Temperature Difference Sensing for Board-Mounted Overheat Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional temperature abnormality detection systems fail to accurately detect temperature abnormalities in target devices installed on boards, particularly in winter environments, as the temperature increase may not exceed the set threshold value, leading to undetected issues.

Innovation Solution

A temperature abnormality detection system that uses a combination of a radiation temperature sensor and a contact type temperature sensor to measure the target device's temperature and ambient air temperature, respectively, calculating a temperature difference to determine if a threshold is exceeded, thereby accounting for environmental temperature variations and preventing false negatives.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a fixed temperature threshold is set for abnormality detection, then the system can operate with simple detection logic, but it produces false negatives in winter environments where ambient temperature is low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection logic complexityVSAvoidtemperature abnormality detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the detection parameter from absolute temperature to temperature difference (ΔT = T_device - T_ambient). This allows the detection threshold to be adaptive to environmental conditions, resolving the contradiction by maintaining simple detection logic while improving reliability across different seasons.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an ambient temperature sensor as an intermediary element that measures the environmental temperature. This intermediary allows the system to compensate for environmental variations, enabling reliable detection without complex adaptive logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the temperature threshold is set to accommodate winter conditions, then detection accuracy improves in cold environments, but false positives occur in summer when ambient temperature is high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature abnormality detection accuracy in winterVSAvoidfalse positive detections

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By changing from absolute temperature threshold to temperature difference threshold, the system automatically adapts to seasonal variations. In summer, both device and ambient temperatures are high but their difference remains within normal ranges, preventing false positives while maintaining winter detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If only a single temperature sensor is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot distinguish between environmental temperature changes and actual device overheating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor configurationVSAvoidtemperature abnormality measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the temperature measurement function into two independent sensors: one for ambient temperature and one for device temperature. This segmentation allows independent measurement of environmental and device conditions, improving measurement precision while keeping each sensor simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the outputs of two simple temperature sensors to achieve the function of a complex adaptive temperature monitoring system. By merging the ambient temperature measurement with device temperature measurement, the system achieves high measurement precision without using a single complex sensor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This system accurately detects temperature abnormalities in target devices regardless of the environmental temperature, reducing the risk of undetected issues and preventing fires by effectively accounting for seasonal temperature variations.

Implementation Method 1

a radiation temperature sensor that measures a first temperature indicated by a target device installed in a board

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a contact type temperature sensor that measures a second temperature indicated by ambient air around the target device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3845987B1Temperature abnormality detection system, temperature abnormality detection method, and program

Publication Date: 2024.04.10 OMRON CORP

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3

AI summary

A temperature abnormality detection system of the present invention includes a first temperature sensor (97) that measures a first temperature (T1) indicated by a target device (91) and a second temperature sensor (98) that measures a second temperature (T2) indicated by ambient air (93) around the target device (91). A temperature difference (ΔT) between the first temperature (T1) and the second temperature (T2) is calculated, and when this temperature difference (ΔT) becomes a predetermined threshold value (Th) or more, it is determined that a temperature abnormality of the target device (91) has occurred.