Sensor device, sensor system and method for operating a sensor device

Abstract

A sensor device (14), comprising a receiving device (20) via which the sensor device (14) can be wirelessly supplied with electrical energy, a transmitting device (44) via which data can be wirelessly transmitted, a sensitive device (26), and at least one data processing device (30) which is signal-effectively coupled to the sensitive device (26) and the transmitting device (44), and which processes data from the sensitive device (26) and provides processed data as transmission data to the transmitting device (44), and a device (52) for interruption-tolerant operation of the sensor device (14) with respect to the electrical energy supply, wherein the device (52) for interruption-tolerant operation is implemented by hardware and / or software of the sensor device (14), wherein the device (52) for interruption-tolerant operation of the sensor device (14) is a device for interruption-tolerant data processing,which prevents irretrievable data loss in the event of insufficient electrical power supply to the sensor device and enables continued operation after restoration of a sufficient electrical power supply, wherein the data processing device (30) and / or the device (52) for interruption-tolerant operation are implemented on a microcontroller, and wherein the device (52) for interruption-tolerant operation specifies breakpoints which characterize a state of the sensor device (14) during operation and which secure this state in the event of insufficient power supply to the sensor device (14), wherein in the event of sufficient power supply after a previously insufficient power supply, continued operation of the sensor device (14) and in particular continued data processing of data from the sensitive device (26) is enabled based on stored breakpoint data.

Description

The invention relates to a sensor device.The invention further relates to a sensor system comprising a write and / or read head and at least one sensor device.The invention further relates to a method for operating a sensor device.DE 201 07 113 U1 discloses a device for supplying energy to field devices.US 2016 / 0252938 A1 discloses an apparatus with a nonvolatile memory.US 2005 / 0116544 A1 discloses an apparatus for supplying power to a load.US 2015 / 0303975 A1 discloses a further electrical device.US 2008 / 0281298 A1 discloses an electronic support system for controlling a biological data sensor.WO 2016 / 108888 A1 discloses a temperature data logger.WO 2014 / 070254 A1 discloses a body temperature logger.WO 2010 / 151903 A1 discloses a closure mechanism for a container door.The article "RF-Powered, Backscatter-Based Cameras" by S. Naderiparizi, Z. Kapetanovic, J. R. Smith, deals with devices which have an RF power supply.The article "An RFID-Enabled Wireless Strain Gauge Sensor for Static and Dynamic Structural Monitoring" by E. DiGiampaolo, A. DiCarellice and A. Gregori in IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL, VOL. 17, NO. 2, JANUARY 15, 2017, pages 286-294, deals with the wireless sensor system of mechanical stress measurements.The article "Design of an RFID-Based Battery-Free Programmable Sensing Platform" by A. P. Sample, D. J. Yeager, P. S. Powledge, A. V. Mamis hev, J. R. Smith, in IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, VOL. 57, NO. 11, NOVEMBER 2008, pages 2608-2615 deals with a wireless identification and sensor platform.The article "WISPCam: A Battery-Free RFID Camera" by S. Naderiparizi, A. N. Parks, Z. Capetanovic, B. Ransford, J. R. Smith also deals with such systems.The article "Chain: Tasks and Channels for Reliable Intermediate Programs" by A. Colin and B. Lucia, OOPSLA Proceedings of the 2016 ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Object-oriented Programming, pages 514-530, is concerned with "intermediate computing". The article "A Simpler, Safer Programming and Execution Model for Intermediate Systems" by B. Lucia and B. Ransford, PLDI'15, June 13-17, 2015, Portland, OR, USA, pages 575-585 also deals with intermediate computing.The article "Self-Locating Battery-Free Cameras" by S. Naderiparizi, A. P. Sample, J. R. Smith, Y. Zhao, J. Youngquist deals with RFID sensor networks.The object of the invention is to provide a sensor device of the type mentioned at the beginning which, with a wide range of variations with respect to positionability, has a reliable operating mode.According to the invention, this object is achieved in the sensor device mentioned at the outset in that a receiving device is provided, via which the sensor device can be supplied wirelessly with electrical energy, a transmitting device is provided, via which data can be wirelessly transmitted, a sensitive device is provided, at least one data processing device is provided, which is coupled to the sensitive device and the transmitting device in a signal-effective manner, and which processes data from the sensitive device and provides processed data as transmission data from the transmitting device, and a device for interrupt-tolerant operation of the sensor device with respect to the electrical energy supply, wherein the device for interrupt-tolerant operation is realized by hardware and / or software of the sensor device, wherein the device for interrupt-tolerant operation of the sensor device is a device for interrupt-tolerant data processing, which prevents an unreliable loss of data in the event