A highway structure detection data collection terminal

Abstract

This utility model discloses a data acquisition terminal for highway structure inspection, including a data acquisition terminal and a detachable battery module and wireless communication board module that can be inserted into the data acquisition terminal. The data acquisition terminal has a touch screen on the front and a data acquisition board inside. The back has a battery compartment and a wireless communication board compartment. Both the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment have multi-pin battery holder springs. The wireless communication board compartment also has a USB plug that connects to the data acquisition board. Guide rails are provided in the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment, allowing the battery module and the wireless communication module to be inserted into them. There are six types of wireless communication modules, each corresponding to a different wireless communication protocol. This utility model solves the problems of inconvenient battery replacement, limited wireless communication methods, and easy misinsertion during module installation in existing technologies, improving the practicality, reliability, and adaptability of the data acquisition terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of data acquisition terminal technology, specifically to a data acquisition terminal for highway structure detection. Background Technology

[0002] An expressway is a road that has been inspected and approved by the national highway authorities, meets the engineering technical standards for expressways, and is equipped with complete traffic safety facilities, management facilities, and service facilities, specifically for high-speed motor vehicle travel. Expressway structures refer to the various parts that make up an expressway, mainly including roadbed, pavement, bridges, tunnels, drainage facilities, protective facilities, traffic engineering, and roadside facilities.

[0003] With the development of information technology, various structures on highways are equipped with multiple sensors during construction to provide various information during construction and later operation.

[0004] In the field of highway structure inspection, the lack of compatibility of data acquisition terminals has long been a challenge. Because sensors along highways use various wireless transmission protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, traditional terminals only have one or two built-in communication modules, requiring multiple terminal devices to be carried on-site. This multi-device parallel operation mode not only increases equipment procurement costs but also causes difficulties in data synchronization and complex operating procedures, severely impacting inspection efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, this application provides a highway structure detection data acquisition terminal, which solves the problems of inconvenient battery replacement, single wireless communication method, and easy misinsertion of modules in the prior art, thereby improving the practicality, reliability and adaptability of the data acquisition terminal.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, one embodiment provides a highway structure detection data acquisition terminal, including a data acquisition terminal and a battery module and a wireless communication board module that can be detachably inserted into the data acquisition terminal.

[0007] The data acquisition terminal has a touch screen on the front and a data acquisition board inside. The back has a battery compartment and a wireless communication board compartment. Both the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment have multi-pin battery holder springs that are electrically connected within the data acquisition terminal. The multi-pin battery holder springs in the battery compartment are electrically connected to the data acquisition board. The wireless communication board compartment also has a USB plug that connects to the data acquisition board. Guide rails are provided in the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment, allowing the battery module and the wireless communication board module to be inserted into them. There are six types of wireless communication board modules, each corresponding to one of six wireless communication protocols.

[0008] Furthermore, the battery module is a rechargeable lithium battery module, and the voltage of the battery module is one of 5V, 9V, 12V and 24V.

[0009] Furthermore, two magnets with opposite magnetic poles are provided at the bottom of the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment. Magnets with opposite magnetic poles are also provided on the battery module and the wireless communication board module. If the battery module or the wireless communication board module is inserted into the battery compartment or the wireless communication board compartment in reverse, the battery module or the wireless communication board module cannot be inserted to the bottom due to the repulsion of like poles of the magnets, thus achieving a foolproof function.

[0010] Furthermore, the circuit board in the wireless communication board module is configured with three layers, specifically the bottom embedded core board, the digital logic board, and the wireless communication board. The circuit boards are connected together through board-to-board connectors. In order to strengthen the connection between the circuit boards, copper pillars are used to fix the circuit boards to the motherboard of the wireless communication embedded module.

[0011] Furthermore, the embedded core board within the wireless communication board module is the Allwinner T3 embedded module board.

[0012] Furthermore, the digital logic board is equipped with an FPGA, a BeiDou timing module, an RF transceiver module, a system download port, and a network port.

[0013] Furthermore, the wireless communication sub-board is equipped with one of the following wireless communication modules: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, LoRa, Halow, and LTE.

[0014] Furthermore, the wireless communication module is equipped with an antenna, which is connected to the wireless communication sub-board.

