Autonomous data logger

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for recording and storing measurement data relating to a subject or a living body. The apparatus includes at least one sensor configured to measure data related to a subject or living body, a memory, and a controller configured to store the measured data in the memory. The at least one photosensitive element is configured to convert electromagnetic radiation into an electrical current. The transceiver is configured to transmit measurement data and / or storage data and to receive data signals. At least one capacitor is configured to store current from the at least one photosensitive element. A controller is configured to measure a voltage of the at least one capacitor. The controller is further configured to predict an output voltage of the at least one capacitor based on the measured voltage, and the controller is configured to increase or decrease a rate of sampling and storing the measured data in the memory and / or increase or decrease a rate of transmitting the measured data and / or storing the data in accordance with the measured voltage or the predicted voltage.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with Chinese application number 202280024958.7 (corresponding to PCT international application number PCT / EP2022 / 051638), application date January 25, 2022, and invention name “Autonomous Data Recorder”. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus, a method and a system for recording and storing and transmitting measurement data related to an object or living being (such as an animal or a human being).The present invention can also be used for objects that are passively exposed to environmental influences. Background Art

[0003] The term autonomous data logger refers to a device that is able to autonomously collect data on a research subject. Such a device, often called a biologger, particularly when tracking animals, can collect and provide data on the behavior of an animal or subject. Typically, such a system includes a housing, electronics, an energy storage device or power supply, embedded microcontroller software, and (if applicable) solar cells for energy generation. In this way, the device can autonomously collect data on a research subject. The biologger is attached to the subject or animal (for example, worn as a backpack, anklet, or collar) so that data on the behavior of the corresponding animal can be collected. Ideally, the animal wears the biologger throughout its life cycle so that data is provided over a long period of time without having to capture the animal multiple times.

[0004] Biorecorders according to the prior art utilize lithium batteries as their primary energy source. However, rechargeable lithium batteries require electronic components, such as low-dropout regulators (LDOs) or direct-current / direct-current (DC / DC) converters, to maintain a constant operating voltage. Furthermore, charging the lithium batteries, particularly via solar cells, requires components specifically adapted for safe charging. These components, due to the need for coils and passive components, further increase the weight and space required for the device. Furthermore, circuitry must be included to prevent battery overcharging, deep discharge, and trickle charging. However, these electronic components increase the weight of the system, making the device less comfortable for the animal to wear. Summary of the Invention

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. In particular, a lightweight device, such as an animal-mounted device, is provided that is powered solely by one or more capacitors and one or more light-sensitive elements (preferably, photodiode arrays) as a state-of-the-art power supply technology for long-term biorecorders, offering various advantages over lithium batteries. The present disclosure meets this objective. The concept combines and tightly integrates an ultra-low power and ultra-lightweight hardware design with embedded software in order to intelligently budget the available energy of the supercapacitor as the primary power source. The energy is used to power an adaptive, event-driven activity monitoring algorithm, for example based on continuously evaluated acceleration data as a measure of activity.

[0006] The present invention is defined in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for recording and storing measurement data related to an object or a living organism. The device comprises: at least one sensor configured to measure data related to the object or the living organism; a memory; and a controller configured to store the measurement data in the memory. At least one photosensitive element is configured to convert electromagnetic radiation into an electric current. A transceiver is configured to transmit the measurement data and / or store the data and receive data signals. At least one capacitor is configured to store the current from the at least one photosensitive element.

[0007] Preferably, various embodiments may achieve the following features.

[0008] Preferably, the controller is configured to measure the voltage of the at least one capacitor.

[0009] Preferably, the controller is configured to predict the output voltage of the at least one capacitor based on the measured voltage, and the controller is configured to increase or decrease the rate of sampling and storing the measured data in the memory and / or increase or decrease the rate of sending the measured data and / or storing the data according to the measured voltage or the predicted voltage.

[0010] Preferably, the rate of sampling and storing the measurement data in the memory and / or the rate of sending the measurement data and / or storing the data is highest at the maximum measured voltage or predicted voltage and lowest at the minimum measured voltage or predicted voltage, wherein, preferably, the maximum voltage is the rated voltage of the capacitor and the minimum voltage is 0.66 of the maximum voltage.

[0011] Preferably, the device further comprises a real time clock RTC, wherein the RTC preferably operates independently of the controller.

[0012] Preferably, the controller is configured to power off at least one of the at least one sensor, the memory or the transceiver when the measured voltage of the at least one capacitor is lower than a minimum voltage.

[0013] Preferably, the controller is configured to receive a wake-up signal from the RTC and to measure the voltage of the at least one capacitor upon receiving the wake-up signal.

[0014] Preferably, the device comprises a plurality of light-sensitive elements, preferably light-sensitive elements arranged in series.