of insufficient electrical power supply of the sensor device and permits continued operation after sufficient electrical power supply has been restored, wherein the data processing device and / or the device for interruption-tolerant operation are realized on a microcontroller, and wherein the device for interruption-tolerant operation specifies breakpoints which characterize a state of the sensor device in operation and which, in the event of insufficient power supply of the sensor device, secure this state, wherein, in the event of sufficient power supply after insufficient power supply beforehand, continuation of the operation of the sensor device and in particular continuation of the data processing on data of the sensitive device is made possible on the basis of stored breakpoint data.The sensor device according to the invention can be freely positioned, since both the energy supply and the data transmission take place wirelessly. Thus, no wire terminals and the like are required.Data processing for data of the sensitive device takes place on the sensor device itself. As a result, "finished" measurement data can be transmitted, which are obtained from the original data of the sensitive device and in particular are processed in such a way that they can be used directly. As a result, the data traffic of the sensor device can be minimized and this can be operated in an energy-saving manner.In the sensor device itself, primary sensor signals are provided, which are difficult to transmit. The data processing produces processed, compressed sensor data which can be transmitted well.In the case of RFID sensor systems known from the prior art, a large amount of sensor signals to be transmitted is present. This causes a long transmission time. Furthermore, only a small amount of energy can be transmitted. In such systems, this means, in turn, that energy temporarily stored at a sensor is often not sufficient to transmit the large quantity of sensor signals in a single step. The transmission then breaks when a limit is undershot and can only be continued when sufficient energy has been collected. There is then an interrupt operation. Since in the solution according to the invention already processed, compressed sensor data are transmitted and the amount of transmission signals is significantly reduced as a result, the transmission time can be reduced and the amount of energy required for the transmission can be reduced. A sensor device according to the invention is well suited for transmitting data and energy based on RFID technology.In particular, the sensor device can be operated without a battery and in the process can be operated without an electrochemical battery cell.A device is provided for an interruption-tolerant operation of the sensor device with respect to the electrical energy supply and for interruption-tolerant data processing, which prevents an unreliable data loss in the event of insufficient electrical energy supply of the sensor device and in particular enables a continuation operation after restoration of an adequate electrical energy supply. Even if the internal electric power supply of the sensor device is not sufficient, an "interruption operation" can thus be achieved, in which the state before the interruption is temporarily stored, so that it is possible to continue after the internal electric power supply is restored. The sensor device uses "intermediate computing" in order to avoid irreproducing data loss if the internal electrical power supply is not sufficient. For the sensor device, therefore, no permanent internal power supply has to be ensured for safe functioning, but power failures (in particular due to discharge of the electrical energy storage device) are tolerable for functioning, since continued operation is made possible. Modes of operation for interrupt tolerant operation (for intermittent operation) are described in the above mentioned articles by A. Colin, B. Lucia and B. Lucia, B. Ransford, respectively. These articles are expressly referred to.The device for interrupt-tolerant operation can be realized by a hardware solution and / or by a software solution of the sensor device. A combination of both a hardware solution and a software solution is possible.In particular, the sensor device comprises at least one of the following components: a non-volatile data storage device which is connected in a signal-effective manner to the data processing device and / or the sensitive device and / or the transmitting device, an energy storage device which is coupled to the receiving device, a measuring device for determining an energetic state of charge of the energy storage device. The data storage device allows data and in particular also intermediate data to be stored in a nonvolatile manner. This enables, in particular, interruption-tolerant operation of the sensor device. If a sufficient internal power supply is not ensured, then the data storage device can be used to store intermediate states of the sensor device, so that after the sufficient electrical power supply is restored, continued operation is possible without data being lost. The energy storage device can be used to store energy which has been received by the receiving device. The measuring device can be used to determine an electrical load state of the energy storage device. This can be used, for example, to detect when a certain lower threshold is reached in order to provide intermediate