addition, both of the above solutions require the sensor to be equipped with a continuously working signal receiving module, which generates additional static power consumption.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a MEMS sensor power supply system with high signal transmission reliability and low energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An embodiment of the present invention provides a MEMS sensor power supply system to solve the problem of providing a MEMS sensor power supply system with high signal transmission reliability and low energy consumption.

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides a MEMS sensor power supply system, characterized by comprising: a switch, a control module and a power supply; the control module comprises: a switch chip, an Ethernet chip and a central processing unit (CPU);

[0007] The switch is connected to the server via an optical fiber interface and connected to the switch chip via an electrical interface, and is used to convert the initial control signal sent by the server into a target control signal and send the target control signal to the switch chip;

[0008] The switch chip is connected to the switch and the Ethernet chip respectively, and is used to receive the target control signal forwarded by the switch and transmit it to the Ethernet chip;

[0009] The CPU is connected to the Ethernet chip and is used to receive the target control signal transmitted by the Ethernet chip;

[0010] The GPIO port of the CPU is used to output the target control signal to control the power supply state of the sensor;

[0011] The initial control signal is an optical signal; the target control signal is an electrical signal; the target control signal is a power-on signal or a power-off signal; and the power supply supplies power to the MEMS sensor in the on state.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the control module further includes a plurality of high-side switches;

[0013] Wherein, each high-side switch controls the power supply state of a corresponding sensor; the power supply state includes a power-on state and a power-off state;

[0014] Each high-side switch is used to control the high-side switch to be in a closed state when the target control signal is a power-on signal, and the corresponding sensor is in a power-on state; when the target control signal is a power-off signal, the high-side switch is controlled to be in an open state, and the corresponding sensor is in a power-off state.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the control module further includes: a DC-DC chip connected between the power supply and each high-side switch.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the output voltage of the DC-DC chip is the same as the rated voltage of the MEMS sensor.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the power supply system includes one or more control modules; each control module controls the power supply status of a group of sensors via a high-side switch.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the power supply system includes multiple control modules, and when the rated voltages of the sensor groups are the same, the multiple control modules are connected to the same power supply.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the power supply system includes multiple control modules, and when the rated voltages of the sensor groups are different, the power supply system includes multiple power supplies;

[0020] Each control module is connected to a power supply whose output voltage is the same as the rated voltage of the corresponding sensor.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the high-side switch integrates an overcurrent protection circuit, which automatically cuts off the power supply to the sensor and generates a fault signal when the sensor loop current exceeds a preset threshold;

[0022] The CPU receives a fault signal through the GPIO port and triggers an alarm message to be sent back to the server.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the switch includes a 10G optical port and a 1G electrical port;

[0024] The switch is connected to the server via the 10G optical port and is connected to the switch chip via the 1G electrical port.

[0025] In a possible implementation, the Gigabit electrical port is a 480 Gigabit electrical port.

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention provides a MEMS sensor power supply system, including: a switch, a control module and a power supply, wherein the control module includes a switch chip, an Ethernet chip and a CPU. The switch is connected to the server via an optical interface and to the switch chip via an electrical interface. Based on the separated transmission architecture of optical and electrical signals, it takes into account both long-distance control and low-latency response of local circuits, ensuring the real-time and stability of MEMS sensor power supply control. The switch converts the initial control signal in the form of an optical signal into a target control signal in the form of an electrical signal, and directly controls the on and off of the power supply based on the GPIO port of the CPU, thereby achieving high-reliability transmission of optical signals in complex electromagnetic environments, improving anti-interference performance, and avoiding the problem of continuous power consumption of traditional wireless control modules, thereby reducing static power consumption. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided by another embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided in another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] To help those skilled in the art better understand this solution, the following will clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this solution in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of this solution, not all of it. Based on the embodiments of this solution, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of this solution.

[0033] Throughout the specification, claims, and accompanying figures of this solution, the term "including" and any variations thereof mean "including, but not limited to," and are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions and are not limited to the examples listed herein. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second," etc., are used to distinguish between different objects, not to describe a specific order.

[0034] MEMS sensors, due to their small size, high sensitivity, and low power consumption, are rapidly penetrating into diverse application scenarios. They are widely used in security, infrastructure inspection, smart water services, smart grids, smart transportation, national defense, agricultural meteorological monitoring, and other fields. The types of information monitored by MEMS sensors vary across different fields. For example, in the security field, MEMS inertial sensors are integrated into perimeter intrusion detection systems to achieve concealed security protection through micro-vibration sensing; in infrastructure inspections, MEMS temperature, humidity, and pressure sensors form an intelligent monitoring network that can track the structural deformation of bridges and tunnels and the risk of oil pipeline leakage in real time; smart water systems rely on MEMS water quality sensor arrays to dynamically monitor water source pollutant indicators and pressure fluctuations in water supply networks; in smart grid construction, MEMS current sensors and accelerometers are deployed in transmission lines and substation equipment to achieve early warning of mechanical stress and temperature anomalies in power facilities; in the defense field, MEMS sensors are embedded in individual equipment and unmanned vehicles to perform battlefield environment perception and equipment status monitoring tasks; in the field of agricultural meteorological monitoring, MEMS temperature, humidity, light intensity sensors, wind speed / direction sensors, etc. form an intelligent monitoring network, which can provide dynamic data support for precision agriculture through global perception of multi-dimensional environmental parameters.