[0015] Preferably, the open circuit voltage of the photosensitive element or the sum of the open circuit voltages of multiple photosensitive elements is higher than the rated voltage of the capacitor, wherein, preferably, the rated voltage of the capacitor is between 0.6 and 0.8 of the open circuit voltage of the photosensitive element or the sum of the open circuit voltages of multiple photosensitive elements, and the rated voltage of the capacitor is more preferably 0.75 of the open circuit voltage of the photosensitive element.

[0016] Preferably, the at least one photosensitive element is or comprises a photodiode, wherein, preferably, the wavelength of maximum sensitivity of the at least one photosensitive element is between 200 nm and 3000 nm, preferably between 400 nm and 1100 nm, and / or wherein the capacitor has a capacitance between 0.2 and 50 Farads.

[0017] Preferably, the transceiver is a long-range wide area network module or a Bluetooth low energy module, or the transceiver includes a long-range wide area network module or a Bluetooth low energy module, and / or the at least one sensor is at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a magnetometer, a barometer, a light sensor, a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) module, or the at least one sensor includes at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a magnetometer, a barometer, a light sensor, a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) module.

[0018] Preferably, the apparatus further comprises at least one of a collar, harness, leg band, ear tag, backpack, strap, screw, glue or claw configured to be attached to the subject or living being.

[0019] Preferably, the device further comprises a printed circuit board PCB, wherein the at least one sensor, the memory, the controller, the at least one photosensor, the transceiver and the capacitor are directly soldered to the PCB in one assembly step, preferably by reflow soldering.

[0020] The present disclosure also relates to a system comprising at least two devices as described above, wherein a controller of at least one of the at least two devices is configured to estimate a relative position of the at least one device relative to the at least one other device of the at least two devices using a signal strength RSSI of a signal received from at least one other device of the at least two devices.

[0021] Preferably, the at least one device is configured to send data signals to and receive data signals from at least one other device, or the system further comprises at least one base station configured to send data signals to and receive data signals from the at least one device.

[0022] The present disclosure also includes a method for recording and storing measurement data associated with an object or living organism. The method includes measuring data associated with the object or living organism using at least one sensor, storing the measurement data in a memory using a controller, and converting electromagnetic radiation into an electric current using at least one photosensitive element. The measurement data and / or stored data are transmitted and a data signal is received by a transceiver. The current from the at least one photosensitive element is stored in at least one capacitor. The voltage of the at least one capacitor is measured, and the output voltage of the at least one capacitor is predicted based on the measured voltage. The method also includes increasing or decreasing the rate at which the measurement data is sampled and stored in the memory and / or increasing or decreasing the rate at which the measurement data is transmitted and / or stored, based on the measured voltage or the predicted voltage.

[0023] The rate at which measurement data is sampled and stored in memory and / or the rate at which measurement data is transmitted and / or stored may be highest at the maximum measured or predicted voltage and lowest at the minimum measured or predicted voltage.

[0024] The method preferably further comprises generating, by the controller, statistics of the measurement data and storing the statistics in the memory. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The present disclosure is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic depiction of a biorecorder according to the prior art,

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic depiction of a recording device according to an example of the present disclosure, and

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic depiction of a recording device according to an example of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a biorecorder according to the prior art is shown. One or more solar cells 1 for generating energy are mounted in or on the housing and connected to a lithium polymer battery 3 via a battery management system 2. The battery management system 2 is also connected to and distributes energy to the electronics, which consist of a microcontroller 4, memory 5, a communication module 6, and a sensor 7. The communication module 6 and sensor 7 are also connected to an antenna 8 and a cable connection 9, as shown. The housing seals the components, protecting them from environmental influences and damage.

[0030] Here, a microcontroller 4 controls the sensors 7 and the communication module 6. Typically, data is collected, processed, and (temporarily) stored, provided that the stored energy is sufficient for the operation of the bio-recorder. Depending on the circumstances, data can be sent and / or received via the communication channel (e.g., for reconfiguration of the bio-recorder). Subsequently, the system typically switches to a sleep mode (deep sleep) to avoid unnecessarily discharging the lithium polymer battery 3, and wakes up after a predetermined time interval. Some systems also utilize a standby mode in which at least one communication module 6 is active and wakes up the bio-recorder upon receipt of certain radio signals.

[0031] In these systems, the battery management system 2 forms an autonomous unit that is decoupled from the core functions of the device. Therefore, it continuously requires energy in order to monitor and protect the energy storage device (i.e., the lithium polymer battery 3). Conventional biologgers read the battery status as an ADC signal, which is then saved as a sensor value and / or transmitted as a state of health (SOH) value to the embedded system. If the remaining power allows, this information can also be used to switch to an energy-saving mode or to perform energy-intensive operations such as data transmission or an attempt to obtain the current position via GPS. Conventional devices based on hardware or software usually shut down when the battery voltage falls below a critical level.

