Sensor Amplifier Data Retransmission for Reliable Wireless Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current measurement systems face issues with data loss during wireless communication, high power consumption, large-scale device complexity, and synchronization challenges, leading to reliability and efficiency problems in measuring physical quantities like sound, vibration, and temperature.

Innovation Solution

A measurement system comprising a sensor amplifier with a conversion unit, data storage, and communication units that store and retransmit digital signals, utilize low-power communication modes, and distribute data processing to manage multiple devices and ensure synchronization through centralized instructions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If measurement data are transmitted wirelessly in real-time, then the measurer can know current measurement data, but data loss occurs and reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement data reliabilityVSAvoidmeasurement data loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor amplifier stores measurement data in advance before transmission. When data is lost during wireless transmission, the main body unit requests retransmission of the specific lost data from the stored data, ensuring complete and reliable data acquisition without continuous real-time transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The main body unit monitors received data for completeness and provides feedback to the sensor amplifier. When data loss is detected, the main body unit requests retransmission of the deficient portion, creating a closed-loop feedback system that ensures complete data reception and improves reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If measurement data are continuously transmitted wirelessly, then complete data are obtained, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata completenessVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor amplifier stores measurement data in advance in its memory before transmission. This allows the system to transmit data in batches or upon request rather than continuously, significantly reducing power consumption while ensuring complete data is available for transmission when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous transmission, the system uses periodic or on-demand transmission triggered by the main body unit's requests. The sensor amplifier transmits stored data only when requested, creating a periodic transmission pattern that reduces power consumption while maintaining data completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Device complexity

If multiple measurement devices operate separately, then device complexity is reduced, but synchronization cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice simplicityVSAvoidsynchronization time
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The main body unit serves multiple functions: it controls the start timing of multiple sensor amplifiers, receives data from all devices, and performs centralized processing. This universal control mechanism enables synchronization across multiple simple devices without requiring complex synchronization hardware in each device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the control and synchronization functions into a single main body unit, while each sensor amplifier focuses only on measurement and data storage. This functional merging achieves synchronization across multiple devices while keeping individual device complexity low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Measurement precision

If a centralized device processes all channel signals, then measurement precision is improved, but device size and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing precisionVSAvoiddevice scale
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the signal processing function: the sensor amplifier performs initial A/D conversion and stores digital data, while the main body unit performs the comprehensive multi-channel processing. This segmentation allows precise centralized processing in the main body unit while keeping the sensor amplifier compact and simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stored digital data in the sensor amplifier acts as an intermediary, allowing the main body unit to process all channel signals comprehensively without requiring all signals to be present simultaneously. This intermediary storage enables precise centralized processing while maintaining a compact device architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3131309B1Measurement system
Publication Date: 2018.01.24 RION COMPANY
  • EP3131309B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3131309B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3131309B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

When transmitting an input signal to a main body unit (10), a sensor amplifier (30) stores therein the input signal as measurement data (S01), and transmits the input signal to which transmission sequence information is added to the main body unit (10) (S02). By confirming the transmission sequence information added to the input signal, the main body unit (10) can confirm whether or not there is an omission in the input signal. When the measurement of a physical quantity ends (S03), the main body unit (10) transmits, to the sensor amplifier (30), a retransmission request requesting the retransmission of data relating to a missing portion (S04). Then, the sensor amplifier (30) extracts input signal data relating to the missing portion and stored therein on the basis of the retransmission request from the main body unit (10) (S05), and retransmits the extracted input signal data to the main body unit (10) (S06).