IoT Wine Storage Sensor Network for Automated Inventory Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wine storage management systems rely on manual tracking, which can lead to bottles being forgotten or spoiled due to lack of updates on inventory changes, especially in large collections where periodic inventory checks are time-consuming and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A network of sensor and control modules, referred to as 'buds,' connected wirelessly or by wire to a master controller, called the 'root,' which monitors bottle movements and environmental conditions, allowing for real-time tracking and control of wine storage facilities, including temperature, humidity, and lighting, and can notify owners of changes via mobile devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual tracking is used for wine inventory, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to human error and forgotten bottles
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service inventory tracking where bottles equipped with sensors automatically report their status, location, and movement to the root controller without requiring manual intervention. The buds autonomously monitor their own state and communicate changes to the central system, eliminating human error while distributing intelligence throughout the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking methods with an automated electronic sensor network. Buds with sensors substitute for human observers, continuously monitoring inventory status, bottle positions, and environmental conditions, then transmitting data wirelessly to the root controller for centralized management and alerting.
2Loss of time
If periodic inventory checks are performed manually, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of time increases due to time-consuming counting processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous real-time monitoring of inventory status through permanently installed buds that continuously detect bottle presence, movement, and environmental conditions. This eliminates the need for periodic manual counts, as the system operates不间断ly to track all changes instantaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements immediate feedback loops where buds continuously report inventory changes to the root controller, which then sends notifications to users' mobile devices. This real-time feedback mechanism eliminates the delay between inventory changes and user awareness, replacing time-consuming periodic checks with instant updates.
3Measurement precision
If manual inventory tracking is used, then manufacturing precision is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to detect bottle movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the wine storage facility into multiple monitored zones, with individual buds placed at strategic locations to detect bottle movements in specific areas. Each bud independently monitors its local environment and reports to the root controller, enabling precise tracking of bottle movements throughout the entire facility through distributed sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The buds serve multiple functions simultaneously: detecting bottle presence, tracking bottle movements, monitoring environmental conditions (temperature, humidity), and communicating status changes. This multi-functionality at each node enables comprehensive precise measurement without requiring separate specialized devices for each measurement type.
Data Source
AI summary
Sensor modules referred to herein as “buds”, are connected by wireline or wirelessly to a controller referred to herein as a “root” in what is referred to herein as a vine to provide inventory control information for a wine storage facility. Buds sense when objects are moved into or out of sensing range of a proximity sensor and, in alternative embodiments, may also track or control other quantities of interest, like the local temperature, humidity, or VOCs. A root may broadcast a message to all buds, or send a message to an individual bud, while buds return messages back to the root. Scaling of the system is accomplished through the use of roots as repeaters or targets. In a preferred embodiment, the vine originates at the root and each bud has at least two downstream facing ports, which dispatch messages along paths referred to here as “primary” and “divergent”.