Ultrasonic Subsystem Data Transmission for Low-Energy Status Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems and subsystems within environments like aircraft or buildings do not provide regular updates to manufacturers or providers, limiting the availability of health and performance data, which is typically only accessible during repair or maintenance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with ultrasonic data transmission capabilities, where each subsystem includes an encoder, transmitter, receiver, and local memory to encrypt and transmit health/performance data, allowing seamless data storage and dissemination among subsystems, enabling secure, efficient, and reliable connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If subsystems transmit health and performance data continuously to manufacturers, then data availability is improved, but energy consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic data transmission where subsystems transmit health and performance data at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. The transmitter is configured to send ultrasonic signals containing encoded data periodically, reducing energy consumption while maintaining data availability for proactive maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional wireless communication mechanisms (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) with ultrasonic transmission using speakers and microphones. This substitution reduces energy consumption and eliminates the need for complex wireless communication hardware while enabling data transmission through the physical environment.
2Loss of information
If subsystems transmit health and performance data continuously to manufacturers, then data availability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex wireless communication subsystems with simple ultrasonic transmission components (speaker, microphone, encoder). This substitution significantly reduces device complexity while enabling data transmission functionality. The encoder converts data to ultrasonic frequencies that can be transmitted through the environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic transmission system serves multiple functions: data transmission, authentication, and environmental adaptation. The same hardware components (speaker, microphone) used for audio communication are repurposed for data transmission, eliminating the need for dedicated communication hardware and reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If subsystems store data locally in memory, then data accessibility during maintenance is improved, but data security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary encoding layer that transforms data into ultrasonic signals for transmission and storage. The encoder converts sensitive health and performance data into frequency-modulated ultrasonic waves, which are then stored in local memory. This intermediary representation maintains data accessibility while enhancing security through obfuscation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates encoded copies of sensitive data in local memory rather than storing plain text. The encoder generates ultrasonic signal representations of the data that can be stored and transmitted without exposing the original information format. This copying mechanism enables data accessibility for maintenance while protecting security through format transformation.
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 manufacturers to access critical data from subsystems being maintained, facilitating proactive maintenance and repair planning, while ensuring security, cost-effectiveness, and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter configured to transmit ultrasonic signals
Implementation Method 2
a receiver configured to receive ultrasonic signals
Data Source
AI summary
A system may comprise a plurality of subsystems, each including an encoder, a transmitter configured to transmit ultrasonic signals, a receiver configured to receive ultrasonic signals, and a local memory. Each subsystem may be configured to: encrypt data relating to first subsystem status of the subsystem; encode, using the encoder, the encrypted data relating to the first subsystem status to an ultrasonic signal; transmit, using the transmitter, the ultrasonic signal relating to the first subsystem status to other subsystems of the plurality of subsystems; receive, using the receiver, one or more signals from each of the other subsystems of the plurality of subsystems, the one or more signals relating to other subsystem statuses of the other of the plurality of subsystems; store, in the local memory, the received one or more signals; and transfer, to a server, data regarding the first subsystem status and the other subsystem statuses.