[0032] However, the electronics required for energy management require space, energy, and increase the weight of the system. Furthermore, due to the high-frequency switching of the converter, the circuit creates a potential source of interference for the RF module. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a different charging, operating, and energy concept for a biologger that can operate autonomously for extended periods while collecting behavioral data from animals and managing available energy.

[0033] Figure 2 is a schematic depiction of an example according to the present disclosure. The following examples will be described with reference to a device attached to a living animal. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this application and may also be used for other objects, for example, objects exposed to environmental influences such as waste residue.

[0034] An exemplary embodiment of a biorecorder includes a circuit board, on which the remaining components are placed or attached. To generate energy, the biorecorder includes at least one photosensor, preferably a photosensor array 10, more preferably an array of photodiodes. Alternatively or additionally, a solar cell may be used. When sunlight impinges on photosensor 10, a charging current is generated, charging a capacitor 30, preferably a supercapacitor, serving as an energy storage device. A Schottky diode may be positioned in the opposite direction toward the at least one photosensor to prevent discharge of capacitor 30 through photosensor 10.

[0035] The low-voltage supercapacitor 30 can be considered a volatile, short-term energy buffer. According to this example, it is charged via a series-connected array of photosensors 10 (photodiodes or solar cell arrays) (elements 10_1 to 10_X), where the total number of photosensors 10, i.e., the total open-circuit voltage, is adapted to the maximum rated voltage of the capacitor 30. Under normal lighting conditions (i.e., average daylight conditions), the voltage of the photosensors 10 is higher than the minimum voltage required for operation of the biorecorder. This ensures that the capacitor 30 can be charged even under poor lighting conditions, and that system operation is possible.

[0036] According to one embodiment, capacitor 30 can also be charged in a few seconds by being connected to an external energy source via at least one cable connection 90. Cable connection 90 can include multiple pins or various sockets and / or plugs. Due to its type of construction, the charging and discharging current is limited only by the internal resistance of capacitor 30.

[0037] Compared to conventional approaches such as those described above, this allows for a simpler battery management system. Specifically, a microcontroller 40 with software implemented thereon monitors the state of the capacitor 30 and, depending on the state of charge, allocates energy or sets the system to sleep mode. Available energy is directly and functionally linked to the data collected by the biologger, allowing for efficient use of excess energy. This can be referred to as software-based energy management.

[0038] The capacitor 30 provides power to the electronics section, which includes a microcontroller 40, a memory 50, at least one communication module 60, and at least one sensor 70. The microcontroller 40 also functions as or includes an energy management system via embedded software. The at least one communication module 60 is configured to send and receive data wirelessly or via a wired connection. Therefore, it is connected to at least one antenna 80 and / or the at least one cable connection 90. The at least one antenna 80 is provided according to the desired communication method, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE), a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) such as LoRa / LoRaWAN, or any other form of wireless transmission. When using LoRa / LoRaWAN communication, a supercapacitor is preferred because it can provide the high current required for transmission. The at least one communication module 60 and the at least one antenna 80 can also be used for proximity detection, i.e., detecting the presence and distance of another device, for example, via Bluetooth LE and / or a received signal strength indicator (RSSI). For communication purposes, a transceiver module 20 may be provided, which is provided as a single module or as a combined module comprising at least one of the at least one communication module 60 , the at least one antenna 80 or the at least one cable connection 90 .

[0039] The at least one sensor 70 is used to collect motion and environmental data as well as position data. Suitable sensors may be, but are not limited to, environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure (barometer), air quality (e.g., via volatile organic compounds (VOCs)), light sensors, 3-axis acceleration sensors (accelerometers), gyroscopes, magnetometers, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensors such as global positioning systems (GPS), etc. These sensors provide valuable data about the motion and behavior of the animal or object.

[0040] A complete hardware system (in Figure 2 The CMOS (indicated by the dotted line) is suitable for operation over a wide range of power supply voltages, making the LDO or DC / DC converter used to provide a constant power supply voltage redundant. This reduces the number of hardware components, thereby reducing weight, lowering standby current, and improving energy supply efficiency. All components operate directly through capacitors, such as Figure 2 In this advantageous operation, it is usually not possible to use a lithium battery without a voltage regulator, since a fully charged lithium battery supplies a voltage of, for example, 4.2 V, which is higher than the maximum rated voltage of 3.6 V of many microcontrollers and sensors.

[0041] In order to effectively manage the available energy, the operating concept is implemented as software on the microcontroller 40 to monitor the charge state, i.e., the voltage of the capacitor 30, and to distribute energy or stop operation. In particular, energy management can act preventively and anticipatorily to avoid overcharging or deep discharge of the capacitor 30. Therefore, the voltage of the capacitor 30 (assuming a 3V capacitor) is regulated to a range of 1.8-3V. This voltage range should not be understood as limiting and can vary depending on the specifications of the capacitor and the electronic device.