storage of the data.It is advantageous if the energy storage device comprises at least one capacitor. The sensor device can thereby be formed with small dimensions. Electrostatic energy storage takes place and, in particular, no electrochemical energy storage is necessary.It is advantageous if electrical energy can be transmitted to the sensor device via an air gap and can be recorded by the receiving device, and data can be transmitted from the sensor device via an air gap and, in particular, data can be received from the sensor device via an air gap. Both a wireless energy supply and a wireless data transmission (bidirectional or unidirectional) can be achieved. The air gap is, for example, a few centimeters in the case of inductive energy transmission. In the case of electromagnetic transmission, it may be a few metres.It is advantageously provided that the receiving device for electrical energy is designed to receive inductively transmitted electrical energy and / or to receive electrical energy transmitted via electromagnetic waves. Electrical energy can thus be transmitted wirelessly in a simple manner.It is provided that the data processing device and / or the device for an interrupt-tolerant operation are realized on a microcontroller.The device for interrupt-tolerant operation specifies breakpoints which characterize a state of the sensor device during operation and which, if the energy supply of the sensor device is insufficient, save this state, wherein, if the energy supply is sufficient after the energy supply is insufficient beforehand, continuation of the operation of the sensor device and, in particular, continuation of the data processing and data of the sensitive device on the basis of stored breakpoint data is made possible. These breakpoints and the associated breakpoint data then allow continuation of sensor operation without irreproducing data losses after restoring sufficient power following an insufficient power interval.In particular, a storage of breakpoint data on a nonvolatile data storage device is provided, so that an interrupt-tolerant continuation operation is made possible.It can be advantageous in this case that breakpoint data is stored redundantly and, in particular, is stored multiple times. For example, a power failure during a storage operation may not result in permanent data losses.In one embodiment, the device for an interruption-tolerant operation is assigned a measuring device for determining an energetic load state of an energy storage device of the sensor device, and the device for an interruption-tolerant operation ensures an energetic load state of the energy storage device for the storage of holding points, in particular when a lower threshold is reached. It is then monitored to some extent when a critical state of the energy storage device is reached, and the necessary data record is then stored, so that when the critical state is exceeded (which means that there is not a sufficient electrical power supply), no unreliable data losses arise.Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for the device to provide for an interruption-tolerant operation for the storage of breakpoint data of an operating program (operating system) for the operation of the sensor device. In particular, a pure software solution for the device for interruption-tolerant operation can thus be realized, wherein the device then has a minimum electrical energy requirement.For this purpose, it is possible, for example, for the device to ensure an interruption-tolerant operation in such a way that an operating program is divided into operating steps which can be executed multiple times one after the other and in particular provide the same result as in the case of a single execution. An interruption tolerance can thus be achieved.In particular, the working steps are such that input data and output data are separated. These are transmitted, for example, via channels which are accessible for all working steps. Data inconsistencies can thereby be avoided.It is advantageous if the sensor device has a housing in which components and in particular all components of the sensor device are arranged. This results in a sensor device which can be positioned on an application in a simple manner and can also be positioned movably (since it is wireless), for example.It is very particularly advantageous if processed data are transmitted by the transmitting device, which data are directly usable sensor data. This data then does not have to be further processed outside the sensor device. This in turn allows the data transfer of the sensor device to be kept minimized, since only "finished" data and not a large number of intermediate data are transmitted.It is advantageous if the transmitting device transmits data according to an RFID protocol. This results in simple usability or further processing. It is furthermore provided in particular that energy is transmitted to a sensor device via an RFID protocol. Known RFID technologies can thereby be used. In the solution according to the invention, disadvantages of known RFID sensor systems, and in particular a large quantity of the sensor signals to be transmitted, can be reduced, since finished, processed and also compressed sensor data are transmitted by the data processing device and as a result fewer interruptions are produced during the transmission than in known RFID sensor systems. Interrupts, in turn, may be intercepted