[0015] Furthermore, the data acquisition terminal is also equipped with at least one solid-state drive for storing data, and the solid-state drive is connected to the data acquisition board.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0017] This utility model discloses a highway structure detection data acquisition terminal that supports six protocols through a replaceable wireless communication module. It adopts a magnetic pole foolproof design and a modular structure, which solves the problems of poor compatibility and easy mis-insertion of existing equipment. It has the advantages of strong compatibility, convenient maintenance and high security. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the contact end structure of the battery module of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the contact end structure of the wireless communication module of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the wireless communication module structure of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 5 This is the circuit schematic diagram of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a side view of the circuit board of the wireless communication module of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a top view of the circuit board of the wireless communication module of this utility model.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Data acquisition terminal; 2. Battery compartment; 3. Wireless communication board compartment; 4. Multi-pin battery holder spring; 5. USB plug; 6. Magnet; 7. Battery module; 8. Wireless communication board module; 9. Data acquisition board; 10. Circuit board; 11. Embedded core board; 12. Digital logic board; 13. FPGA; 14. Wireless communication board; 15. Board-to-board connector; 16. Ethernet port; 17. USB port; 18. Beidou timing module; 19. RF transceiver module; 20. System download port; 21. Antenna. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0027] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments, and the operational steps involved in each embodiment can also be rearranged or adjusted in a manner that is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the specification and drawings are only for clearly describing a particular embodiment and do not imply that they represent the necessary components and / or order.

[0028] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0029] Example:

[0030] Please refer to Figures 1-7 According to one aspect of this application, one embodiment provides a highway structure detection data acquisition terminal, including a data acquisition terminal 1 and a battery module 7 and a wireless communication board module 8 that can be detachably inserted into the data acquisition terminal.

[0031] The data acquisition terminal 1 has a touchscreen on the front and a data acquisition board 9 inside. The back has a battery compartment 2 and a wireless communication board compartment 3. Both the battery compartment 2 and the wireless communication board compartment 3 have multi-pin battery holder springs 4, which are electrically connected within the data acquisition terminal 1. The multi-pin battery holder springs 4 in the battery compartment 2 are electrically connected to the data acquisition board 9. The wireless communication board compartment 3 also has a USB plug 5, which connects to the data acquisition board 9. Guide rails are provided in the battery compartment 2 and the wireless communication board compartment 3, allowing the battery module 7 and the wireless communication board module 8 to be inserted into them. There are six types of wireless communication board modules 8, each corresponding to one of the six wireless communication protocols.

[0032] The multi-pin battery holder spring 4 refers to a conductive element with an elastic contact structure, which can be implemented using a copper alloy spring array. Multi-point contact ensures reliable power connection during module insertion. The guide slide is a mechanical limiting structure located within the compartment, which can be implemented using a combination of grooves and protrusions to guide the module along a specific path during insertion. The USB plug refers to a Universal Serial Bus physical interface, which can be implemented using a Type-C interface to establish a data transmission channel between the wireless communication module and the data acquisition board.

[0033] When operators need to switch wireless communication protocols, the corresponding wireless communication board module 8 can be inserted into the compartment along the guide rail. After the metal contacts at the bottom of the module contact the multi-pin battery holder spring, the power supply circuit is automatically connected. Simultaneously, the module's USB plug couples with the data acquisition board interface, establishing a high-speed data transmission channel. The data acquisition board 9 parses data packets from different communication protocols through a protocol conversion module, ultimately displaying the detection results uniformly on the touchscreen. Six replaceable modules cover mainstream wireless transmission standards, enabling a single terminal to be compatible with various sensors along the line.

[0034] Compared to existing technologies, traditional terminals use fixed communication modules with unchangeable protocol types, resulting in low equipment utilization. This solution achieves configurable communication functions through modular design, enabling a single terminal to dynamically adapt to multiple sensors. Guide rails and multi-pin spring structures replace traditional screw fixing methods, reducing module replacement time to the second level. The integrated design of the USB interface and power supply contacts avoids contact problems caused by external power cables.

[0035] Through the above technical solution, this application enables highway inspection personnel to complete data acquisition from various sensors along the entire route simply by carrying a single terminal device and replacing the wireless communication module. The module insertion and removal process requires no tools, significantly improving on-site operational efficiency. The standardized interface design reduces equipment maintenance complexity, and different protocol modules can be upgraded independently, extending the service life of the terminal device.

[0036] The battery module 7 uses a rechargeable lithium battery module with a voltage of 5V, 9V, 12V, or 24V. A rechargeable lithium battery module is a power supply unit that uses a lithium-ion chemical system to store and release electrical energy. Specifically, it can use polymer lithium batteries or lithium iron phosphate batteries, and achieves cyclic charging and discharging functions through a built-in charging management circuit. The voltage of 5V, 9V, 12V, or 24V means that the battery module's output voltage has multiple selectable levels. This can be achieved through series and parallel battery configurations or voltage conversion circuits, allowing the battery module to match sensors and circuit modules with different operating voltage requirements.