[0042] In contrast to lithium batteries, by measuring the voltage of capacitor 30, i.e. the voltage present at capacitor 30, the load of capacitor 30 can be determined very accurately and with low error margins due to its linear dependence on the capacitor voltage. Since the maximum charging current output by photosensitive element 10 can also be calculated, the future energy state can be estimated taking into account the charging current and the capacitor voltage history.

[0043] Since checking the voltage present at capacitor 30 requires very little energy, microprocessor 40 can wake up at specific intervals and determine the charge state of capacitor 30. Thus, a real-time clock (RTC) is provided that runs continuously and acts as a timer. This allows dynamic adaptation of sensor intervals, wake-up intervals, measurement and evaluation intervals, etc., to the current energy state, i.e., the available energy stored in capacitor 30. In particular, if the charge state of capacitor 30 is high, the intervals can be set shorter, i.e., the measurement / transmission / evaluation / wake-up frequency can be increased to continuous operation, and vice versa. When high light intensities are incident on photosensor 10, it is preferred that the energy consumption of electronics 40, 50, 60, 70 is equal to or higher than the maximum charging current generated by photosensor 10, in order to ensure that capacitor 30 is not overcharged. Consequently, when the end-of-charge (EOC) state is reached, excess energy is not converted into heat, as is typically done in conventional battery management systems, but can instead be effectively used to record data at a higher sampling frequency or transmit data at a higher frequency.

[0044] On the other hand, deep discharge of capacitor 30 must be avoided, as the system may not be able to wake up from this state. Therefore, the wake-up interval at which microcontroller 40 checks the capacitor voltage is increased. Depending on the circumstances, microcontroller 40 may be placed in sleep mode for several hours or days. Sleep mode affects all electrical loads of the device except the RTC, which triggers the wake-up interval simultaneously. However, the wake-up interval is preferably set so that even if a high charging current is input to capacitor 30 due to high light intensity, microcontroller 40 wakes up early enough to prevent overcharging of capacitor 30.

[0045] The ratio of the wakeup / measurement / transmission / evaluation / sampling interval (or frequency) to the state of charge may be preconfigured and embedded in software stored on the microprocessor 40 and / or memory 50. At least lower and upper thresholds are set at which the interval increases and decreases (at which the frequency decreases and increases), respectively.

[0046] However, preferably, the software stored on the microprocessor 40 includes a gradual increase of the wake-up / measurement / transmission / evaluation / sampling frequency with the charge state of the capacitor 30. This can be achieved, for example, by implementing a mathematical relationship describing the wake-up frequency as a function of the capacitor voltage.

[0047] Furthermore, the microcontroller 40 can be configured to measure the voltage of the at least one capacitor 30 (present at the at least one capacitor 30) and, based on the measured voltage, predict the output voltage of the at least one capacitor 30. The voltage is an indicator of the load, and therefore of the energy stored in the capacitor 30. The prediction can be based, for example, on characteristics of the capacitor 30 and / or historical voltage data. It can also be based on, for example, knowledge of the current local time and date provided by an RTC. At night, it can be assumed that the capacitor voltage will not increase due to the lack of light incident on the photosensor 10. When the measured voltage reaches a first predetermined threshold and the predicted output voltage exceeds the first threshold, the microcontroller 40 can increase or decrease the rate at which the measurement data is sampled and stored in the memory and / or increase or decrease the rate at which the measurement data is transmitted and / or stored, depending on the predicted voltage. The first threshold is lower than the rated voltage of the capacitor, preferably 0.9 of the rated voltage of the capacitor.

[0048] The microcontroller 40 is configured to power off at least one of the electronic components except the RTC when the measured voltage of the capacitor 30 is below a second threshold, and / or power on at least one of the electronic components when the measured output voltage is above the second threshold.

[0049] The second threshold value is lower than the rated voltage of the capacitor 30 , preferably at least 0.6 of the rated voltage of the capacitor 30 , and more preferably 0.66 of the rated voltage of the capacitor 30 .

[0050] Preferably, however, a gradual increase or decrease of the wake-up / measurement / transmission / evaluation / sampling frequency is implemented in the microcontroller 40 .

[0051] In other words, the microcontroller 40 is configured to predict the output voltage of the at least one capacitor 40 based on the measured voltage, and the microcontroller 40 is configured to increase or decrease the rate at which the measured data is sampled and stored in the memory and / or increase or decrease the rate at which the measured data is transmitted and / or stored, depending on the predicted voltage. The rate at which the measured data is sampled and stored in the memory and / or the rate at which the measured data is transmitted and / or stored is highest at the maximum predicted voltage and lowest at the minimum predicted voltage.