by the interrupt tolerant device.The receiving device can be designed to receive data. As a result, for example, control data can be transmitted to the sensor device.A receiving device for such receiving data, which is separate from the receiving device for the wireless energy supply, can also be provided.In particular, the sensor device is configured batteryless, i.e. it operates batteryless. This results in a high variability in use. Furthermore, there is a reduced maintenance effort and an increase in usage times, since no battery replacement is necessary.According to the invention, a sensor system is provided which comprises (at least) one write and / or read head and at least one sensor device according to the invention, wherein the write and / or read head provides electrical energy wirelessly to the at least one sensor device.This allows the at least one sensor device to be positioned on an application. Electrical energy can be constantly provided by the write and / or read head or electrical energy can be provided to the sensor device by the write and / or read head only temporarily and for example periodically.It can be provided that the write and / or read head is configured only as a read head which (in addition to the energy provision) receives data of the at least one sensor device (and in particular processed data) or is configured only as a transmit head which (in addition to the energy provision) provides data to the at least one sensor device, or has both a read function and a write function.According to the invention, a method for operating a sensor device is provided, in which electrical energy is provided wirelessly to the sensor device, data of a sensitive device are processed in the sensor device, processed data are transmitted wirelessly from the transmitting device, and are operated in an interruption-tolerant manner with respect to an electrical energy supply, wherein a state of the sensor device is stored, in which a data processing process is continued after a state with insufficient electrical energy supply if the electrical energy supply is sufficient, and in which breakpoints are specified for an interruption-tolerant operation, which characterise a state of the sensor device during operation and which secure this state if the energy supply of the sensor device is insufficient, wherein, if the energy supply is sufficient after the energy supply is not sufficient beforehand, a continuation of the operation of the sensor device and in particular a continuation of the data processing on data of the sensitive device on the basis of stored breakpoint data is made possible.There is then no need to provide a wire connection between a write and / or read head and the sensor device, for example. This results in a great freedom for the positionability of the sensor device on an application.By transmitting processed data, the data transfer from the sensor device can be kept low. To a certain extent, no intermediate data need to be sent for further processing. As a result, the sensor device can in turn be operated in an energy-saving manner.It can be operated in particular without an (electrochemical) battery.In particular, there are no unreliable data losses due to the occurrence of a state of inadequate electrical power supply of the sensor device. In a corresponding operation with "intermediate computing", interruptions of the electrical power supply have a harmless effect with regard to data losses. After a restoration of an electrical energy supply, data processing in the sensor device can be continued, for example. Measured data are not lost in particular. This results in simple usability or further processing of transmitted (sensor) data.The following description of preferred embodiments serves to explain the invention in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a sensor system having a write and / or read head (transmission and / or read write and / or read head) and a plurality of sensor devices; FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a sensor device; and FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a receiving device for electrical energy of a sensor device in coupling with a corresponding transmitting device for electrical energy of a write and / or read head.An exemplary embodiment of a sensor system 10 according to the invention, which is shown schematically in FIG. 1, comprises a write and / or read head 12 and at least one sensor device 14.In principle, the sensor system 10 can also comprise a plurality of heads 12.The write and / or read head 12 serves to wirelessly power one or more sensor devices 14 through an air gap 16. The write and / or read head 12 provides electrical energy to a sensor device 14, in particular inductively or via electromagnetic waves.The power supply of the corresponding sensor device 14 via the write and / or read head 12 is wireless.A write and / or read head 12 accordingly has a transmitting device 18 for electrical energy. A sensor device 14 has a receiving device 20 for electrical energy assigned to the transmitting device 18.In one embodiment, the transmitting device 18 (FIG. 3 ) is formed by one or more coils 19 and the receiving device 20 is formed by one or more coils 21. Accordingly, electrical energy can be transmitted inductively through the air gap 16.It is also possible, for example, for the transmitting device 18 to be formed by an antenna and the receiving device 20 