[0035] This application mainly protects a MEMS sensor power supply system, and does not focus on the protection of the specific monitoring content of the MEMS sensor. For ease of understanding, when describing the MEMS sensor power supply system, the application of MEMS sensors in the field of agricultural meteorological monitoring is used as an example. In the specific implementation process, when applied to other monitoring fields, adaptive adjustments can be made to the corresponding application scenarios based on the power supply system provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0036] The following is a detailed description of the implementation of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0037] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The MEMS sensor power supply system 1 includes: a switch 10, a control module 11 and a power supply 12; the control module 11 includes a MEMS sensor, a switch chip 111, an Ethernet chip 112 and a CPU 113.

[0038] The switch 10 is connected to the server via an optical interface and to the switch chip 111 via an electrical interface, and is used to convert the initial control signal sent by the server into a target control signal and send the target control signal to the switch chip 111 .

[0039] The switch chip 111 is connected to the switch 10 and the Ethernet chip 112 respectively, and is configured to receive a target control signal forwarded by the switch 10 and transmit the target control signal to the Ethernet chip 112 .

[0040] The CPU 113 is connected to the Ethernet chip 112 and is configured to receive a target control signal transmitted by the Ethernet chip 112 .

[0041] The GPIO port of the CPU 113 is used to output a target control signal to control the power supply state of the sensor.

[0042] Among them, the initial control signal is an optical signal; the target control signal is an electrical signal; the target control signal is a power-on signal or a power-off signal; the power supply 12 supplies power to the MEMS sensor in the on state.

[0043] In this embodiment, the MEMS sensor power supply system 1 includes: a switch 10, a control module 11 and a power supply 12. The control module 11 includes a MEMS sensor, a switch chip 111, an Ethernet chip 112 and a CPU 113. The switch 10 is connected to the server via an optical interface and to the switch chip 111 via an electrical interface. Based on the separated transmission architecture of optical and electrical signals, it takes into account both long-distance control and low-latency response of local circuits, ensuring the real-time and stability of MEMS sensor power supply control. The switch 10 converts the initial control signal in the form of an optical signal into a target control signal in the form of an electrical signal, and directly controls the on and off of the power supply 12 based on the GPIO port of the CPU 113, thereby achieving high-reliability transmission of optical signals in complex electromagnetic environments, improving anti-interference performance, and avoiding the problem of continuous power consumption of the traditional wireless control module 11, thereby reducing static power consumption.

[0044] In different embodiments, the control module 11 controls the power supply state of the sensor in different ways.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the control module 11 further includes a plurality of high-side switches 114 ;

[0046] Each high-side switch 114 controls the power supply state of a corresponding sensor; the power supply state includes a power-on state and a power-off state;

[0047] Each high-side switch 114 is used to control the high-side switch 114 to be in a closed state when the target control signal is a power-on signal, and the corresponding sensor is in a powered-on state; when the target control signal is a power-off signal, the high-side switch 114 is controlled to be in an open state, and the corresponding sensor is in a powered-off state.

[0048] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided in another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 In the example shown, the control module 11 includes only one high-side switch 114. In different embodiments, the number of high-side switches 114 is set according to the specific composition of the MEMS sensor. For example, if the MEMS sensor includes four sensors, the number of high-side switches 114 is four; if the MEMS sensor includes 20 sensors, the number of high-side switches 114 is 20.

[0049] In this embodiment, multiple high-side switches 114 are used to independently control the power supply status of individual sensors, enabling the system to precisely start and stop each sensor, avoiding the energy waste caused by the "one-size-fits-all" power control scheme used in traditional solutions. Furthermore, the physical isolation of high-side switches 114 prevents malfunctions caused by circuit crosstalk between sensors, thereby improving the reliability of multi-sensor collaboration.

[0050] In other possible implementations, the power supply 12 has an independent controller inside, and the GPIO port of the CPU 113 outputs a target control signal to the controller of the power supply 12 to control whether the power supply 12 supplies power to the sensor.

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In one possible implementation, the control module 11 further includes a DC-DC chip 115 connected between the power supply 12 and each high-side switch 114 .

