Contactless Sensor Segmentation for Vehicle Network Footprint Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing contactless digital vehicle network sensors face challenges such as a large footprint, making installation difficult in constrained vehicle spaces, and high power consumption, particularly when powered from the vehicle battery continuously.

Innovation Solution

A contactless sensor design featuring a separate wire holding unit and sensing unit that can be connected and locked together, with a locking mechanism, allowing for secure and space-efficient installation, and incorporating capacitive and/or inductive sensing with digital logic gates for reduced power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a contactless sensor uses a clamshell type housing to clamp wires, then the sensor can be installed without physical contact to the network, but the footprint becomes large making installation difficult in constrained vehicle spaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontactless installationVSAvoidsensor footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is divided into two separate units: a wire holding unit and a sensing unit. The wire holding unit can be installed on the wires first, and then the sensing unit is connected to it. This segmentation allows the sensor to be installed in constrained spaces without requiring a large clamshell housing, thus reducing the footprint while maintaining contactless installation benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Use of energy by moving object

If the sensor processes data locally with processing means, then power consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsensor structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The processing means is integrated into the sensing unit, merging the sensing and processing functions into a single compact component. This integration reduces overall power consumption by processing data locally at the sensor rather than transmitting raw data, while the merged design helps manage complexity through functional consolidation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the wire holding unit and sensing unit are separate and connectable, then installation becomes easier in limited spaces, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation easeVSAvoidsensor structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensing unit is designed to connect to and nest around the wire holding unit. The wire holding unit serves as a base structure, and the sensing unit attaches to it, creating a compact nested configuration that simplifies installation in limited spaces while managing structural complexity through hierarchical organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design enables easier installation in limited spaces and reduces power consumption by processing data locally, providing efficient digital output signals indicative of vehicle network messages.

Implementation Method 1

sensing means arranged to detect messages carried by the one or more wires using capacitive and/or inductive coupling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive coupling: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

sensing means arranged to detect messages carried by the one or more wires using capacitive and/or inductive coupling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInductive coupling: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS11303469B2Contactless sensor for vehicle digital communications network

Publication Date: 2022.04.12 TOMTOM DEVELOPEMENT GERMANY GMBH

AI summary

A sensor 1 is arranged to read data transmitted on a digital vehicle network. The sensor comprises a wire holding unit 3, and a sensing unit 5. The wire holding unit and sensing unit are connectable to one another, the sensor further comprising a locking mechanism to lock the wire holding unit and the sensing unit together, when the wire holding unit and sensing unit are connected to one another.