Ultrasonic Bus Networks for Scalable Multi-Location Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic testing systems face scalability and cost issues due to their reliance on a star topology architecture that requires numerous wires and channels for each ultrasonic transducer, making them impractical for applications with multiple physically separated locations.
Innovation Solution
A networked system using a bus topology with a central node and remote nodes, employing mixed analog and digital signaling over a wired or wireless bus to minimize the number of components and wires, allowing flexible and cost-effective ultrasonic signal transmission and reception across multiple locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a star topology architecture is used to connect ultrasonic transducers, then each transducer can be independently controlled and tested, but the number of wires and channels increases significantly, making the system complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent transducer connections into a single shared bus structure. Multiple transducers are connected to a common communication bus that carries both digital control signals and analog ultrasonic signals, eliminating the need for separate wires for each transducer while maintaining independent controllability through digital addressing.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication bus serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides digital control signals for transducer selection, transmits analog ultrasonic test signals, and carries received ultrasonic signals back to the testing system. This multi-functional approach replaces the traditional dedicated wire for each function, significantly reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple separate wires are used for each ultrasonic transducer, then signal transmission is reliable, but the cost and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple signal transmission paths are merged into a single bus structure. The bus carries digital control signals, analog test signals, and received signals through time-division or frequency-division multiplexing, reducing the wire count from proportional to the number of transducers to a fixed small number regardless of transducer quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
A bus interface circuit acts as an intermediary between the central controller and multiple transducers. This interface manages signal routing, impedance matching, and signal level conversion, enabling reliable communication over the shared bus while maintaining signal integrity that would otherwise require dedicated wires.
3Device complexity
If a bus topology is used to reduce the number of wires, then the system becomes more scalable and cost-effective, but signal interference and noise may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic time-division multiplexing where digital control signals and analog ultrasonic signals are transmitted in alternating time slots. During digital communication phases, analog transducer outputs are muted, and during ultrasonic testing phases, digital communication is suspended, preventing mutual interference between signal types.
Solution Approach 2:
Buffer circuits and isolation amplifiers are introduced as intermediaries between the bus and transducers to prevent signal reflections and noise coupling. These intermediaries provide galvanic isolation and impedance matching, reducing the harmful effects of signal interference while maintaining the benefits of the reduced-wire bus topology.
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
Enables scalable, cost-effective, and reliable ultrasonic testing by reducing the number of electronic components and wires, facilitating efficient transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals from numerous physically separated locations.
Implementation Method 1
transmitter ultrasonic transducer... The ultrasonic transducer may be a piezoelectric transducer, a capacitive transducer, or another type of transducer
Implementation Method 2
The ultrasonic transducer may be a piezoelectric transducer, a capacitive transducer, or another type of transducer
Data Source
AI summary
A system for testing an entity using ultrasonic signal transmission and reception is disclosed. The system can include a central node comprising a logic digital subsystem with memory that is capable of transmitting and receiving mixed analog and digital signals, at least one remote node that is capable of transmitting and receiving mixed analog and digital signals with the central node through a bus architecture, each remote node comprising a logic digital subsystem and memory, and at least one transmitter ultrasonic transducer operatively connected to the remote node, the transmitter ultrasonic transducer being capable of transmitting and receiving the mixed analog and digital signals. The central node is capable of addressing the ultrasonic transducer using the digital signals over the bus through the remote node and routing an ultrasonic driving signal originating in the central node and propagating through the bus to the addressed ultrasonic transducer.