[0052] In actual implementation, the power supply 12 typically has a higher voltage than the rated voltage of the sensors. A DC-DC chip 115 is connected between the power supply 12 and each high-side switch 114 to reduce the voltage to match the rated voltage of the sensors. Each control module 11 controls a group of sensors with the same rated voltage.

[0053] In this embodiment, a DC-DC chip 115 is added between power supply 12 and high-side switch 114. This voltage conversion function adapts to the operating voltage requirements of the MEMS sensor, resolving the issue of a single power supply 12 being incompatible with multiple sensor types and expanding the system's device compatibility. Furthermore, the voltage regulation characteristics of DC-DC chip 115 suppress the impact of power supply fluctuations on sensor accuracy, ensuring data acquisition quality.

[0054] In one possible implementation, the output voltage of the DC-DC chip 115 is the same as the rated voltage of the MEMS sensor.

[0055] In practice, overvoltage or undervoltage in the sensor's power supply can cause the sensor to fail to operate normally, for example, burning out due to overvoltage or failing to start due to undervoltage. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the output voltage of the DC-DC chip 115 strictly matches the rated voltage of the MEMS sensor. That is, the output voltage of the DC-DC chip 115 must be the same as the rated voltage of the MEMS sensor.

[0056] For example: if the output voltage of the power supply 12 is 12V and the rated voltage of the sensor is 5V, the DC-DC chip 115 will reduce the 12V output voltage of the power supply 12 to 5V; if the output voltage of the power supply 12 is 12V and the rated voltage of the sensor is 3.3V, the DC-DC chip 115 will reduce the 12V output voltage of the power supply 12 to 3.3V.

[0057] In this embodiment, by limiting the output voltage of the DC-DC chip 115 to strictly match the rated voltage of the sensor, sensor performance degradation or hardware damage caused by excessively high or low voltage is avoided, ensuring that the sensor operates under rated conditions and extending the service life of the equipment.

[0058] In a possible implementation, the power supply system includes one or more control modules 11 ; each control module 11 controls the power supply status of a group of sensors via a high-side switch 114 .

[0059] In the field of agricultural meteorological monitoring, key factors such as temperature and humidity conditions, crop types, and crop growth cycles vary across farmland. To effectively improve monitoring accuracy and efficiency, it is necessary to deploy multiple sets of sensors across different areas of the farmland.

[0060] For example, multiple control modules 11 can be deployed regionally in large farmlands. Each sensor group is independently powered and independent of each other, reducing the risk of single points of failure while meeting distributed monitoring requirements. Furthermore, modules can be cascaded via Ethernet chips 112, simplifying wiring complexity.

[0061] In this embodiment, the modular design of independently controlling each group of sensors through multiple control modules 11 supports flexible expansion of the system scale.

[0062] The above embodiment mentioned that multiple control modules 11 independently control each group of sensors. In the specific implementation process, the power supply voltages between the various groups of sensors are not completely the same. Therefore, there are many ways to set the power supply 12.

[0063] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a MEMS sensor power supply system provided by another embodiment of the present invention. In one possible implementation, the power supply system includes multiple control modules 11, and when the rated voltages of the sensor groups are the same, the multiple control modules 11 are connected to the same power supply 12. Figure 4 ) indicates that the control modules 11 connected to the same power supply 12 are not limited.

[0064] In practice, when farmland is large or planted with a wide variety of plants, dense deployment of similar sensors is necessary to collect farmland meteorological data. For example, a greenhouse could include an array of uniform temperature and humidity sensors for temperature and humidity collection. Accordingly, the sensors are powered by a power supply 12 whose output voltage matches the rated voltage of the sensors, reducing the number of supporting components such as the DC-DC chip 115 and protective devices.

[0065] In this embodiment, when multiple sensor groups have the same rated voltage, a single power supply 12 is used to power all control modules 11, reducing the number of power supplies and supporting circuits, lowering hardware costs and deployment difficulty. This solution is suitable for scenarios where similar sensors are densely deployed, achieving intensive resource utilization.

[0066] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a MEMS sensor power supply system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In another possible implementation, the power supply system includes multiple control modules 11 , and when the rated voltages of the sensor groups are different, the power supply system includes multiple power supplies 12 . Figure 5 The description is made by taking two power supplies 12 as an example.

[0067] Each control module 11 is connected to a power supply 12 whose output voltage is the same as the rated voltage of the corresponding sensor.

[0068] In practice, to enhance the comprehensiveness of farmland meteorological data collection, different types of sensors are required. These sensors require different rated voltages. For example, a set of soil moisture sensors requires a 5V power supply, while another set of light sensors requires a 3.3V power supply.

[0069] When the rated voltages of the sensors in each group are different, the power supply system includes multiple power supplies 12 to meet the power requirements of sensors with different rated voltages.

