Configurable Smart Sensor Channels for Multi-Sensor Analog Interfacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional smart sensor systems are limited to interfacing with specific predetermined sensor types, lacking the flexibility to adapt to multiple analog sensor types, which restricts their versatility and application range.
Innovation Solution
A configurable smart sensor system with multiple input and output channels, featuring switches, analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters, and a controller, allowing for impedance control, signal selection, and internal calibration, along with a programmable gain amplifier and switching regulator, enabling the system to interface with various analog sensor types by changing input and output types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional smart sensor systems use predetermined sensor-specific interfaces, then the system can be simple and reliable for its intended purpose, but the system lacks versatility and cannot interface with multiple sensor types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal sensor interface system that can accommodate multiple sensor types through configurable input channels. Each channel can be programmed to handle different sensor protocols and signal types, allowing a single device to replace multiple dedicated interfaces while maintaining reliability through controlled configuration options.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic configuration capabilities where input channels can be reprogrammed and reconfigured at runtime to match different sensor requirements. This dynamic adaptability allows the same hardware infrastructure to serve multiple sensor types without physical reconfiguration, resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single smart sensor system is designed to interface with multiple sensor types, then versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional configuration options and components
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary configuration through programmable input channels that are pre-configured with support for multiple sensor types. This preliminary setup allows the system to automatically adapt to different sensors without requiring complex runtime configuration, reducing the perceived complexity for users while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a configurable interface layer that acts as an intermediary between the sensor and the processing system. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of multiple sensor protocols internally, presenting a simplified interface to users while maintaining the ability to interface with diverse sensor types through its programmable architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems use dedicated analog front ends for specific sensor types, then measurement precision is maintained, but the system cannot be reused with different sensor types
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains measurement precision across different sensor types by programmatically adjusting input channel parameters such as impedance, filtering characteristics, and signal conditioning settings. These parameter changes are configured based on the specific sensor type being used, allowing the same hardware to achieve sensor-specific optimization without physical reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal analog front end with programmable input channels that can be configured to match the electrical and signal characteristics of different sensor types. This multi-functional approach allows the system to maintain measurement precision for each sensor type while enabling interchangeability, as the front end adapts its parameters rather than requiring dedicated hardware for each sensor.
Data Source
AI summary
A smart sensor system can include one or more configurable input and output channels, each configurable channel including one or more switches configured to activate the input and/or output and/or to select a type of input and/or output signal, at least one analog-to-digital converter and at least one digital-to-analog converter operatively connected to the one or more switches for the one or more configurable channels, and at least one controller configured to control the configurable channels.