Radio Frequency Waveguide Nodes for Wireless Power and Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of control and health monitoring systems in machines leads to higher failure probabilities due to increased interconnects, bulkiness, susceptibility to noise, and limited placement options for sensors and actuators, which are constrained by wiring and connector impacts on weight, reliability, and operating temperature limitations.
Innovation Solution
A radio frequency waveguide system with nodes that uses electromagnetic communication to transmit power and data wirelessly, reducing the need for physical connections and enabling flexible placement of sensors and actuators, even in harsh environments.
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 and controlled, but the system weight increases substantially due to large amounts of cabling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wired interconnect systems with wireless communication technology. Sensors and actuators communicate with controllers via wireless signals, eliminating the need for physical cables and connectors. This substitution resolves the contradiction by maintaining interconnect reliability through wireless communication while dramatically reducing system weight by removing substantial cabling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the cabling infrastructure from the system architecture. By taking out the wires, connectors, and wire harnesses that traditionally interconnect components, the system achieves weight reduction while maintaining functionality through wireless communication protocols.
2Adaptability or versatility
If long cable runs with multiple wires are used to connect remote sensors and actuators, then interconnectivity is achieved, but susceptibility to noise effects and signal degradation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical cable runs with wireless communication signals. This substitution eliminates the harmful effects of noise and signal degradation that plague long cable runs, while maintaining adaptability and versatility in sensor placement through wireless connectivity that can reach remote locations without physical cable constraints.
3Reliability
If numerous wire connections and wire harnesses are used to service machine components, then complete interconnectivity is achieved, but the possibility of damage at pin/socket interconnects increases during attachment and detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pin/socket interconnects with wireless communication interfaces. This substitution eliminates the physical attachment and detachment operations that cause damage to connectors, thereby improving both reliability by removing fragile interconnect points and ease of repair by enabling rapid component replacement without cable management.
4Reliability
If extensive cabling is used to connect sensors in difficult-to-access locations, then monitoring capability is improved, but cable cost, volume, and weight exceed desired limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces extensive cabling with wireless communication technology. This substitution maintains monitoring reliability by enabling sensors in difficult-to-access locations to transmit data wirelessly, while dramatically reducing cable volume, weight, and cost by eliminating the need for physical cable runs to remote locations.
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
This approach simplifies system architecture, reduces weight and cost, enhances reliability, and allows for greater interconnectivity and redundancy while accommodating a larger number of sensors without additional wiring, thus improving system accuracy and response.
Implementation Method 1
A waveguide interface of a node in a radio frequency waveguide system receives a radio frequency transmission through a waveguide
Implementation Method 2
A power filter of the power path is filtered to produce a filtered power signal
Implementation Method 3
A power rectifier and conditioner are configured to produce a conditioned power signal based on the filtered power signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A node (68) of a radio frequency waveguide system (500) includes a waveguide interface (519), a signal splitter (522), a power rectifier (532) and conditioner (534), a communication filter (538), and a network processor (542). The waveguide interface (519) is configured to communicate through a waveguide (516). The signal splitter (522) is configured to split a radio frequency transmission received at the waveguide interface (519) between a power path (524) and a communications path (526) within the node (68). The power rectifier (532) and conditioner (534) are configured to produce a conditioned power signal (536) based on power received through the power path (524). The communication filter (538) is configured to produce a filtered communication signal (540). The network processor (542) is powered by the conditioned power signal (536) and configured to extract encoded information from the filtered communication signal (540).