RTLS Tag Hybrid Power System for Battery Failure Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing real-time location systems (RTLS) with active tags face challenges in maintaining reliable location tracking due to battery failures, as dead batteries render tags unlocatable, leading to system inefficiencies and safety issues, especially in large environments like hospitals where visual inspection is ineffective and energy harvesting alone is impractical for powering tags.
Innovation Solution
The integration of both battery power and energy-harvesting circuitry in RTLS tags, allowing the tags to operate in two modes: using battery power for frequent, accurate location signals when the battery is adequate and switching to energy-harvested power for less-frequent signals when the battery is dead, ensuring continuous location tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If battery power is used to transmit frequent location signals, then location accuracy and update frequency are improved, but battery lifespan is limited and eventual failure occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines battery power with energy-harvesting circuitry in a hybrid power system. The battery provides stable power for frequent, accurate location signals, while the energy-harvesting circuitry captures ambient energy to extend operational life and provide backup power when the battery is depleted, thus merging two power sources to overcome the limitations of each individual source.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy-harvesting circuitry continuously accumulates energy in advance during periods when the battery is functional. This preliminary energy accumulation ensures that when the battery is depleted, the tag can still transmit location signals for a extended period, preventing complete system failure and enabling timely battery replacement.
2Device complexity
If visual inspection is used to locate dead tags, then system complexity is reduced, but effectiveness is poor in large environments
Solution Approach 1:
The tag continues to transmit location signals even after battery depletion by using energy-harvested power. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically track and identify the location of tags with depleted batteries without requiring manual visual inspection, thereby maintaining system effectiveness in large environments while avoiding increased complexity.
3Ease of repair
If energy harvesting alone is used to power tags, then battery replacement is eliminated, but power availability is insufficient for reliable operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges battery power with energy-harvesting circuitry in a hybrid configuration. The battery provides reliable, sufficient power for consistent tag operation, while the energy-harvesting circuitry supplements power availability and extends operational life. This combination achieves both sufficient power availability and reduced maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy-harvesting circuitry enables the tag to partially self-power itself by capturing ambient energy, reducing the frequency and need for battery replacements. This self-service capability complements the battery system, creating a more reliable and maintenance-friendly solution.
4Reliability
If tags transmit frequent location signals, then location tracking reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid power system combines battery and energy-harvesting circuitry to support frequent location signal transmissions. The battery provides the primary energy source for reliable operation, while the energy-harvesting circuitry supplements energy consumption by capturing ambient energy, thereby enabling frequent transmissions without proportionally increasing total energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy-harvesting circuitry continuously accumulates energy from the environment, providing a continuous supplemental power source that extends the duration of frequent location signal transmissions. This continuous energy accumulation ensures that the tag can maintain reliable location tracking over extended periods without proportionally increasing battery consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy harvesting tag for use in a real time location system (RTLS) includes a battery powered transceiver where a photocell and energy storage device are used to provide power to the transceiver and a microprocessor when the battery is dead or inoperative.