[0052] The maximum voltage may be the rated voltage of the capacitor 30 , and the minimum voltage may be at least 0.6 of the maximum voltage, preferably the minimum voltage may be 0.66 of the maximum voltage.

[0053] The highest wake-up / measurement / transmission / evaluation / sampling frequency is the continuous operation of the at least one electronic component, and the lowest frequency may be several hours or several days.

[0054] The RTC operates independently and is configured to monitor a wake-up interval. The RTC sends a wake-up signal that is received by the microcontroller 40, and the microcontroller 40 measures the voltage of the at least one capacitor 30 upon receiving the wake-up signal.

[0055] When the measured voltage of the capacitor 30 is lower than a minimum voltage, the microcontroller 40 is configured to power off at least one of the at least one sensor 70, the memory 50, or the transceivers 20, 60, 80, and 90. As described above, the wake-up interval can be set to avoid overcharging and discharging the capacitor 30. The microcontroller 40 is awakened by the RTC within the corresponding interval to check or measure the voltage of the capacitor 30. This measurement process requires very little energy and therefore only slightly affects the charge state of the capacitor 30.

[0056] In any case, the hardware components need to support ultra-low power shutdown modes to be able to recover the system after a sustained low power situation.

[0057] A neighboring device or base station may receive the wake-up interval from the bio-logger.

[0058] The data collected by the sensor 70 can be evaluated directly in the microprocessor 40 and stored as statistical data in the memory 50. This pre-processing of the data can save storage space and facilitate analysis at a later stage. Examples of data or sensor statistics that can be generated by a biologger are given below.

[0059] Accelerometer data can be stored for all three axes, preferably in the sensor's internal memory, where the sampling frequency can vary between less than 1 Hz and 25 Hz depending on the charge state of capacitor 30, as described above. When the internal memory is full, microprocessor 40 can be awakened to collect and process the acceleration sensor data. Alternatively, a time interval can be set after which microcontroller 40 wakes up to perform processing, where the time interval can depend on the charge state of capacitor 30. This data is then processed to generate statistics of acceleration values ​​and stored in memory 50.

[0060] Below, an example is given for evaluating raw data. The time interval can be, for example, one hour and can be adjusted depending on the charge state and / or the type of animal or subject being monitored. The results are to be understood as examples, and other behavioral information can be obtained from the raw or statistical data.

[0061] The sum of the lengths of the 3D vectors of acceleration values ​​in g (the square root of the sum of their squares) minus the Earth's gravity per hour indicates the activity index of the animal or object during each time interval. This data can provide insight into the movements of a particular species over the course of a year, day, or season.

[0062] The maximum, minimum, median, and mean accelerations for each of the three axes for each time interval also yielded an activity index.

[0063] Depending on the type of animal, the number of steps or wing beats per time interval can be used to approximate the distance traveled by the animal through peak-to-peak counting or fast Fourier transform (FFT) and filtering.

[0064] Furthermore, the ratio of movement to non-movement in percentage for each time interval can be used to generate an activity profile and classify the behavior of the animal, for example based on a movement threshold.The threshold can be set according to the type of animal being monitored.

[0065] Multiple threshold exceeding thresholds for acceleration values ​​(absolute or per axis) per time interval helps identify high motion, potentially stress-inducing situations.

[0066] For birds, for example, based on data from an air pressure sensor, such as the maximum and minimum air pressure at each time interval, the flight altitude or the dwell time in the nest and on the ground can be approximately calculated.

[0067] The ratio of humidity and temperature above a certain threshold within each time interval or the ratio of maximum and minimum temperature within each time interval can also provide information about the number and duration of stays in nests or burrows.

[0068] Based on proximity detection, for example via Bluetooth LE and / or RSSI, the number of conspecifics encountered can be recorded, provided they are also wearing corresponding biologgers. This number, along with the minimum, maximum, and / or average distances per time interval, can yield information about the sociality of the species.

[0069] Statistics can be generated by microcontroller 40 and stored in memory 50. Consequently, storage space in memory 50 is conserved, and because the amount of data transmitted is relatively small, the energy consumption of data transmission is relatively low. Statistics can also be generated using a machine learning algorithm. This algorithm can be pre-trained or trained during use of the biologger. Examples of trained algorithms include extracting specific behavioral events of the animal, such as counting steps or wing beats, detecting body postures, such as sitting, lying, and standing, and / or detecting more complex action sequences, such as predation or death.

