Sensor Assignment by Motion Correlation in Wireless Machines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless industrial control systems face challenges in accurately associating sensors with actuators due to the error-prone nature of programming unique identification codes, leading to potential misassignment and reduced reliability in feedback control.

Innovation Solution

A sensor assignment device comprising a movement instruction generator, sensor data receiver, degree of correlation determiner, and sensor assigner that assigns sensors to machine parts based on predetermined correlation thresholds, ensuring accurate pairing by analyzing sensor data consistency with movement patterns and utilizing a plausibility checker for validation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual programming of unique identification codes is used to associate sensors with actuators, then the system setup is straightforward in wired architectures, but the process becomes error-prone and reliability decreases in wireless systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor assignment processVSAvoidassignment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables sensors to self-assign to actuators by automatically determining correlations between sensor data and actuator movements. The sensor assignment device autonomously analyzes sensor data patterns against movement instructions without requiring manual programming of identification codes, allowing the system to configure itself automatically and eliminate human error in the assignment process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from sensor data to validate and confirm correct sensor-actuator pairings. By continuously monitoring sensor data during actuator movements and analyzing correlation degrees, the system receives feedback that confirms whether assignments are correct, allowing for automatic verification and correction of any misassignments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If all sensors are processed and transmitted for assignment, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but processing and transmission requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassignment completenessVSAvoidprocessing and transmission energy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system processes only a subset of sensors at any given time rather than all sensors simultaneously. The sensor assignment device selectively processes sensor data based on correlation thresholds and assignment status, processing only those sensors that are relevant to current assignment tasks. This partial processing approach maintains assignment completeness while significantly reducing the computational and transmission energy required

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3067763B1Assignment of sensors to machine parts
Publication Date: 2022.06.29 SIEMENS AG
  • EP3067763B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3067763B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3067763B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A sensor assignment device (SAD) has a movement instruction generator (MIG) for generating (105) and submitting (100a) a movement instruction (MI) to a distinct one of a plurality of actuators (Ak) to move a distinct one of a plurality of machine parts (MPj), a sensor data receiver (SDR) for receiving (120b) sensor data (SD) acquired by a subset of a plurality of sensors (Si), a degree of correlation determiner (DCD) for determining (130) sensor-specific degrees of correlation (DC) between said detected sensor data (SD) and the movement instruction (MI), and a sensor assigner (SA) for assigning (140) those sensors (Si) to the distinct machine part whose sensor-specific degrees of correlation (DC) exceed a predetermined threshold. The invention also relates to a corresponding method (100) for assigning a sensor (Si) to a machine part (MPj) moveable by an actuator (Ak).