Integrated Digital Temperature Sensor with Burst Mode Timer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital temperature sensors require microcontrollers to manage time and perform processing tasks, consuming power and increasing costs in low-power applications, and they lack advanced features for efficient thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A digital temperature sensor device with integrated features such as a programmable timer and control circuit for burst mode operations, a digital filter, and a power control unit for sleep mode, allowing for user-configurable temperature measurements and alert thresholds, reducing the need for microcontroller intervention and minimizing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional digital temperature sensors are used with microcontrollers for time management and processing, then temperature measurement functionality is achieved, but power consumption increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the timer unit and control logic directly into the temperature sensor device, merging previously separate functions (temperature sensing and time management) into a single integrated unit. This eliminates the need for external microcontrollers to manage measurement timing and processing, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature sensor device performs self-measurement and self-processing through its integrated timer and control unit. The device autonomously executes temperature measurements at programmed intervals, processes the data internally, and outputs results without requiring external microcontroller intervention, enabling the system to serve itself and reduce overall system power consumption.
2Productivity
If microcontrollers are used for temperature measurement processing, then processing capability is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential processing functions (timing control, measurement execution, data averaging, and threshold comparison) from the external microcontroller and embeds them directly into the temperature sensor device. This extraction eliminates the need for the microcontroller to perform these power-intensive operations, significantly reducing overall system power consumption while maintaining full processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated control unit acts as an intermediary between the temperature sensor element and the external microcontroller. It handles all intermediate processing tasks including executing measurements, averaging multiple readings, comparing results against thresholds, and generating alert signals, thereby freeing the external microcontroller from these operations and reducing its power consumption.
3Measurement precision
If multiple temperature measurements are taken in burst mode, then measurement accuracy improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic measurement bursts followed by sleep periods. The integrated timer unit controls the device to perform multiple temperature measurements in quick succession (burst mode) at programmed intervals, then enter a low-power sleep mode. This periodic operation pattern allows the device to achieve improved measurement accuracy through multiple readings while minimizing power consumption during the sleep intervals between bursts.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary averaging of multiple temperature measurements during burst mode operations. By taking multiple readings and calculating the average within the burst period, the device achieves improved measurement precision before entering sleep mode, ensuring accurate temperature data is captured and processed in advance of power-saving periods.
4Adaptability or versatility
If integrated timer and burst mode features are added, then thermal transient detection capability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the integrated control unit to perform multiple functions: it manages timing operations, executes temperature measurements, processes data through averaging, compares results against thresholds, and generates alert signals. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional control unit within the sensor device, the system achieves enhanced thermal transient detection capability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
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 solution enables efficient thermal management with reduced power consumption, faster temperature data output, and the ability to detect thermal transients, while eliminating the need for microcontroller processing, making it suitable for extremely low-power applications.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor providing an analog signal corresponding to an ambient temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated temperature sensor device has a temperature sensor providing an analog signal corresponding to an ambient temperature, an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the sensor conditioning circuit and receiving the analog temperature signal, and a timer and control circuit which is operable to be configured to control the temperature sensor device to perform a sequence of temperature measurements and shut-down time periods, wherein multiple temperature measurements are taken during the measurement period, wherein the timer and control circuit is further operable to be programmed to set the number of temperature measurements and the length of the shut-down period.