[0070] Electronic components are soldered directly onto or to a printed circuit board (PCB) having at least one layer, making cable or wired connections redundant. Unlike lithium batteries, (super)capacitors can be mounted via through-hole using reflow soldering or as surface-mount devices (SMDs). The remaining components can also be provided as SMDs and connected using reflow soldering. Since cable connections are a major cause of system failure due to mechanical wear and vibration during biorecorder use, direct mounting solutions significantly increase the device's lifecycle.

[0071] To protect the components from environmental influences such as water and dust, the devices are painted and / or varnished. This further strengthens the solder connections and reduces weight compared to using a conventional housing. Care must be taken not to reduce the efficiency of the light-sensitive components.

[0072] An exemplary setup for testing purposes utilizes eight BPW34-type photodiodes connected in series and mounted on a four-layer PCB. A 3V, 1F supercapacitor (SCCQ12E105PRB 3V) is connected to the PCB as both an energy storage device and a power source. Assuming optimal lighting conditions, this particular capacitor can charge from 1.8V to 3V in 630 seconds. Schottky diodes, NSR0140P2T5G, prevent the capacitor from discharging through the photodiodes. The Schottky diodes are arranged in opposite directions toward the array of photodiodes. As mentioned above, overcharging and deep discharge are prevented by software. The test setup also features an ATtiny3217 8-bit microcontroller, a BME280 environmental sensor (ambient temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, air quality via VOCs), and a BMA400 triaxial accelerometer. According to another example, an ATtiny1616 8-bit microcontroller and a BME680 environmental sensor can be used. A CAT24M01HU5I-GT3 1M-bit electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) is provided as memory, and an RV-3028-C7 RTC clock is used as the RTC. An ANNA-B112-01B Bluetooth low energy module is provided for communication. The circuit also includes LEDs and passive components, as well as an AXE616124 multi-point connector for modular expansion of the system, programming of the microcontroller, and data readout. In addition, according to one example, a VEML6035 light sensor can be provided for estimating and / or predicting the status of the device (e.g., the charging state).

[0073] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the basic configuration of the device according to the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, according to Figure 2 All parts of the examples, in particular elements with the same reference numerals, may be compared with Figure 3 and vice versa. Figure 3 The device includes at least one photosensor 10 configured to convert electromagnetic radiation into an electric current, and a capacitor 30 charged by the electric current from the at least one photosensor 10. The device also includes a controller 40, a memory 50, and at least one sensor 70. For communication with neighboring devices or a base station, transceivers 20, 60, 80, 90 are provided. The transceivers can send and receive data wirelessly or via a cable connection to transmit measurement data, communicate with other devices, for example, for proximity detection, and receive reconfiguration data or updates for the controller 40.

[0074] A lightweight and waterproof device according to the present disclosure can be attached to a subject or living being throughout the life of the living being or when needed, for example, by using a collar, harness, leg band, ear tag, backpack, straps, screws, glue or claws.

[0075] The present disclosure also includes a system comprising at least two devices as described above. At least one device is configured to use the received signal strength (RSSI) from the at least one other device to calculate the relative position of one device relative to at least one other device. This can be achieved, for example, via Bluetooth LE communication. If two devices are involved, the distance between the two devices can be approximately calculated, while at least three devices allow the relative position, i.e., formation, to be determined without rotation information. The devices can also exchange the position information or send and receive other data from the other devices.

[0076] For precise positioning, a base station or gateway capable of communicating with at least one device can be established. Using RSSI, the radial distance from the device to the base station can be approximated. If the device is within the transmission and reception range of two base stations, two possible locations for the device can be determined: the intersection of two circles in a simplified two-dimensional space, with a radius equal to the distance approximated by RSSI. In three-dimensional space, the intersection of two spheres can be used to determine the device's possible location. If the device is capable of communicating with three or more base stations, a definitive location can be calculated.

[0077] Since storage space on the memory 50 is limited, the device preferably transmits the collected data (raw data or pre-processed data as described above) to a neighboring base station if the RSSI and the charge state of the capacitor allow. The data may then be deleted from the memory 50 of the device.

[0078] The present disclosure also includes methods corresponding to the apparatus and system described above. The methods may specifically relate to battery management as described above. Furthermore, the methods may specifically include onboard processing of data. As described above, the apparatus may process raw data to generate statistical data, thereby conserving storage space in memory 50. The calculation of the statistical data may specifically be performed by controller 40.