[0070] In this embodiment, multiple independent power supplies 12 are configured for sensor groups with different rated voltages and connected to corresponding control modules 11. Differentiated voltage outputs meet the power requirements of each sensor group, avoiding the compromise in device performance that would result from forcing a uniform voltage. Furthermore, the multi-power architecture disperses the power supply load, reducing the risk of overloading a single power supply.

[0071] In one possible implementation, the high-side switch 114 integrates an overcurrent protection circuit that automatically cuts off power to the sensor and generates a fault signal when the sensor loop current exceeds a preset threshold;

[0072] After receiving the fault signal through the GPIO port, the CPU 113 triggers an alarm message to be sent back to the server.

[0073] In this embodiment, an overcurrent protection circuit is integrated into high-side switch 114. When the sensor's loop current exceeds the specified limit due to an abnormality such as a short circuit or leakage, the circuit automatically cuts off power and generates a fault signal to prevent permanent sensor damage. CPU 113 receives the fault signal via the GPIO port and triggers an alarm backhaul, enabling remote fault location and rapid maintenance response, reducing system downtime.

[0074] In one possible implementation, the switch 10 includes a 10G optical port and a 1G electrical port;

[0075] The switch 10 is connected to the server via a 10G optical port and is connected to the switch chip 111 via a 1G electrical port.

[0076] In this embodiment, a 10G optical port is used to connect to the server, ensuring high-speed transmission of massive control signals (such as start and stop commands for thousands of sensors in large-scale farmland), avoiding command delays or loss due to insufficient bandwidth. A 1G electrical port is used to connect to the switch chip 111, ensuring stable transmission of local control signals while maintaining cost control. This hybrid interface design balances the high performance requirements of long-distance optical communication with the economical requirements of local circuits.

[0077] In a possible implementation, the Gigabit electrical port is a 480 Gigabit electrical port.

[0078] In this embodiment, the Gigabit electrical port is a 480 Gigabit electrical port (i.e., a 2.5G / 5G / 10G multi-rate compatible port), enabling the switch 10 to adapt to switch chips 111 of different performance levels (e.g., low-cost 2.5G chips or high-performance 10G chips), enhancing the flexibility of system hardware configuration. Furthermore, the 480 Gigabit bandwidth supports the data concurrency requirements of cascading multiple control modules 11, avoiding communication bottlenecks caused by increasing the number of cascade levels.

[0079] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the same. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A MEMS sensor power supply system, characterized in that: include: Switches, control modules and power supplies; The control module includes: a switch chip, an Ethernet chip and a CPU; The switch is connected to the server via an optical fiber interface and connected to the switch chip via an electrical interface, and is used to convert the initial control signal sent by the server into a target control signal and send the target control signal to the switch chip; The switch chip is connected to the switch and the Ethernet chip respectively, and is used to receive the target control signal forwarded by the switch and transmit it to the Ethernet chip; The CPU is connected to the Ethernet chip and is used to receive the target control signal transmitted by the Ethernet chip; The GPIO port of the CPU is used to output the target control signal to control the power supply state of the sensor; The initial control signal is an optical signal; the target control signal is an electrical signal; the target control signal is a power-on signal or a power-off signal; and the power supply supplies power to the MEMS sensor in the on state.

2. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 1, wherein: The control module further includes a plurality of high-side switches; Wherein, each high-side switch controls the power supply state of a corresponding sensor; the power supply state includes a power-on state and a power-off state; Each high-side switch is used to control the high-side switch to be in a closed state when the target control signal is a power-on signal, and the corresponding sensor is in a power-on state; when the target control signal is a power-off signal, the high-side switch is controlled to be in an open state, and the corresponding sensor is in a power-off state.

3. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 2, wherein: The control module further includes: a DC-DC chip connected between the power supply and each high-side switch.

4. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 3, wherein: The output voltage of the DC-DC chip is the same as the rated voltage of the MEMS sensor.

5. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 2, wherein: The power supply system includes one or more control modules; each control module controls the power supply status of a group of sensors through a high-side switch.

6. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 5, wherein: The power supply system includes multiple control modules, and when the rated voltages of the sensor groups are the same, the multiple control modules are connected to the same power supply.

7. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 5, wherein: The power supply system includes multiple control modules, and when the rated voltages of the sensor groups are different, the power supply system includes multiple power supplies; Each control module is connected to a power supply whose output voltage is the same as the rated voltage of the corresponding sensor.

8. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 2, wherein: The high-side switch integrates an overcurrent protection circuit that automatically cuts off power to the sensor and generates a fault signal when the sensor loop current exceeds a preset threshold; The CPU receives a fault signal through the GPIO port and triggers an alarm message to be sent back to the server.

9. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 1, wherein: The switch includes a 10G optical port and a 1G electrical port; The switch is connected to the server via the 10G optical port and is connected to the switch chip via the 1G electrical port.

10. The MEMS sensor power supply system according to claim 9, wherein: The gigabit electrical port is a 480 gigabit electrical port.

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