Seismic Sensor Noise Detection via Periodic Determination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seismic sensors often erroneously detect noise as earthquakes due to prolonged vibrations at specific installation locations, leading to unnecessary energy interruptions.

Innovation Solution

The seismic sensor operates in power saving and measurement modes, with conditional determination periods and varied conditions based on acceleration values, allowing for detailed earthquake detection and immediate transition to power saving mode when conditions are met, reducing erroneous noise detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the seismic sensor determines earthquake based on vibration immediately after transitioning from power saving mode to measurement mode, then the response speed is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to erroneous noise detection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speedVSAvoidearthquake determination accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement period is divided into multiple determination periods (first, second, third periods) with different determination conditions. This segmentation allows the system to apply different judgment criteria at different time points, improving both response speed and accuracy by avoiding premature determination during noise-prone initial periods while maintaining quick detection capability in later periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary measurement and evaluation during the first determination period before making final earthquake determination. By evaluating vibration characteristics in advance during the first period and using this information to guide subsequent determination in the second period, the system prepares the determination logic in advance, enabling faster and more accurate earthquake detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the seismic sensor performs filtering processing on measured acceleration to remove noise component, then the measurement precision is improved, but the use of energy increases due to additional processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveearthquake determination accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuously performing filtering processing, the system applies filtering selectively during specific determination periods. The filtering is performed partially - mainly during the first determination period and selectively in subsequent periods based on whether determination conditions are met - rather than excessively throughout the entire measurement process, thus reducing overall power consumption while maintaining sufficient noise removal capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs filtering and determination processing periodically at discrete determination periods (first, second, third periods) rather than continuously. This periodic action allows the sensor to return to low-power states between determination periods, significantly reducing average power consumption while still achieving accurate earthquake detection at critical moments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Measurement precision

If the seismic sensor uses a microcontroller for arithmetic processing to obtain earthquake index value, then the measurement precision is improved, but the use of energy increases compared to mechanical sensors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveearthquake evaluation capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The microcontroller performs arithmetic processing and index calculation periodically at specific determination periods rather than continuously. By concentrating computation at key moments (first determination period for initial evaluation, second determination period for final determination) and entering low-power states between these periods, the system maintains the earthquake evaluation capability of a microcontroller while dramatically reducing average power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary arithmetic processing and index calculation during the first determination period to evaluate vibration characteristics before making final earthquake determination. This preliminary computation prepares the data and metrics in advance, allowing the microcontroller to operate at full capability when needed while minimizing overall processing time and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3598179B1Seismic sensor and earthquake determination method
Publication Date: 2024.02.14 OMRON CORP
  • EP3598179B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3598179B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3598179B1 patent drawingFigure 3(1)~3(3)

AI summary

Erroneous determination of noise as an earthquake is reduced in a seismic sensor. The seismic sensor operates in a power saving mode and a measurement mode in which power consumption is larger than that in the power saving mode. The seismic sensor includes: a measurement unit configured to measure acceleration; an earthquake determinator configured to transition from the power saving mode to the measurement mode when the acceleration measured by the measurement unit exceeds a predetermined threshold, to determine whether an earthquake is generated based on the acceleration measured in the measurement mode; and an index calculator configured to calculate an index value indicating a scale of the earthquake when the earthquake determinator determines that the earthquake is generated. The earthquake determinator determines whether the earthquake is generated by determining whether a predetermined condition is satisfied, the predetermined condition being determined based on the acceleration measured in at least one determination period, each determination period into which a period after the power saving mode transitions to the measurement mode is divided being set to a processing unit, and the measurement mode transitions to the power saving mode when the earthquake determinator determines that the earthquake is not generated.