to be formed by an antenna (indicated in FIG. 1 by the reference numerals 22 and 24 respectively). Accordingly, electrical energy is then transmitted through the air gap by means of electromagnetic waves.The write and / or read head 12 can also have a read function in addition to providing energy in order to receive data from sensor devices 14.It can additionally or alternatively have a transmission function for data in order to transmit data to a corresponding sensor device 14. The data transmission between the write and / or read head 12 and the sensor device 14 is effected wirelessly through the air gap 16.A sensor device 14 comprises a sensitive device 26. The sensitive device 26 comprises one or more sensor elements (measurement sensors) which can detect, for example, specific physical and / or chemical properties and / or the material nature of an environment of the sensor device 14. The sensitive device 26 generates further processable electrical signals which characterize these properties.The "environment" is indicated in FIG. 1 with the reference numeral 28.The sensitive device 26 includes, for example, one or more temperature sensor elements, one or more humidity sensor elements, one or more acceleration sensor elements, one or more inclination sensor elements, one or more inductive proximity sensor elements, one or more capacitive proximity sensor elements, one or more optical sensor elements, one or more reed switches, one or more magnetic sensor elements, one or more cameras, one or more biologically active sensor elements, one or more chemical sensor elements, etc.A sensor device 14 further comprises a data processing device 30. the data processing device 30 is coupled to the sensitive device 26 in a signal-effective manner. The sensitive device 26 provides its signals to the data processing device 30. The data processing device 30 processes the data of the sensitive device 26, data processed by data processing are provided by the data processing device 30, which can then be transmitted by a transmitter device of the sensor device 14 to the write and / or read head 12 (see below).A sensor device 14 wirelessly transmits sensor data to the read and / or write head 12. It is already prepared data which can be used in particular.The sensor device 14 can thereby be operated in an energy-saving manner, since the data transmission for data obtained from the sensitive device 26 can be minimized. "finished" measured values, namely finished, preprocessed, compressed sensor data, are sent to the write and / or read head 12 by the sensor device 14 and not intermediate signals ("primary sensor signals") that must be processed in the write and / or read head 12 or another evaluation device. In the case of non-processed ("primary") signals, the data flow is much higher, and thus also the power consumption for data transmission, compared to the solution according to the invention.A sensor device 14 comprises a housing 32, in which the components of the sensor device 14 and in particular the receiving device 20, the data processing device 30 and the sensitive device 26 are arranged, as well as further components are arranged, as explained below.The sensor device 14 is a device which can be positioned at a distance from the write and / or read head 12 and to which electrical energy is provided wirelessly by the write and / or read head 12 for its operation. A sensor device 14 is thus an autonomous device which provides "finished" preprocessed, compressed sensor data wirelessly to the write and / or read head 12.The sensor device 14 is operated in particular without a battery, i.e. it is not operated in particular with an electrochemical battery.The receiving device 20 comprises, for example, an antenna 24. a demodulator 34 can also be provided, which demodulates received signals. The receiving device 20 is then a receiving device for both electrical energy and data.Demodulated signals are provided by the demodulator 34, in particular to the data processing device 30, which is connected for this purpose to the demodulator 34 in a signal-effective manner.It can be provided here that the receiving device 20 comprises a rectifier 36, which ensures rectification of the electrical energy supply voltage.Furthermore, an electrical energy storage device 38 is provided, which is electrically coupled to the receiving device 20 and in particular to the rectifier 36. The electrical energy storage device 38 can store electrical energy. It can be charged electrically via the receiving device 30 and in this case by the energy wirelessly transmitted via the air gap 16.In one exemplary embodiment, the electrical energy storage device 38 comprises one or more capacitors 40, which can be charged accordingly.A voltage regulator and / or voltage converter 42 may be provided, which is coupled to the data processing device 30.The electrical energy storage device 38 supplies the components of the sensor device 14 with electrical energy.A transmitting device 44 is provided, which can wirelessly transmit data, for example, to the write and / or read head 12 via the antenna 24. The transmitting device 44 is coupled to the data processing device 30 in a signal-effective manner. The data processing device 30 provides the transmitting device 44 with data which can then be sent by the sensor device 14.A modulator 46 is provided, which is assigned to the transmitting device 44 or is part of it, and which modulates