[0037] The replaceable battery design is intended to meet the needs of long-term data acquisition for sensors on highway structures, and to address the inconvenience of charging in the field.

[0038] Two magnets 6 with opposite magnetic poles are installed at the bottom of the battery compartment 2 and the wireless communication board compartment 3. Simultaneously, magnet groups with opposite magnetic poles are installed at corresponding positions on the battery module 7 and the wireless communication board module 8. This foolproof structure prevents complete insertion by using magnetic repulsion when the modules are inserted incorrectly. "Opposite magnetic poles" means the two magnets are arranged with their north and south poles facing opposite directions, which can be achieved using neodymium iron boron permanent magnets. This arrangement creates a stable magnetic field polarity distribution. "Magnet groups" refers to paired magnet units on the module, whose polarity distribution is mirror-symmetrical to the magnets in the compartment. This correspondence ensures a magnetic attraction effect when the module is correctly inserted. The foolproof function forcibly constrains the installation direction of the module through physical repulsion; this function achieves orientation recognition without relying on electronic detection devices.

[0039] When the module is inserted into the compartment in the correct orientation, the magnet at the bottom of the compartment and the module magnet form a complementary magnetic circuit with their north and south poles, generating a magnetic force that attracts each other and stably embeds the module into the guide rail. If the module is inserted in the wrong direction, the like poles of the magnet at the bottom of the compartment and the module magnet form a repulsive magnetic field. This repulsive force creates mechanical resistance before the module is fully inserted, causing the operator to perceive abnormal resistance and stop the insertion. The magnitude of this repulsive force is calculated and set to a minimum threshold sufficient to prevent the module from getting stuck in the positioning slot, ensuring smooth operation while effectively preventing incorrect insertion.

[0040] To store as much data as possible, the data acquisition terminal 1 is equipped with two solid-state drives (SSDs). The capacity can be changed by replacing the SSDs with different capacities. The SSDs are connected to the data acquisition board 9. Because SSDs have no mechanical running structure, they will not be damaged by external impacts like mechanical hard drives.

[0041] The circuit board 10 in the wireless communication board module 8 is configured as a three-layer structure, specifically an embedded core board 11 at the bottom, a digital logic board 12 and a wireless communication board 13. The circuit boards 10 are connected together by board-to-board connectors 13 and are fixed together by copper pillars.

[0042] Embedded core board 11 refers to the circuit unit that undertakes basic data processing functions. Specifically, it can be implemented using Allwinner T3 embedded module board as the basis for operation and control in a layered architecture.

[0043] Digital logic board 12 refers to the intermediate layer circuit that realizes protocol conversion and signal conditioning. Specifically, it can be implemented by a circuit board that integrates FPGA13 and Beidou timing module, and undertakes the adaptation function of different communication protocols.

[0044] Wireless communication board 14 refers to the functional layer that realizes the transmission and reception of radio frequency signals.

[0045] The board-to-board connector 15 refers to a standardized interface for realizing interlayer electrical connections. Specifically, it can be implemented using board-to-board connectors with a pitch of 0.5 mm to ensure the reliability of signal transmission.

[0046] Copper pillar fixing refers to a mechanical reinforcement method that enhances the physical connection strength. Specifically, it can be achieved by using M2 copper support pillars, which form a rigid structure between the three-layer circuit board and the motherboard through threaded connections.

[0047] The embedded core board 11 processes data signals as the underlying computing unit. The digital logic board 12 performs protocol conversion on the signals and transmits them to the wireless communication board 13. The wireless communication board 13 then transmits the processed signals through the radio frequency module 19. The board-to-board connector 15 enables inter-layer signal transmission and allows the wireless communication board 14 to be replaced according to protocol requirements, thereby forming wireless communication board modules with different protocols. Copper pillars form a longitudinal support structure to suppress relative displacement between circuit boards during equipment vibration and prevent poor contact of the board-to-board connector 15.

[0048] This layered architecture allows each functional layer to work independently. When a communication protocol needs to be changed, only the wireless communication board 14 needs to be replaced, without modifying other circuit layers.

[0049] Embedded core board 11 is the Allwinner T3 embedded module board. The Allwinner T3 embedded module board refers to an embedded processor module based on the ARM Cortex-A7 architecture, specifically implemented using a quad-core 1.8GHz SoC chip. It integrates a GPU and video codec unit and supports the Linux operating system. This module board establishes a high-speed data channel with the digital logic board through built-in PCIe, USB, and SPI interfaces, providing parallel processing capabilities for multi-protocol wireless communication.

