Tri-Processor Sensor Node Power Management for Energy Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless sensor networks face challenges in providing sustainable and economical power to sensor nodes without relying on cumbersome wiring or frequent battery replacements, as energy harvesting technologies often result in low duty cycles due to variability in environmental energy sources.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous sensor unit that integrates energy harvesting, storage, and a power management strategy, utilizing a tri-processor regime with low, middle, and high-performance processors to optimize power consumption and enable continuous sensing and communication, leveraging various energy sources like vibration, light, and thermal energy for self-powered operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If energy harvesting is used to power sensor nodes, then wiring complexity is reduced and autonomy is improved, but duty cycle decreases due to variability in environmental energy sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple energy harvesting sources (solar, vibration, thermal, acoustic) into a single hybrid power system. This merging of diverse energy sources ensures continuous power availability by compensating for the variability of individual sources, thereby maintaining high duty cycle while preserving autonomy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters based on available energy levels. When energy is abundant, the sensor operates at full capability; when energy is scarce, it transitions to low-power modes. This parameter adaptation allows the system to maximize duty cycle within the constraints of harvested energy.
2Use of energy by moving object
If tri-processor regime is implemented to optimize power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments processing tasks across three processor levels: a low-power microcontroller for basic sensing, a mid-power processor for data processing, and a high-power processor for complex computations. This segmentation allows each processor to operate only when needed, optimizing overall power consumption despite the added architectural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor regime is dynamic rather than static. The system automatically transitions between processor modes based on computational requirements and energy availability. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to balance power consumption and processing capability, justifying the increased device complexity through superior energy efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wireless networking is implemented for sensor deployment, then reconfigurability and survivability are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless sensor network employs periodic sleep-wake cycles where sensors remain in low-power sleep mode and activate only when data needs to be transmitted or received. This periodic operation dramatically reduces average power consumption while maintaining the network's reconfigurability and survivability through on-demand wireless communication.
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
The solution enables continuous sensing and situational awareness in naval shipboard machinery automation and control systems, allowing for uninterrupted data transmission during and after damage events, reducing maintenance needs and enhancing network resilience through efficient power management and energy harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
Energy can be harvested locally from vibration, light, acoustic, thermal, and/or other sources. All of the harvested energy can be combined utilizing an energy storage device for low duty-cycle sensor operation.
Data Source
AI summary
According to typical inventive practice, each inventive sensor node performs computer processing that is tri-chotomized in a progressive, power-regulating scheme of three processors, namely, a low-performance processor, a middle-performance processor (which remains in sleep mode until activated upon demand for a middle-computation function), and a high-performance processor (which remains in sleep mode until activated upon demand for a high-computation function). The low-performance processor performs low computation functions such as routine sensing functions. The middle-performance processor performs middle-computation functions such as validative sensing functions. The high-performance processor performs high computation functions such as remedial communicative functions. Each sensor node has one or more transceivers for wirelessly transmitting and receiving radio signals (e.g. remedial communication) to and from transceivers of other sensor nodes. Some transceivers may be specifically dedicated to wirelessly communicating “wake-up” signals among nodes. Inventive practice is notably efficacious in furtherance of situational awareness of damage events onboard naval ships.