Multi-sensor field unit dynamic sampling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial sensors in field units, used to monitor machine parameters, face challenges due to limited battery life and bandwidth, leading to inefficient data transmission and reduced operational time, as they must transmit data wirelessly over a network while conserving power and managing varying sampling frequencies and sensitivities.
Innovation Solution
A multi-sensor field unit with a controller that modulates sampling parameters based on a priority protocol and power budget, selectively activating sensors, adjusting sampling intervals, and condensing data to conserve power and bandwidth, using a combination of sensors with different frequency responses and power consumption levels to balance monitoring comprehensiveness with power and bandwidth constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors continuously sample and transmit data at high frequency, then measurement precision and monitoring comprehensiveness are improved, but power consumption increases and operational time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The field unit dynamically adjusts sampling parameters based on detected conditions. When normal operation is detected, sampling frequency is reduced to conserve power. When abnormal conditions are detected, sampling frequency is increased to improve monitoring precision. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between continuous high-precision monitoring and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes sampling parameters (frequency, resolution, data rate) based on operational conditions and priority protocols. Critical parameters are sampled at high frequency while non-critical parameters are sampled at lower frequency, optimizing the balance between monitoring comprehensiveness and power consumption.
2Loss of information
If all sensors are continuously activated to monitor all parameters, then monitoring comprehensiveness is improved, but power consumption and bandwidth usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different sensors and parameters are treated with different sampling qualities based on their importance. Critical parameters are monitored with high sampling frequency and precision, while non-critical parameters are monitored with lower frequency. This local differentiation maintains monitoring comprehensiveness for important parameters while reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system activates only the necessary subset of sensors based on detected conditions and priority protocols, rather than continuously activating all sensors. When abnormalities are detected, additional sensors are activated to provide comprehensive monitoring of the specific issue, balancing comprehensiveness with power consumption.
3Loss of information
If data transmission frequency is increased to maintain real-time monitoring, then information availability is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases and operational time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Data transmission is performed periodically rather than continuously, with transmission intervals adjusted based on detected conditions. During normal operation, transmissions occur at longer intervals to conserve bandwidth and power. When abnormal conditions are detected, transmission frequency increases to provide timely information, resolving the contradiction between real-time information availability and operational duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The field unit uses feedback from detected conditions to adjust transmission behavior. When parameters indicate normal operation, transmission frequency is reduced. When parameters indicate abnormal conditions, transmission frequency increases to ensure information availability, optimizing the balance between information needs and power/bandwidth conservation.
4Measurement precision
If sampling frequency is increased for all sensors, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is segmented into priority levels, with critical parameters sampled at high frequency and non-critical parameters sampled at lower frequency. This segmentation allows high measurement precision for important parameters without requiring high sampling frequency for all parameters, thereby reducing overall data processing requirements and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-sensor field unit is used to monitor one or more machine parameters of at least one machine or machine component and wirelessly transmit data based on readings taken by sensors of the multi-sensor field unit to an application or to a remote device such as a base station. To reduce the amount of data that is stored at the multi-sensor field unit and that is wirelessly transmitted by the multi-sensor field unit, the multi-sensor field unit includes a controller to modulate sampling parameters of the sensors based on a priority protocol and a power budget.