Sensor Amplifier Data Buffering for Wireless Measurement Reliability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current measurement systems face issues with data loss during wireless communication, high power consumption, inefficient hardware resource utilization, and synchronization challenges across multiple measurement devices, leading to reliability and efficiency problems.

Innovation Solution

A measurement system with a sensor amplifier that converts analog signals to digital, stores data, and uses dual wireless communication units for efficient data transmission and retransmission, along with a main body unit for data processing and synchronization, allowing for flexible data handling and power management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If measurement data are transmitted wirelessly continuously, then remote measurement capability is achieved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote measurement capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor amplifier transmits measurement data at predetermined time intervals rather than continuously. The transmission unit sends data periodically to the external device, allowing remote measurement capability while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Ease of operation

If measurement data are transmitted wirelessly, then remote data access is enabled, but data loss and communication disconnection occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote data accessVSAvoiddata transmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor amplifier stores measurement data in its storage unit before transmission to the external device. This preliminary storage ensures that even if wireless transmission fails or data are lost during transfer, the original data remain preserved in the sensor amplifier and can be retransmitted or accessed later.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple measurement devices operate independently, then device autonomy is maintained, but time synchronization between devices fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice autonomyVSAvoidtime synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The external device receives measurement data from multiple sensor amplifiers and generates feedback information indicating whether the data are synchronized. This feedback is transmitted back to the sensor amplifiers, which use it to adjust their measurement timing and achieve synchronized operation while maintaining device autonomy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Device complexity

If all data processing is performed by the main body unit, then system simplicity is maintained, but hardware resource utilization becomes inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidhardware resource utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The data processing function is segmented between the sensor amplifier and the external device. The sensor amplifier performs preliminary processing of measurement data locally, then transmits processed data to the external device for further analysis. This segmentation improves hardware resource utilization while maintaining overall system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2851884B1Measurement system
Publication Date: 2018.01.31 RION COMPANY
  • EP2851884B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2851884B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2851884B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

If input signal is transmitted to a main body unit (10), a sensor amplifier (30) stores the input signal in itself as measurement data (S01), and transmits the input signal with the added transfer order information to the main body unit (10) (S02). By checking the transfer order information added to the input signal, the main body unit (10) can confirm if the input signal is deficient or not. Upon the end of the measurement of the physical quantity (S03), the main body unit (10) transmits the retransmission request that requests the retransmission of the deficient portion of the data to the sensor amplifier (30) (S04). According to the retransmission request from the main body unit (10), the sensor amplifier (30) extracts the deficient portion of the input signal data stored in itself (S05) and retransmits the extracted input signal data to the main body unit (10) (S06).