Guide Vibration Sensing for Low-Energy Fatigue Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing guide monitoring technologies require significant computational effort and energy resources for fatigue detection, making them inefficient and resource-intensive, especially in environments with limited installation space.

Innovation Solution

A guide system equipped with a sensor for detecting vibration signals and an evaluation device that digitally filters these signals to determine movement profiles, allowing for fatigue detection with reduced computing effort and energy consumption, using techniques like low-pass filtering and discrete wavelet transformation to analyze specific frequency bands and movement phases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire movement profile is evaluated for fatigue detection, then the prediction accuracy and reliability of fatigue detection is improved, but the computational effort and energy consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefatigue detection reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The movement profile is divided into multiple segments or portions, and only selected portions are used for fatigue detection. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliable fatigue detection by focusing on critical segments while reducing the overall computational burden and energy consumption associated with processing the entire movement profile.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of evaluating the complete movement profile, the system applies partial action by selecting and evaluating only specific portions or segments of the movement profile that are most relevant for fatigue detection. This approach maintains adequate prediction reliability while significantly reducing computational effort and energy requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If the entire movement profile is evaluated for fatigue detection, then the prediction accuracy and reliability of fatigue detection is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefatigue detection reliabilityVSAvoidevaluation device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The evaluation device is designed to process segmented portions of the movement profile rather than the entire profile. This reduces the complexity of the evaluation device by limiting the data volume and processing requirements while maintaining reliable fatigue detection through strategic selection of critical movement segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The evaluation device performs partial evaluation of the movement profile by focusing only on selected segments. This partial action approach simplifies the device architecture and reduces computational complexity while preserving the essential functionality needed for reliable fatigue detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If digital filtering is applied to the vibration signal, then the computational effort for fatigue detection is reduced, but the processing time may increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational efficiencyVSAvoidsignal processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Digital filtering is applied as a preliminary processing step before fatigue detection analysis. By pre-filtering the vibration signal to remove irrelevant frequency components and noise, the system reduces the computational effort required for subsequent fatigue detection while managing processing time through efficient filter design and optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables efficient and predictive maintenance with reduced unplanned downtimes by accurately detecting fatigue with lower computational and energy requirements, allowing for autonomous operation in guides with limited space.

Implementation Method 1

A sensor is provided on the guide component for detecting a vibration signal or vibration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

Provision is also made for the vibration signal detected by the sensor to be digitally filtered by the evaluation device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDigital filtering: Filter (electronic)

Data Source

PatentEP3546778B1Guide, sensor arrangement and method
Publication Date: 2021.10.06 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3546778B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3546778B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP3546778B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to the invention, a sensor arrangement, particularly for a guide, is provided, comprising a sensor and an evaluation device. Based on a vibration signal detected by the sensor, the evaluation device determines a motion profile of the guide component, a portion of which is used for fatigue detection. Alternatively or additionally, the vibration signal detected by the sensor can be filtered or digitally filtered, and the motion profile of the guide component can be determined based on the filtered or digitally filtered signal.