Sensor Control Assembly with Distributed Database and Smart Contracts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing methods, particularly additive manufacturing, face challenges in ensuring reliable and secure sensor data collection and calibration due to potential manipulation and deviations from standards, leading to decreased product quality and disputes over data reliability.
Innovation Solution
A sensor control assembly that includes a cryptographic checksum, a distributed database protected against manipulation, and smart contracts to verify and calibrate sensors, ensuring secure data transmission and automatic calibration or reset based on predefined thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sensor data is collected and stored in a centralized database, then data accessibility is improved, but data reliability and protection against manipulation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized database into a distributed network of nodes, where sensor data is segmented and stored across multiple independent locations. This segmentation prevents single-point manipulation while maintaining data accessibility through the distributed network structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic checksums and smart contracts as intermediary layers between the sensor data and the distributed database. These intermediaries verify data integrity and prevent manipulation, ensuring reliability while allowing accessible data storage across the distributed network.
2Measurement precision
If manual sensor calibration is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but operator work and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic sensor calibration through smart contracts that continuously monitor sensor data and autonomously adjust calibration parameters when deviations are detected. This self-service mechanism eliminates manual calibration operations while maintaining measurement precision, thereby reducing operator work and time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback loop where sensor data is continuously analyzed against predefined thresholds, and calibration adjustments are automatically applied based on this feedback. This closed-loop system ensures measurement precision is maintained without requiring manual intervention, reducing both operator work and calibration time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible production locations are used, then adaptability is improved, but data verification and quality control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal distributed database system and smart contract framework that can be deployed across any production location. This universal infrastructure ensures consistent data verification and quality control mechanisms are applied uniformly across all flexible production sites, maintaining manufacturing precision regardless of location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary verification through smart contracts that automatically validate sensor data and manufacturing parameters before production begins at any location. This preliminary action ensures quality standards are established in advance, enabling flexible production location selection without compromising product quality consistency.
4Reliability
If cryptographic verification is implemented for all sensor data, then data reliability is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies cryptographic verification selectively rather than uniformly to all sensor data. Smart contracts implement partial verification by focusing cryptographic checks on critical parameters and threshold violations, rather than verifying every data point. This partial action approach maintains data reliability for essential measurements while reducing overall processing time and computational resource consumption.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention refers to a sensor control assembly providing a secured sensor data and an optimized handling of the sensor. Furthermore, the invention refers to a sensor unit to be used in such sensor control assembly. Furthermore, the invention refers to a manufacturing device containing at least a part of the sensor control assembly. Furthermore, the invention refers to a method to optimize the utilization of a sensor.