Virtual Sensor System for Bridge Digital Twin Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and maintenance requirements of physical sensors for bridge safety monitoring, particularly in harsh environments, make it economically challenging to manage bridge safety using IoT sensors effectively.
Innovation Solution
A virtual sensor system for digital twin applications that collects data from physical sensors, preprocesses it, and uses a deep learning model to predict time series data, allowing for the operation of virtual sensors in areas where physical sensors are not installed, and detects abnormal signals by comparing measured data with predicted data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical sensors are installed on bridges for safety monitoring, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual sensors that replicate the functionality of physical sensors through software-based models. These virtual sensors process data from existing physical sensors to infer bridge conditions without requiring additional physical sensor installations, thereby maintaining measurement precision while reducing device complexity and maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that uses machine learning models to transform data from physical sensors into virtual sensor outputs. This intermediary layer enables the system to derive additional monitoring capabilities from existing sensor data, avoiding the need for direct physical sensor deployment in all monitoring locations.
2Reliability
If multiple physical sensors are deployed to collect high-fidelity data, then reliability is improved, but loss of substance (budget) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deploys virtual sensors that replicate physical sensor functions through computational models. These virtual sensors process and interpret data from existing physical sensors to provide reliable monitoring information without requiring additional physical sensor deployments, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing budget requirements for sensor installation and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional system where existing physical sensors serve multiple purposes: direct measurement and data input for virtual sensor models. The virtual sensor framework provides additional monitoring functions using the same physical sensor infrastructure, increasing system utility without proportionally increasing hardware costs.
3Measurement precision
If physical sensors are installed in harsh bridge environments, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual sensors that replicate the environmental monitoring function through software-based models. These virtual sensors process data from physical sensors located in harsh environments without requiring direct human operation or maintenance in those conditions, thereby maintaining measurement precision while significantly improving ease of operation through centralized data processing and analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a virtual sensor system for a digital twin application. The virtual sensor system includes an edge gateway configured to collect data collected from physical sensors in the real world, apply the collected data to a virtual sensor model, and operate virtual sensors for configuring a digital twin world, and a virtual sensor framework configured to train the virtual sensor model using data, which is measured by the physical sensors, from the edge gateway and distribute the virtual sensor model to the edge gateway.