data provided by the data processing device 30 so that they can be sent by the transmitting device 44, i.e. can be transmitted through the air gap 16, in particular to the write and / or read head 12.The electrical energy storage device 38 supplies the modulator 46 and the demodulator 44 with corresponding electrical energy.A non-volatile data storage device 48 is also provided in which data can be stored. For this purpose, the data storage device 48 is in signal-effective connection with the data processing device 30.In one exemplary embodiment, a measuring device 50 for determining an energetic state of charge of the energy storage device 38 is arranged in the housing 32 of the sensor device 14. This measures how much energy is stored in the electrical energy storage device 38.The sensor device 14 comprises a device 52 for an interruption-tolerant operation of the sensor device 14. the device 52 is in signal-effective connection with the data processing device 30.If a measuring device 50 is present, it is in signal-effective connection with this device 52.The device 52 can be realized by one or more hardware components and / or by one or more software components of the sensor device 14.In one exemplary embodiment, data processing device 30 is implemented, in particular, by a microcontroller such as an ULP microcontroller. The device 52 can be integrated in this microcontroller.The task of the device 52 is to ensure that, when a state of insufficient energy supply of the sensor device 14 is reached, after establishing a state with sufficient energy supply, the sensor device 14 and in particular the data processing at the data processing device 30 can be continued without unreliable data losses due to the insufficient energy supply having been produced and in particular no measurement data losses due to the energy failure having been produced.The device 52 operates on the principle of "intermediate computing". For example, the article "Chain: Tasks and Channels for Reliable Intermediate Programs" by A. Colin and B. Lucia, OOPSLA Proceedings of the 2016 ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Object-oriented Programming, pages 514-530, describes an intermediate (interrupt-tolerant) operating model which is based on a "chain" algorithm.In the article "A Simpler, Safe Programming and Execution Model for Intermediate Systems" by B. Lucia and B. Ransford, PLDI'15, June 13-17, 2015, Portland, OR, USA, pages 575-585, a further interrupt-tolerant system is described.Such systems may be used for the device 52.The device 52 for more interruption-tolerant operation 52 protects the sensor device 14 from the harmful effects of a power failure in the sense that no unreliable data losses arise, but that a simple continuation of the operation after sufficient loading of the energy storage device is present.In an embodiment with the measuring device 50, the load state of the electrical energy storage device 38 is continuously measured. If a certain lower threshold for the loading state is reached, then the necessary state data of the sensor device are stored as breakpoint data in the data storage device 48. The necessary data are thus stored in the non-volatile data storage device 48 to some extent shortly before an internal power failure at the sensor device 14.If sufficient energy is then again present, this breakpoint data can be used to continue operation, wherein in particular sufficient energy can then also be checked via the measuring device 50.In this embodiment, energy-controlled breakpoint data are used with the aid of the measuring device 50, which, however, also requires electrical energy, the corresponding breakpoint data being stored in the data storage device 48. This method is also referred to as "energy guided checkpointing". It requires the measuring device 50 as hardware.It is also possible in principle for the device 52 to function solely on the operating program level of the sensor device 14 and in particular for program breakpoints to be generated with corresponding program breakpoints.In one embodiment, an operating program of the sensor device 14 is executed such that a certain state, and in particular a data processing state, is stored on the data processing device 30 as breakpoint data at certain operating program breakpoints in the data storage device 48.In particular, the storage takes place with a certain redundancy. For example, dual buffered storage is provided in data storage device 48. In this way, in particular, a loss of data in the event of a failure of the internal electrical energy supply of the sensor device 14 at the moment of storage can be avoided.In this case, the device 52 is in particular a subunit of an operating program for the operation of the sensor device 14.The method with the generation of program breakpoints for an operating program of the sensor device 14 is also referred to as "co-checkpointing" for interrupt-tolerant operation.In a further embodiment, which is implemented in particular as a pure software solution for the device 52, an operating program of the sensor device 14 is divided into small working steps, which can be executed multiple times in succession and have the same result. For this purpose, in particular input data and output data of such working steps are separated from one another. This can avoid data inconsistency. In particular, the working steps then exchange data with one another by reading input data from