Wireless energy-harvesting sensor probe utilizing beam steering for in-oven power stealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless, battery-free meat probes face challenges in complex oven environments due to signal reflections and refractions, creating 'hotspots' and 'cold spots' that hinder communication and power transfer, making it difficult to maintain reliable operation and accuracy in temperature monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing multiple energy-emitting antennas with phase-shifted signals to steer power and data transmission, ensuring maximum link efficiency for a battery-free sensor probe, which includes a power stealing regulator and a data transmitter, allowing for efficient energy harvesting and communication within the oven cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wireless battery-free sensor probe is used in an oven, then the probe eliminates battery charging hassles and allows a small needle diameter, but signal reflections and refractions in the complex oven environment create hotspots and cold spots that hinder communication and power transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam steering that continuously adjusts the phase and amplitude of signals across multiple transmitting antennas to track and maintain optimal signal paths to the moving sensor probe. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to compensate for changing oven environments, probe positions, and reflections, ensuring reliable power transfer and communication throughout the cooking process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the sensor probe transmits acknowledgment signals and channel state information back to the oven controller. This feedback enables the controller to adjust beam steering parameters, signal power, and frequency selection in real-time, optimizing the wireless power and data transfer link despite the complex multipath environment inside the oven.
2Use of energy by moving object
If multiple energy emitting antennas with phase-shifted signals are used for beam steering, then power transfer efficiency is optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the transmitting antenna system into multiple independent antenna elements, each capable of independent phase and amplitude control. This segmentation allows the system to form directional beams and steer energy precisely toward the sensor probe, significantly improving power transfer efficiency while enabling digital control of each antenna element through software.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple antennas serve dual functions: they simultaneously provide wireless power transfer through electromagnetic coupling and wireless communication for data transmission. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by combining power and data channels, eliminating the need for separate dedicated power transmission hardware.
3Device complexity
If the same antenna is used for both power harvesting and data transmission, then device complexity is reduced, but power stealing efficiency may be compromised due to frequency band limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines power harvesting and data transmission functions into a single antenna system. The sensor probe uses one antenna to simultaneously receive power from the oven's transmitting antennas and transmit data back to the oven controller. This merging reduces the probe's complexity and component count while maintaining effective operation through careful RF circuit design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs parameter changes by using different frequency bands or modulation schemes for power transfer versus data communication. The oven transmits power at one frequency while modulating data at another frequency or using spread spectrum techniques, allowing the single antenna to distinguish between power and data signals and process them appropriately.
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 system enables reliable and efficient power transfer and communication to a battery-free sensor probe, ensuring accurate temperature monitoring and extended operational life, even in complex oven environments, while eliminating battery-related limitations and safety concerns.
Implementation Method 1
The multiple energy emitting antennas send signals at the same frequency which are phase shifted relative to each other
Implementation Method 2
The phase shifted signals sent by the multiple energy emitting antennas steer the signals sent by the multiple energy emitting antennas
Implementation Method 3
The battery-free sensor probe has at least an antenna to harvest energy transmitted from the multiple energy emitting antennas
Implementation Method 4
harvest energy transmitted from the multiple energy emitting antennas
Implementation Method 5
The battery-free sensor probe has an antenna with a power stealing regulator to harvest energy
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for measuring the temperature of food (30) in an oven (32). The system includes one or more energy emitting antennas (42, 44) positioned in the oven (32) proximate an oven cavity (36). The energy emitting antennas (42, 44) send signals at the same frequency which are phase shifted relative to each other. The system includes a battery-free sensor probe (10) which is configured to be inserted into the food (30) in the oven cavity (36). The battery-free sensor probe (10) has an antenna (26) to harvest energy transmitted from the energy emitting antennas (42, 44) and to transmit signals back to the energy emitting antennas (42, 44). The phase shifted signals sent by the energy emitting antennas (42, 44) steer the signals sent by the energy emitting antennas (42, 44) to ensure that the signals sent by the energy emitting antennas (42, 44) are received with maximum link efficiency by the antenna (26) of the battery-free sensor probe (10).