Multifunctional Sensor Integrating Infrared and Environmental Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern sensors are inadequate for accurately determining the state of a location, person, or object and fail to anticipate future states, limiting their ability to trigger necessary actions.
Innovation Solution
A battery-operated monitoring device equipped with a combination of sensors including infrared, barometric pressure, temperature, motion, sound level, humidity, UV index, air quality, and geographical position sensors, capable of collecting and analyzing data to deduce current and future states, with wireless transmission and real-time data processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple sensors are integrated into a single device, then the ability to collect comprehensive information about location, person, or object is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (infrared sensor, barometric pressure sensor, temperature sensor, motion sensor, sound level sensor, humidity sensor, UV index sensor, air quality sensor, particle sensor, and geographical position sensor) into a single integrated monitoring device. This merging approach allows the device to collect comprehensive information about location, person, or object simultaneously, resolving the contradiction by consolidating multiple information-gathering functions into one unit rather than using separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated sensor device is designed to perform multiple functions: monitoring environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, pressure), detecting presence (infrared, motion sensors), measuring air quality (CO2, particles, UV index), and determining location (geographical position sensor). This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace multiple specialized sensors, achieving comprehensive information collection while managing complexity through unified design.
2Ease of operation
If battery-powered operation is used, then installation flexibility is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs periodic action by activating sensors and wireless transmission only when necessary (e.g., when motion is detected, when thresholds are exceeded, or at scheduled intervals) rather than continuous operation. The microcontroller can enter low-power sleep modes between measurement cycles, significantly reducing average energy consumption while maintaining installation flexibility through battery operation.
3Speed
If real-time data transmission is implemented, then responsiveness to detected states is improved, but data transmission energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device implements feedback-based transmission by continuously monitoring sensor data against predefined thresholds or patterns. Transmission is triggered only when anomalies are detected, thresholds are exceeded, or significant changes occur, rather than continuous transmission. This feedback mechanism ensures rapid response to important events while minimizing energy consumption by keeping the transmission module inactive during normal conditions.
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
Enables precise monitoring and prediction of states, facilitating actions such as fire detection, sleep quality evaluation, hypothermia prevention, and machine failure anticipation, with enhanced flexibility and privacy preservation compared to existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
an infrared sensor (3), in particular a thermal imager, for measuring a temperature in a volume (1), here a room
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a monitoring device including an infrared sensor and, furthermore, at least one sensor from barometric pressure, temperature, movement, sound level, relative humidity, ambient light, UV index, air quality and particulate sensors. Also disclosed is a system including such a device and a remote processor. Further disclosed are methods using such a device, particularly for monitoring a person, detecting the start of a fire or warning about a mechanical breakdown.