[0079] Movement metrics, i.e., the acquisition and processing of animal movement data, can also be implemented based on aggregated 3-axis acceleration data. An example of such processing is the vector of dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA), as published in Qasem L, Cardew A, Wilson A, Griffiths I, Halsey LG, Shepard ELC, et al. (2012) Tri-Axial Dynamic Acceleration as a Proxy for Animal Energy Expenditure; Should We Be Summing Values ​​or Calculating the Vector? PLoS ONE 7(2): e31187. https: / / doi.org / 10.1371 / journal.pone.0031187. Alternatively, zero crossings and zero crossing average amplitudes can be used, as disclosed in Seo, Jungryul & Chiang, Yutsai & Laine, Teemu & Khan, Adil. (2015), Step counting on smartphones using advanced zero-crossing and linear regression, ACM IMCOM 2015 – Proceedings. 10.1145 / 2701126.2701223 (https: / / www.researchgate.net / publication / 282680705_Step_counting_on_smartphones_using_advanced_zero-crossing_and_linear_regression). If the dynamic acceleration is close to zero, pitch and roll estimation can be used.

[0080] Furthermore, the rise and fall of the (super)capacitor voltage within a predetermined time window can be used to estimate the insolation. For a 1 F supercapacitor, for example, a 30 second time window can be set.

[0081] As an alternative data transmission method, a long-range transmission module based on the Sigfox IoT network can be used. Sigfox can be used as an alternative to data acquisition via Bluetooth LE and allows the transmission of summarized acceleration and environmental data (barometric pressure, temperature, sunlight, etc.) as well as trilateration position estimates (i.e., an alternative to GPS, but less accurate).

[0082] For better power management, a circuit can be provided that cuts off the main power supply to the microcontroller and the integrated sensor / communication module as soon as the voltage drops below a certain threshold. The threshold can be, for example, 2.1V, otherwise the microcontroller may be held in reset with increased power consumption, and the device may not be able to recover from the low voltage situation because the power provided by the (one or more) light sensitive elements may be insufficient. This also works as a fallback solution in the event that the software cannot keep the voltage above a certain threshold (e.g., by intelligent adaptation of the sampling frequency).

[0083] An exemplary embodiment of the operating concept of not wasting recovered energy can adopt the following threshold values. If the voltage of the (super)capacitor is higher than 2.6V, the device can transmit a wireless data message, for example, a wireless remote SigFox message. In the case where the voltage drops below 2.2V, the device can be configured to hibernate, i.e. be moved to sleep mode. Thus, the power consumption can be less than 500nA. When the voltage is higher than 2.2V, the device can operate in a normal state again, i.e., sample the sensor data and update the statistics / metrics as described above. This typically has a power consumption of about 2.5μA. The above thresholds and values ​​are examples only and can change depending on the properties of the device, the components or the environment in which the device is used.

[0084] The setup can also utilize a recovery circuit with a photodiode and an MPPT (maximum power point tracking) harvesting circuit, preferably in a boost configuration. The harvesting circuit used in this particular example is the AEM10941 with two photodiodes.

[0085] According to the present disclosure, improved devices, systems, and methods for recording and storing measurement data associated with an object or living organism are proposed. By using (super)capacitors as an energy source, the environmental impact of the device is minimized because capacitors require less energy and resources to manufacture than lithium batteries. Furthermore, there is no risk of explosion or fire in the event of deep discharge, overcharge, deformation, penetration, or exposure to high temperatures. The electronic device does not pose any risk to the environment, humans, or animals.

[0086] Compared to lithium batteries, capacitors have a high operating temperature range and theoretically unlimited charge and discharge cycles without performance loss. Therefore, the device can be worn for longer periods while still providing full functionality. Capacitors can also be fully charged in seconds from an external power source, whereas lithium batteries can degrade due to continuous high charging currents.

[0087] Sensors such as cameras, environmental sensors, or communication modules (e.g., LPWAN) temporarily require high operating currents, which can be supplied by capacitors even in small packages without damaging the capacitors. This allows the use of the latest electronics while minimizing the size and weight of the biorecorder. Small lithium batteries can provide higher capacity but lower discharge currents.

[0088] Because all electronic components are powered directly by energy from the capacitors, lossy components such as LDOs or DC / DC converters can be omitted, reducing both standby and operating currents. This reduction in required components also reduces weight and cost. All components can be mounted directly on the PCB as surface-mounted devices using reflow soldering and are covered with a protective coating. No cables are required, and therefore no housing is needed to protect the electronics. Through software-implemented energy management, excess energy is not converted into heat, but instead is efficiently used to generate, transmit, and receive data.

[0089] By processing the collected data on-board and storing only statistical data, storage space can be used more efficiently and data evaluation can be facilitated. In addition, due to the pre-processing, the transmission of data can be less energy-intensive.

[0090] Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the foregoing summary and from the following description, including the drawings and claims.

[0091] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary rather than restrictive. However, it should be understood that changes and modifications may be made by one skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments having any combination of features from the various embodiments described above and below.

