Integrated Multi-Sensor Data Fusion for Shared Sensor Infrastructure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor systems in complex installations, such as maritime and offshore environments, require separate hardware and infrastructure for each sensor type, leading to increased space, weight, power consumption, and installation time, with potential compatibility issues and costly data merging processes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-sensor system with integrated power and data infrastructure, featuring a surface mounting mechanism, sensor controller, and data communications component that processes and fuses sensor data, allowing for reduced cabling and centralized control of multiple sensor types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate sensor systems are implemented independently, then each sensor system can be optimized for its specific function, but the infrastructure requirements (cabling, power sources, devices) increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate sensor systems into a single integrated multi-sensor unit that shares common infrastructure for power, data communication, and control. This merging approach maintains the functional reliability of each sensor type while significantly reducing the overall hardware infrastructure requirements, cabling, and installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-sensor system employs universal interfaces and standardized protocols that allow different sensor types (temperature, smoke, motion, etc.) to coexist and communicate through a common architecture. This universality enables the system to maintain diverse sensing capabilities while using shared resources for power distribution, data processing, and network communication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate sensor systems are installed independently, then each system can be deployed and maintained separately, but installation time and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple sensor systems into a single integrated unit with shared infrastructure, the patent reduces installation time significantly. Instead of installing separate cabling, power sources, and devices for each sensor system, the integrated design allows one-time installation of common components that serve all sensors simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-sensor system is designed as a modular unit that can be installed as a single replacement rather than multiple separate systems. This segmentation approach maintains the ability to deploy different sensor configurations while simplifying installation to a single event, reducing both time and space requirements.
3Reliability
If separate sensor systems use independent interfaces, then each system maintains its own compatibility standards, but data merging and integration become complex and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized controller or gateway that acts as an intermediary between the various sensor types and the data processing system. This mediator handles the complexity of receiving data from different interfaces, converting them to a unified format, and distributing them appropriately, thereby simplifying the overall data processing architecture while maintaining data accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system standardizes data parameters and formats across different sensor types through configurable protocols. By establishing common data representation standards for time-stamps, units, and data structures, the patent enables seamless integration of diverse sensor data without requiring complex real-time conversion processes.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate systems are deployed, then various services can be provided independently, but power consumption and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated multi-sensor system combines multiple sensor functions into a single powered unit with shared power infrastructure. This merging eliminates redundant power sources and distribution systems, significantly reducing overall power consumption while maintaining all necessary sensing and communication services.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses universal power management architecture that efficiently distributes electrical power to multiple sensor types through a single input. This universal approach optimizes energy utilization by enabling sensors to share power resources and reducing the total power consumption compared to separate independently-powered systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-sensor is disclosed which comprises a power supply, a surface mounting mechanism to engage with a mounting surface, a plurality of sensors with at least one being of a different sensor type than the others, each sensor to generate a raw sensor data feed responsive to sensing its environment, a sensor controller to control one or more of the sensors, one or more processors or processing circuitry to: receive a plurality of raw sensor data feeds from the plurality of sensors and process each feed to: generate sensor-specific meta-data for each feed, generate sensor-agnostic meta-data for all feeds, and generate a fused sensor data feed by at least time-fusing the sensor-agnostic meta-data and the sensor-specific meta-data with the raw sensor data feed, and a data communications component to output fused sensor feeds and receive sensor control data to control at least one of the plurality of sensors.