Hybrid Sensor System Fast Response High Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing environmental sensors face limitations in accurately and quickly measuring environmental parameters due to high hysteresis, low stability, and poor response times, particularly in applications requiring immediate detection like breathing sensors.
Innovation Solution
A sensor system comprising a fast but less accurate first sensor and a slow but more accurate second sensor, combined using a high pass filter and summation unit to produce a quick and accurate output, with the high pass filter allowing rapid changes from the first sensor while attenuating slower responses to match the accuracy of the second sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a fast sensor is used to achieve quick response time, then response time is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to high hysteresis and settling on incorrect values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a fast sensor and a slow sensor into a hybrid sensor system. The fast sensor provides quick response to environmental changes, while the slow sensor provides accurate settled measurements. By merging their outputs through signal processing, the system achieves both fast response time and high measurement accuracy that neither sensor could achieve alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a signal processor as an intermediary between the sensors and the output. This mediator receives signals from both fast and slow sensors, processes them through filtering and combination algorithms, and produces a final output that combines the advantages of both sensors while eliminating their individual weaknesses.
2Measurement precision
If a slow sensor is used to achieve high measurement accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but response time deteriorates due to slow settling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the output signals of fast and slow sensors to create a hybrid output. The slow sensor's accurate settled measurements are combined with the fast sensor's quick response capability, allowing the system to achieve high accuracy without being limited by the slow sensor's response time.
Solution Approach 2:
The fast sensor performs preliminary detection of environmental changes immediately, providing an early warning or initial measurement. While the slow sensor is still settling, the fast sensor has already detected the change, and its signal is processed to provide the final output before the slow sensor completes its settling.
3Device complexity
If traditional single sensor systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but performance deteriorates due to high hysteresis and low stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors with different characteristics into a hybrid system. By integrating a fast sensor and a slow sensor with complementary strengths, the system achieves superior long-term stability and reduced hysteresis compared to traditional single-sensor systems, while the added complexity is managed through systematic signal processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor system comprises a first sensor, a second sensor, a high pass filter, and a summation unit. The first sensor senses an environmental parameter and outputs a first electronic signal with a response having a first time constant. The second sensor senses the environmental parameter and outputs a second electronic signal with a response having a second time constant greater than the first time constant. The high pass filter has a filter time constant roughly equal to the second time constant and filters the first electronic signal, outputting a filtered first electronic signal in which changes in a level or value of the first electronic signal with transition times that are less than the filter time constant are passed. The summation unit receives the filtered first electronic signal and the second electronic signal and outputs a sum of the filtered first electronic signal and the second electronic signal.