Flexible Circuit Arrangements for Large-Area Sensor Addressing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor systems for large-scale monitoring of physical variables are rigid, costly, and complex to mount, lacking cost-effective solutions that can be upscaled to arbitrary sizes and geometries.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device comprising a substrate with multiple circuit arrangements, including conductive paths, allowing for efficient addressing of electronic components from one side and manufactured via a roll-to-roll process, enabling flexible and cost-effective deployment on large surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If rigid sensor systems are used for large-scale monitoring, then measurement coverage is achieved, but mounting complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible sensor mats printed on flexible substrates instead of rigid sensor systems. These flexible mats can be easily mounted on various surfaces (floors, walls, ceilings) without complex mounting structures, while still providing large-area monitoring coverage through capacitive or pressure mapping technologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the large-scale monitoring system into multiple separate sensor mat units that can be independently manufactured and installed. Each sensor mat is a self-contained unit with its own circuitry, allowing modular deployment across large surfaces without requiring a single complex rigid system.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple separate sensor mat units are installed for large coverage, then area coverage is achieved, but wiring complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor units into a single integrated sensor mat with unified circuitry. By merging the electrical connections and signal processing within each mat unit, the system reduces the number of separate wiring connections needed between multiple units, thereby simplifying the overall wiring architecture while maintaining large-area coverage.
3Reliability
If rigid sensor systems are used, then monitoring capability is achieved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive rigid sensor systems with flexible sensor mats that use printed conductive traces on flexible substrates. This substitution of mechanical rigid structures with printed flexible circuits significantly reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining monitoring capabilities through capacitive or pressure mapping technologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the sensor system by using flexible substrates instead of rigid structures, allowing the sensors to be conformable to various surfaces. This parameter change enables cost-effective manufacturing through printing processes while maintaining monitoring reliability across different application scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device with a plurality of circuit arrangements disposed on a surface of a substrate. The circuit arrangements have a length in a first direction and comprise a first conductive path and a second conductive path. The second conductive path intersects with the first conductive path. The plurality of circuit arrangements further have a plurality of third conductive paths, extending from a first side of the plurality of circuit arrangements to a second side of the plurality of circuit arrangements. The first side is disposed opposite to the second side in the first direction. A first circuit arrangement is offset with respect to a second circuit arrangement of the plurality of circuit arrangement by the length in the first direction. At least one of the third conductive paths of the first circuit arrangement is further connected conductively to the first conductive path of the second circuit arrangement.