channels and writing output data into channels, wherein these channels can preferably be accessed in all working steps.The corresponding method is also referred to as idempotent programming ("idempotent cogeneration").In principle, the device 52 for the interruption-tolerant operation serves to bridge times of the missing energy supply (times of the power failure) for the sensor device 14 in such a way that, with a sufficient power supply, in particular of the data processing device 30, continued operation is possible and, in particular, already determined measured values of the sensitive device 26 can be further processed by the data processing device 30 and have not been lost.The transmission device 44 preferably transmits its transmission data, in particular using an RFID protocol such as ISO15693 or EPC (electronic product code ISO18000-63).According to the invention, a sensor system 10 having one or more sensor devices 14 is provided, in which a sensor device 14 provides preprocessed, compressed "finished" data ("secondary sensor data") and transmits it wirelessly, for example, to the write and / or read head 12. This allows energy-saving operation. In particular, a radio transmission is provided. Data traffic can be minimized because "finished" preprocessed, compressed sensor data are sent from the sensor device 14.By means of the radio transmission, a sensor device 14 can be positioned on an application without a wire connection having to be provided.The electrical power supply of a sensor device 14 is effected wirelessly via the write and / or read head 12.Electrical energy can be transmitted from the write and / or read head 12 to the sensor device 14 if these are at a specific minimum distance from one another. For example, an electrical energy supply of the sensor device or devices 14 can be ensured even in the case of a relative movement between the write head and / or read head 12 and one or more sensor devices 14. This energy supply can be periodic, for example.The device 52 for an interruption-tolerant operation ensures that no data losses occur in times when there is no internal power supply to a sensor device 14, but only the data processing activity and transmission activity of a sensor device 14 is interrupted. After a sufficient electrical energy supply has been restored (for example, if the write and / or read head 12 has reached the vicinity of a sensor device 14 and electrical energy has been transmitted to the receiving device 20 and from there to the electrical energy storage device 38), the data processing at the data processing device 30 and also the measurement value determination at the sensitive device 26 can be continued. The state of the sensor device 14 before the electrical power supply fails is stored via the device 52 and enables it to be continued using the previously available data and, for example, using previously determined measured values.For example, the sensor device can be arranged on a rotating part such as a shaft or a rotary table. The sensor device can be arranged, for example, in a tank such as for liquid or bulk material. Data or energy can then be transmitted, for example, through a wall or a window. The sensor device can be arranged in a clean room or in a vacuum chamber. The write and / or read head can be arranged outside the clean room or the vacuum chamber. The sensor device can be arranged at locations that are difficult to access and to which no cable can be placed.List of reference characters10 Sensor system 12 Write and / or read head 14 a, b, c Sensor device 16 Air gap 18 Transmission device 19 Coil 20 Reception device 21 Coil 22 Antenna 24 Antenna 26 Sensitive device 28 "environment" 30 Data processing device 32 Housing 34 Demodulator 36 Rectifier 38 Electrical energy storage device 40 Capacitor 42 Voltage regulator and / or voltage converter 44 Transmission device 46 Modulator 48 Data storage device 50 Measurement device 52 Device for interruption-tolerant operation

Claims

Sensor device (14) comprising a receiving device (20) via which the sensor device (14) can be supplied wirelessly with electrical energy, a transmitting device (44) via which data can be wirelessly transmitted, a sensitive device (26), and at least one data processing device (30) which is coupled in a signal-effective manner to the sensitive device (26) and the transmitting device (44) and which processes data from the sensitive device (26) and provides processed data as transmission data to the transmitting device (44), and a device (52) for an interruption-tolerant operation of the sensor device (14) with respect to the electrical energy supply, wherein the device (52) for an interruption-tolerant operation is realized by hardware and / or software of the sensor device (14), wherein the device (52) for an interruption-tolerant operation of the sensor device (14) is a device for an interruption-tolerant data processing which prevents an unreliable loss of data in the event of insufficient electrical power supply of the sensor device and permits a continuation operation after recovery of a sufficient electrical power supply, wherein the data processing device (30) and / or the device (52) for an interruption-tolerant operation are realized on a microcontroller, and wherein the device (52) for an interruption-tolerant operation specifies breakpoints which characterize a state of the sensor device (14) during operation and which secure this state