Redundant Waveguide System for Reliable RF Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complex control and health monitoring systems in machines face increased failure probabilities due to high interconnect counts, leading to bulky cabling, noise susceptibility, and limited accessibility for sensors and actuators, which restricts the placement and accuracy of data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A waveguide system with redundancy is implemented, featuring a first and second communication path with debris shields, allowing for redundant electromagnetic signal transmission between nodes, and optionally includes shared paths and ring topologies to ensure reliable communication and withstand ballistic impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional wired interconnect systems are used to connect sensors and actuators to controllers, then system components can be interconnected, but the cable weight, noise susceptibility, and vulnerability to interconnect failures increase with more connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical wired interconnect systems with an electromagnetic waveguide system. Instead of using physical cables and connectors to transmit signals between sensors, actuators, and controllers, the invention uses electromagnetic waves guided through waveguide structures integrated into the machine components. This substitution eliminates the need for bulky cabling while maintaining reliable communication, directly resolving the contradiction between system reliability and cable weight.
2Reliability
If more wire connections are made to achieve desired control and health monitoring, then sensing capability is improved, but the possibility of damage at pin/socket interconnects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pin/socket interconnects with electromagnetic waveguide coupling. The waveguide system uses electromagnetic field coupling between adjacent waveguide structures rather than physical electrical contacts. This eliminates vulnerable mechanical interconnects while enabling comprehensive sensing and control capabilities, resolving the contradiction between interconnect reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple communication functions into a single waveguide system. Instead of having separate wired connections for each sensor and actuator, the waveguide structures are integrated into machine components, allowing multiple signals to be transmitted through shared electromagnetic pathways. This consolidation reduces the number of discrete interconnects while maintaining full sensing and control functionality, addressing the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are placed in difficult-to-access locations to improve monitoring accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but wire routing becomes bulky and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wire routing with electromagnetic waveguide integration. Sensors placed in difficult-to-access locations can communicate with controllers through waveguide structures that are built into the machine's existing geometry. The waveguides can be formed as integral parts of machine components, eliminating the need for complex external wiring to reach remote or hard-to-access sensor locations, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and ease of manufacture.
4Device complexity
If power lines are routed close to communication lines to reduce complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but crosstalk and noise transfer from power lines to communication lines increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional shared cabling systems with dedicated waveguide structures for power and communication. The waveguide system uses electromagnetic field confinement within waveguide walls, which naturally isolates communication signals from power lines. This allows power and communication pathways to be in close proximity without causing crosstalk or noise interference, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and noise interference by using fundamentally different electromagnetic transmission mechanisms.
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 waveguide system reduces cable weight and noise interference, enhances reliability, and allows for increased sensor placement without additional wiring, improving system accuracy and response by providing a redundant communication path that maintains operation even under damage conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a first communication path through the waveguide system to guide a radio frequency transmission between the first node and the second node
Implementation Method 2
The waveguide system includes a debris shield of material configured to survive a ballistic impact
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A system (200) of a machine includes a first node (202A) and a second node (212A) configured to establish a first communication path (206A) through a waveguide system (200) to guide a radio frequency transmission between the first node (202A) and the second node (212A) in the machine. The system (200) also includes a third node (202B) and a fourth node (212B) configured to establish a second communication path (206B) in the machine. The first node (202A) is grouped with the third node (202B) as a first node group (204), and the second node (212A) is grouped with the fourth node (212B) as a second node group (214) such that the second communication path (206B) provides a redundant communication path with respect to the first communication path (206A) for communication between the first node group (204) and the second node group (214).