[0050] The Allwinner T3 Embedded Module Board 11 directly manages data transmission between the wireless communication daughterboard and the digital logic board through its built-in DMA controller, avoiding frequent CPU interruptions. The onboard 1GB DDR3 memory provides cache space for BeiDou timing data and sensor information, ensuring no data loss occurs when switching wireless communication protocols.

[0051] The digital logic board 12 is equipped with an FPGA 13, a time synchronization module, a wireless signal processing module, a program update interface, and a wired network interface 16. The time synchronization module is a Beidou time synchronization module 18, the wireless signal processing module is a radio frequency transceiver module 19, and the program update interface is a system download port 20.

[0052] FPGA13 refers to an integrated circuit chip capable of implementing different logic functions through programming. Specifically, it can be implemented using a Xilinx or Altera field-programmable gate array chip, used for adapting data format conversion and protocol processing for different sensors. The time synchronization module refers to a high-precision clock signal receiving unit based on a satellite navigation system. Specifically, it can be implemented using the BeiDou timing module 18 of the BeiDou satellite navigation system, used to provide a unified time reference for multi-sensor data acquisition. The wireless signal processing module refers to a hardware unit supporting multi-band signal modulation and demodulation, namely the RF transceiver module 19. Specifically, it can be implemented using a chipset integrating RF front-end and baseband processing functions, used to realize physical layer signal transmission and reception for different wireless communication protocols. The program update interface refers to a standardized data transmission interface for device firmware upgrades, namely the system download port 20. Specifically, it can be implemented using a USB Type-C or Micro USB interface, used for maintaining device function expansion and protocol updates. The wired network interface 16 refers to a physical connection port conforming to the Ethernet communication standard. Specifically, it can be implemented using an RJ45 interface with a network transformer circuit, used to establish a wired data transmission channel with external devices.

[0053] After receiving raw data from the sensor, the FPGA13 performs protocol parsing and format conversion according to a preset program, generating standardized data packets. The time synchronization module continuously outputs a precise clock signal to ensure that the timestamps of the multi-channel data remain synchronized. The wireless signal processing module converts the standardized data into radio frequency signals conforming to the target protocol for transmission, while simultaneously receiving wireless signals from external devices and converting them into digital signals. The program update interface allows firmware upgrades via external device connections to support new communication protocols. The wired network interface automatically switches to wired transmission mode when wireless communication is obstructed, forming a dual-channel redundant communication mechanism.

[0054] The wireless communication subboard 14 is equipped with one of the following wireless communication modules: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, LoRa, Halow, and LTE.

[0055] The wireless communication daughterboard 14 refers to an independently packaged and pluggable hardware module, which can be implemented using a PCB substrate with integrated protocol chips. Its function is to physically isolate hardware units with different communication protocols, avoiding signal interference caused by the coexistence of multiple protocols. The Wi-Fi module refers to a wireless local area network communication unit compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard, which can be implemented using the ESP32 series chipset for short-range, high-speed data transmission. The Bluetooth module refers to a near-field communication unit supporting the BLE protocol, which can be implemented using the Nordic nRF52840 chip for low-power device connectivity. The Zigbee module refers to an IoT communication unit based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, which can be implemented using the TI CC2652R chip for building Mesh network topologies. The LoRa module refers to a long-range communication unit using spread spectrum modulation technology, which can be implemented using the Semtech SX1276 chip for kilometer-level low-power data transmission. Halow modules refer to dedicated communication units for the Internet of Things (IoT) that support the IEEE 802.11ah standard. They can be implemented using the Qualcomm QCA4020 chip and are used for high-capacity sensor networking. LTE modules refer to wide-area communication units that support 4G cellular networks. They can be implemented using the Quectel EC25 chip and are used for remote data backhaul.

[0056] The wireless communication sub-board 14 forms an independent functional unit through a pre-installed single protocol hardware module.

[0057] Different wireless communication board modules 8 can switch protocols simply by replacing the different wireless communication sub-boards 14, meaning the protocol switching is achieved through physical replacement. For example, for Zigbee sensors deployed in bridge structures, a sub-board integrating a Zigbee module can be selected; for LTE sensors distributed on the roadside, an LTE module sub-board is used. After insertion, each sub-board establishes a data path with the terminal's main control board via a board-to-board connector, while being secured with copper pillars to ensure mechanical stability. This solution decouples the hardware of six protocols through modular design, enabling a single terminal to have protocol expansion capabilities.

