Modular Sensor System Integrating Multiple Measurands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor systems often require multiple individual sensors to measure multiple measurands, which can be cumbersome and require complex calibration and conditioning, especially when analog signals need to be processed, as they are not linear and vary with temperature, making them difficult to use in applications needing accurate and simultaneous measurements of pressure, flow, temperature, or humidity.
Innovation Solution
A modular sensor system that integrates multiple sensing elements, such as flow, pressure, and humidity sensors, within a single package, featuring a housing with flow channels, electrical interfaces, and conditioning electronics, including an ASIC and EEPROM for calibration data storage, allowing for optimized electrical connections and simplified user interface with calibrated or raw, amplified, and digital outputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual sensors are used to measure multiple measurands, then measurement capability is improved, but device complexity and calibration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing elements (flow sensor, pressure sensor, humidity sensor, temperature sensor) into a single integrated sensor package with common packaging and shared signal conditioning electronics, eliminating the need for multiple separate sensor systems while maintaining full measurement capability across all measurands
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor package incorporates multiple sensing elements that can measure different measurands (flow, pressure, humidity, temperature) simultaneously within a single device, making the system universal and adaptable to various measurement requirements without requiring additional separate sensors
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual sensors are used to measure multiple measurands, then measurement capability is improved, but calibration and conditioning complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates common signal conditioning electronics and calibration resources across all sensing elements within the sensor package, allowing centralized calibration and signal processing that significantly reduces the complexity compared to calibrating multiple separate sensor systems independently
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual sensors are used, then measurement coverage is improved, but user interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated sensor package provides a unified interface for accessing multiple measurands (flow, pressure, humidity, temperature) through common electrical connections and signal conditioning, simplifying the user interface compared to managing multiple separate sensor systems with different connection and configuration requirements
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 modular sensor system simplifies the measurement of multiple measurands by providing a compact, efficient, and accurate solution that meets standard sensor specifications, reducing user complexity and enhancing sensitivity and repeatability while allowing for onboard calibration and linearization of sensor signals.
Implementation Method 1
Thermal sensors may be implemented, for example, on silicon in microstructure form... measures the thermal conductivity of a fluid
Implementation Method 2
A heater is associated with the sensor and provides heat to the fluid. A film component isolates the fluid from the heater and the sensor, and conducts heat in a direction from the heater to the sensor, thereby forming a thermal coupling
Implementation Method 3
The flow channel is aligned by one or more guide elements formed in an alignment layer... The flows may be generated through forced or natural convection
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A modular sensor system includes a plurality of varying types of sensors that provide multiple sensing measurands for sensing operations. A housing is generally associated with the varying types of sensors, such that the housing introduces media to be sensed by the sensors. An electrical interface can also be connected to the sensors, wherein the electrical interface permits a logical physical connection to be made to a selected sensor in order to maximize sensing sensitivity and provide a sensing repeatability and accurate sensor compensation thereof for the sensing operations.