Sensor Adaptation Unit for Stable Signal-to-Noise Ratio

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sensors face significant fluctuations in signal-to-noise ratio due to changing ambient conditions, leading to undesirable position deviations and increased latency when using filters, and non-adaptive filters fail to maintain a constant signal-to-noise ratio under environmental changes.

Innovation Solution

A sensor with an adaptation unit that adjusts a manipulated variable based on environmental indicators, such as temperature or humidity, to keep the signal-to-noise ratio within a predetermined range, reducing the need for filtering and minimizing latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If filters are used to reduce signal-to-noise ratio fluctuations, then measurement signal quality is improved, but latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal-to-noise ratioVSAvoidlatency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the filter characteristics adaptive rather than fixed. The evaluation unit continuously monitors the signal-to-noise ratio and dynamically adjusts filter parameters (such as cutoff frequencies or filter orders) in real-time. This allows the system to maintain high measurement precision when noise is present while minimizing latency when the signal is clean, effectively resolving the contradiction between signal quality and response time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If non-adaptive filters are used to reduce signal-to-noise ratio fluctuations, then measurement signal quality is improved, but the signal-to-noise ratio cannot be kept constant under environmental changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal-to-noise ratioVSAvoidadaptation to environmental conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by creating a closed-loop control system. The evaluation unit continuously evaluates the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement signal and feeds this information back to the filter unit. Based on this feedback, the filter parameters are automatically adjusted to maintain optimal signal quality. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to changing environmental conditions while maintaining constant signal-to-noise ratio, resolving the contradiction between filter effectiveness and environmental adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4509799B1Sensor with adjustment unit
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 SICK AG
  • EP4509799B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4509799B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C

AI summary

A sensor comprises a sensing unit and an adaptation unit. The sensing unit is configured to detect a measured quantity and generate a measurement signal representing the detected quantity. The adaptation unit is configured to determine at least one indicator for at least one environmental condition of the sensor and to adjust a manipulated variable that influences the measured quantity based on this at least one indicator for the at least one environmental condition of the sensor such that the ratio of the measurement signal generated by the sensing unit to the noise of the measurement signal lies within a predetermined range.