Seismic Sensor Noise Detection Mode Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seismic sensors often erroneously detect human-based vibrations as earthquakes, leading to unnecessary shut-off signals for energy supplies, which increases power consumption and reduces accuracy in earthquake determination.

Innovation Solution

A seismic sensor system that includes an acceleration sensor, microcontroller, and filtering mechanisms to differentiate between earthquake-induced vibrations and noise, using specific determination conditions and processing flows to accurately identify earthquakes and suppress false positives.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a microcontroller-based seismic sensor performs arithmetic processing to obtain earthquake index values, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveearthquake determination accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The seismic sensor alternates between measurement mode (high precision arithmetic processing) and power saving mode (low power operation), periodically switching based on vibration detection thresholds to balance accuracy and power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor performs preliminary vibration detection in power saving mode before activating full measurement mode, preparing by detecting initial vibration levels to determine whether detailed arithmetic processing is necessary

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the seismic sensor operates in power saving mode and filters measured acceleration to remove noise components, then power consumption is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidnoise detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

A vibration determination unit acts as an intermediary, analyzing vibration patterns and temporal characteristics to distinguish between noise and earthquakes before triggering full measurement mode, preventing erroneous detections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from vibration pattern analysis to control mode switching, where detected vibration characteristics determine whether to transition from power saving mode to measurement mode, creating a closed-loop control system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the seismic sensor detects vibration immediately after shifting from power saving mode to measurement mode, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to erroneous earthquake detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speedVSAvoidearthquake determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor performs preliminary vibration detection and pattern analysis in power saving mode before activating measurement mode, preparing by detecting initial vibration levels to avoid erroneous detections when transitioning modes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The vibration determination unit serves as an intermediary layer between the acceleration sensor and earthquake determination, analyzing vibration patterns and temporal characteristics to filter out false positives from mode transition artifacts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 system effectively reduces erroneous noise detection as earthquakes, thereby minimizing unnecessary shut-off signals and enhancing the reliability of seismic sensor operations while maintaining low power consumption.

Implementation Method 1

seismic sensor includes an acceleration sensor 11

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration detection: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentEP3647825B1Seismic sensor and earthquake determination method

Publication Date: 2024.07.31 OMRON CORP

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AI summary

Provided is a technique that can more reliably suppress erroneous determination of noise as an earthquake, in a seismic sensor. The seismic sensor operates in a power saving mode and a measurement mode with higher power consumption than that of the power saving mode. The seismic sensor includes: a measurement unit configured to measure acceleration; an earthquake determination unit configured to determine whether or not an earthquake has occurred based on the acceleration measured in a predetermined determination period after shifting to the measurement mode when shifting from the power saving mode to the measurement mode in a case where acceleration measured by the measurement unit exceeds a predetermined threshold; and an index calculator configured to calculate an index value indicating a scale of an earthquake in an earthquake processing period after the predetermined determination period, when the earthquake determination unit determines that an earthquake has occurred. The earthquake determination unit determines an occurrence of an earthquake based on the presence or absence of a pulse waveform in a waveform of acceleration measured in the determination period, and/or a frequency characteristic or a convergence characteristic after the pulse waveform in a waveform of the acceleration.