[0092] Furthermore, in the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single unit may fulfill the functions of several features recited in the claims. Terms such as "substantially," "approximately," and "approximately" used in conjunction with an attribute or value also precisely define the attribute or exact value, respectively. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. A device for recording and storing measurement data related to an object or a living body, the device comprising: at least one sensor (70) configured to measure data related to the object or living being; Memory (50); a controller (40) configured to store the measurement data in the memory (50); at least one photosensitive element (10) configured to convert electromagnetic radiation into an electric current; a transceiver (20, 60, 80, 90) configured to transmit measurement data and / or store data and receive data signals; as well as at least one capacitor (30) configured to store current from the at least one photosensitive element (10), wherein the controller (40) is configured to measure the voltage of the at least one capacitor (30), and The controller (40) is configured to predict an output voltage of the at least one capacitor (30) based on a measured voltage, and the controller (40) is configured to increase or decrease a rate of sampling and storing measured data in the memory (50) and / or increase or decrease a rate of sending measured data and / or storing data depending on the measured voltage or the predicted voltage.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rate of sampling and storing the measurement data in the memory (50) and / or the rate of sending the measurement data and / or storing the data is highest at the maximum measured voltage or predicted voltage and lowest at the minimum measured voltage or predicted voltage, Preferably, the maximum voltage is the rated voltage of the capacitor (30), and the minimum voltage is 0.66 of the maximum voltage.

3. The device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising a real-time clock (RTC), wherein: The RTC preferably operates independently of the controller (40), and wherein the controller (40) is configured to, when the measured voltage of the at least one capacitor (30) is lower than the minimum voltage, power off at least one of the at least one sensor (70), the memory (50) or the transceiver (20, 60, 80, 90); and Wherein, preferably, the controller (40) is configured to receive a wake-up signal from the RTC, and measure the voltage of the at least one capacitor (30) when receiving the wake-up signal.

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The device comprises a plurality of light-sensitive elements (10), preferably the device comprises a plurality of light-sensitive elements (10) arranged in series.

5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The open circuit voltage of the photosensitive element (10) or the sum of the open circuit voltages of the plurality of photosensitive elements (10) is higher than the rated voltage of the capacitor (30), Preferably, the rated voltage of the capacitor (30) is between 0.6 and 0.8 of the open circuit voltage of the photosensitive element (10) or the sum of the open circuit voltages of the plurality of photosensitive elements (10), and the rated voltage of the capacitor (30) is more preferably 0.75 of the open circuit voltage of the photosensitive element (10).

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The at least one photosensitive element (10) is or comprises a photodiode, wherein preferably the wavelength of maximum sensitivity of the at least one photosensitive element (10) is between 200 nm and 3000 nm, preferably between 400 nm and 1100 nm, and / or The capacitor (30) has a capacitance between 0.2 and 50 farads.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The transceiver (20, 60, 80, 90) is a long-range wide area network module or a bluetooth low energy module, or includes a long-range wide area network module or a bluetooth low energy module, and / or The at least one sensor (70) is at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a magnetometer, a barometer, a light sensor, a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) module, or includes at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a magnetometer, a barometer, a light sensor, a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) module.

8. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one of a collar, harness, leg band, ear tag, backpack, strap, screw, glue, or claw configured to be attached to the object or living being.

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein The at least one sensor (70), the memory (50), the controller (40), the at least one photosensor (10), the transceiver (20, 60, 80, 90) and the capacitor (30) are directly soldered to the PCB in one assembly step, preferably directly soldered to the PCB in one assembly step by reflow soldering.

10. A system comprising at least two devices according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: A controller (40) of at least one of the at least two devices is configured to estimate a relative position of the at least one device with respect to the at least one other device of the at least two devices using a signal strength RSSI of a signal received from the at least one other device of the at least two devices.

11. A system comprising at least one device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: At least one device is configured to send data signals to and receive data signals from at least one other device, or The system further includes at least one base station configured to send data signals to the at least one device and receive data signals from the at least one device.

12. A method for recording and storing measurement data related to an object or a living body, the method comprising measuring data related to the object or living body by at least one sensor (70); storing the measurement data in a memory (50) via a controller (40); converting electromagnetic radiation into electric current via at least one photosensitive element (10); Transmitting measurement data and / or stored data and receiving data signals via a transceiver (20, 60, 80, 90); storing current from the at least one photosensitive element (10) in at least one capacitor (30); as well as measuring a voltage of the at least one capacitor (30); The method further comprises predicting an output voltage of the at least one capacitor (30) based on the measured voltage, and The rate of sampling and storing the measurement data in the memory (50) is increased or decreased and / or the rate of sending the measurement data and / or storing the data is increased or decreased depending on the measured voltage or the predicted voltage.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The rate at which measurement data are sampled and stored in the memory (50) and / or the rate at which measurement data are sent and / or stored is highest at the maximum measured or predicted voltage and lowest at the minimum measured or predicted voltage.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising generating, by the controller (40), statistical data of the measurement data and storing the statistical data in the memory (50).

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