Mobile Surface Condition Sensor Calibration via GPS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile surface condition monitoring systems face challenges in achieving accurate measurements due to the lack of known dry reference levels for each location, resulting in suboptimal measurement results compared to stationary systems.
Innovation Solution
A mobile apparatus and method that utilize real-time positioning data from external systems like GPS to continuously calibrate surface condition monitoring sensors, creating a dynamic dry reference map that associates surface data with location-specific information, enabling accurate calibration and improving measurement quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mobile measurements are used to monitor surface conditions, then measurement coverage and mobility are improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to lack of location-specific dry references
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dry reference data by geographic location, creating location-specific reference values stored in a database. Each measurement location has its own calibrated dry reference, allowing mobile sensors to achieve stationary-level precision by selecting the appropriate location-specific reference for their current position.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously receiving position data from GPS, retrieving the corresponding location-specific dry reference from the database, and using it to calibrate measurements in real-time. This closed-loop approach ensures mobile measurements maintain accuracy comparable to stationary systems.
2Measurement precision
If stationary sensors are used with automatic dry calibration, then measurement precision is improved, but adaptability to mobile applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal dry reference database that serves both stationary and mobile applications. The same location-specific reference values can be used by any sensor (stationary or mobile) at the corresponding location, making the calibration system universally applicable across different deployment scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calibration actions by pre-determining dry reference values for various locations using stationary sensors. These pre-calculated references are stored in a database, allowing mobile sensors to immediately use them without performing their own calibration, thus achieving stationary-level precision while maintaining mobility.
3Device complexity
If generic dry reference values are used for mobile measurements, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary database that stores location-specific dry reference values. The GPS receiver acts as an intermediary to match current position with the appropriate reference. This intermediary layer adds minimal complexity while dramatically improving measurement precision by providing location-specific calibration data.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus (1) comprising a normalized surface condition monitoring sensor (6), and a processing unit (7) comprising at least one processing core (8), at least one memory (14) including computer program code, the at least one memory (14) and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processing core (8), cause the apparatus (1) at least to process surface data (D) based on a real time position of the apparatus (1) to obtain calibration of the surface condition monitoring sensor (6), wherein values of the surface data (D) originate from at least one normalized surface condition monitoring system (4), and wherein at least some of the values of the surface data (D) are associated with position information.