Configurable Sensor Modules With Standardized Interfaces for Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for home and industrial automation lack arbitrarily configurable sensor and control modules that can dynamically reconfigure for increased functionality, connectivity, intelligence, decision-making, and communications across distributed applications.
Innovation Solution
The development of intelligent arbitrarily configurable sensor and control modules with dynamic configuration capabilities, allowing for reconfiguration of both individual modules and arrays of modules through replaceable inserts, enabling enhanced functionality and connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-configuration sensor and control modules are used, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability and versatility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The module is divided into distinct functional components: a base module providing structural support and communication interfaces, and separate functional elements (sensors, actuators, processors) that can be independently selected and assembled. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high configurability while keeping each individual component relatively simple and easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The base module is designed with universal interfaces and standardized connection protocols that can accommodate multiple types of functional elements. The communication interfaces and power distribution systems are configured to work with various sensor and actuator types, enabling a single base module design to support diverse application requirements without increasing overall system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dynamically reconfigurable modules are implemented, then functionality and connectivity are enhanced, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The module architecture pre-establishes standardized mechanical and electrical interfaces, connection protocols, and mounting mechanisms during the base module design phase. These preliminary configurations enable functional elements to be easily attached and detached without requiring complex real-time reconfiguration mechanisms, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving dynamic reconfigurability through simple physical assembly changes.
3Ease of operation
If standardized interfaces are used, then ease of operation and assembly are improved, but functionality and adaptability are constrained
Solution Approach 1:
While maintaining standardized interfaces for mechanical attachment and basic electrical connections, the system incorporates locally adaptable features such as configurable communication protocols, selectable power specifications, and modular functional elements with specialized characteristics. This allows the standardized interfaces to ensure ease of assembly while local variations in functional elements provide the necessary adaptability and functional diversity for different applications.
Data Source
AI summary
A control module for residential environments, commercial environments, manufacturing environments, public buildings, and retail environments. Currently, configuring or reconfiguring systems for these environments is time consuming. It would be beneficial to provide arbitrarily configurable sensor and control modules and more particularly to intelligent arbitrarily configurable sensor and control modules and arrays of sensor and control modules allowing increased functionality, connectivity, intelligence, decision making, and communications within these systems. Provided is a module including a casing; one or more interfaces, each interface disposed at a predetermined position within a surface of the casing and supporting at least one of data communications and power; and one or more circuits coupled to the one or more interfaces.