[0058] The pluggable daughterboard structure allows for independent packaging of different protocol modules, avoiding circuit interference and enabling on-demand protocol configuration. In existing technologies, changing communication protocols requires multiple terminals; this solution only requires replacing the daughterboard, significantly reducing the number of devices and operational complexity.

[0059] The pluggable and replaceable wireless communication module 8 solves the problem of a single terminal being incompatible with multiple wireless protocols. Operators no longer need to carry multiple terminals to adapt to six types of sensors: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, LoRa, Halow, and LTE, significantly reducing equipment management costs. In tunnel monitoring scenarios, the LoRa daughterboard can be used simultaneously to connect deep sensors and the LTE daughterboard for data transmission, avoiding power supply and synchronization issues caused by parallel operation of multiple terminals. In bridge inspection scenarios, replacing the Halow daughterboard allows for efficient access to densely deployed stress sensor networks, improving data acquisition efficiency.

[0060] This application further proposes to set an antenna 21 on the wireless communication board module 8 and connect it to the digital logic board 12, which can improve the data reception capability of the wireless communication module.

[0061] Antenna 21 refers to a device used to receive and transmit electromagnetic waves. Specifically, it can be implemented using a PCB antenna or an external detachable antenna, and is directly fixed to the RF port of the digital logic board 12 through a physical connection.

[0062] Antenna 21 is directly connected to the RF transceiver module of the wireless communication sub-board via an RF coaxial cable or metal contacts, shortening the signal transmission path to the millimeter level. For example, when antenna 21 adopts an external, detachable structure, the corresponding antenna type can be matched according to different wireless communication protocols, such as a 2.4GHz omnidirectional antenna for Wi-Fi and a 433MHz whip antenna for LoRa. Simultaneously, the physical connection between antenna 21 and the sub-board is achieved through soldering or spring contacts, ensuring the stability of high-frequency signal transmission. During data acquisition, the antenna adjusts its signal transmission and reception mode in real time based on the preset frequency band coverage range.

[0063] In some specific implementations, antenna 21 can be configured as a rotatable structure to adapt to different installation angles; or a magnetic interface can be used to enable quick replacement, for example, switching to a more interference-resistant directional antenna when the acquisition terminal is close to a metal structure.

[0064] Antenna 21 reduces signal attenuation and interference during transmission, ensuring stable acquisition of data from sensors with different wireless communication protocols in complex highway environments.

[0065] This utility model discloses a highway structure detection data acquisition terminal. In use, a battery module and one of the wireless communication modules are inserted into the data acquisition terminal. It can be used handheld, vehicle-mounted, or carried by a drone to collect data from sensors installed on the highway that conform to the wireless communication module protocol.

[0066] The above-described specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the concept of this invention.

Claims

1. A data acquisition terminal for highway structure detection, characterized in that: Includes a data acquisition terminal and a detachable battery module and wireless communication board module that can be inserted into the data acquisition terminal; The data acquisition terminal has a touch screen on the front and a data acquisition board inside. The back has a battery compartment and a wireless communication board compartment. Both the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment have multi-pin battery holder springs that are electrically connected within the data acquisition terminal. The multi-pin battery holder springs in the battery compartment are electrically connected to the data acquisition board. The wireless communication board compartment also has a USB plug that connects to the data acquisition board. Guide rails are provided in the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment, allowing the battery module and the wireless communication module to be inserted into them. There are six types of wireless communication modules, each corresponding to one of six wireless communication protocols.

2. The highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery module is a rechargeable lithium battery module, and the voltage of the battery module is one of 5V, 9V, 12V and 24V.

3. The highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the battery compartment and the wireless communication board compartment are equipped with two magnets with opposite magnetic poles. The battery module and the wireless communication board module are also equipped with corresponding magnets with opposite magnetic poles.

4. The highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The data acquisition terminal is also equipped with at least one solid-state drive, which is connected to the data acquisition board.

5. A highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit board in the wireless communication board module is configured with three layers: a bottom embedded core board, a digital logic board, and a wireless communication board. The circuit boards are connected together by board-to-board connectors, and the circuit boards are also fixed to the wireless communication embedded module motherboard with copper pillars.

6. The highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that: The embedded core board within the wireless communication module is the Allwinner T3 embedded module board.

7. A highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that: The digital logic board is equipped with an FPGA, a Beidou timing module, an RF transceiver module, a system download port, and a network port.

8. A highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that: The wireless communication board is equipped with one of the following wireless communication modules: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, LoRa, Halow, and LTE.

9. A highway structure detection data acquisition terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that: The wireless communication module is equipped with an antenna, which is connected to the digital logic board.

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