in the event of insufficient power supply of the sensor device (14), wherein, upon sufficient power supply after a previously insufficient power supply, a continuation of the operation of the sensor device (14) and in particular a continuation of the data processing on data of the sensitive device (26) is made possible on the basis of stored breakpoint data.Sensor device according to Claim 1, comprising at least one of the following components: a nonvolatile data storage device (48) which is connected in a signal-effective manner to the data processing device (30) and / or to the sensitive device (26) and / or to the transmitting device (44); an energy storage device (38) which is coupled to the receiving device (20); a measuring device (50) for determining an energetic state of charge of the energy storage device (38).Sensor device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the energy storage device (38) comprises at least one capacitor (40).Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that electrical energy is transmitted to the sensor device (14) via an air gap (16) and can be recorded by the receiving device (20), and in that data can be sent from the sensor device (14) via an air gap (16), and in particular in that data can be received from the sensor device (14) via an air gap (16).Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving device (20) for electrical energy is designed to receive inductively transmitted electrical energy and / or to receive electrical energy transmitted via electromagnetic waves.Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a storage of breakpoint data is provided on a nonvolatile data storage device (48).Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that breakpoint data is stored redundantly and in particular stored multiple times.Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (52) for interruption-tolerant operation is assigned a measuring device (50) for determining an energetic state of charge of an energy storage device (38) of the sensor device (14), and the device (52) for interruption-tolerant operation ensures, in particular when a lower threshold for an energetic state of charge of the energy storage device (38) is reached, for the storage of breakpoint data.Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (52) ensures interrupt-tolerant operation for the storage of breakpoint data of an operating program for the operation of the sensor device (14).Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (52) ensures interruption-tolerant operation, in which an operating program is divided into operating steps which can be executed multiple times in succession and in the process deliver the same result as in the case of a single execution.Sensor device according to claim 10, characterised in that the working steps are such that input data and output data are separated.Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bya housing (32) in which components and in particular all components of the sensor device (14) are arranged.Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that processed data which are directly usable sensor signals are transmitted by the transmitting device (44).Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitting device (44) transmits data according to an RFID protocol.Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving device (20) is designed to receive data.Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bya battery-less design.A sensor system comprising a write and / or read head (12) and at least one sensor device (14) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the write and / or read head (12) provides electrical energy wirelessly to the at least one sensor device (14).Sensor system according to Claim 17, characterized in that the write and / or read head (12) is designed as a read head which receives data from the at least one sensor device (14), is designed as a transmission head which provides data to the at least one sensor device (14), or is designed as a write and / or read head.Method for operating a sensor device (14), in which electrical energy is provided wirelessly to the sensor device (14), data of a sensitive device (26) are processed in the sensor device (14), and processed data are transmitted wirelessly from the sensor device (14), and the sensor device (14) is operated in an interruption-tolerant manner with respect to an electrical energy supply, wherein a state of the sensor device (14) is stored, in which a data processing operation is continued after a state with insufficient electrical energy supply if the electrical energy supply is sufficient, and in which, for an interruption-tolerant operation, holding points are specified, which characterize a state of the sensor device (14) during operation and which secure this state if the electrical energy supply of the sensor device (14) is insufficient, wherein, upon sufficient power supply after a previously insufficient power supply, a continuation of the operation of the sensor device (14) and in particular a continuation of the data processing on data of the sensitive device (26) is made possible on the basis of stored breakpoint data.Method according to Claim 19, characterized in that no unreliable data losses arise as a result of the occurrence of a state of inadequate electrical energy supply of the sensor device.

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