Wireless Integrity Sensing Acquisition Module for Noise-Resistant Resistance Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for measuring resistance in resistive sensors suffer from noise and inaccuracy due to contact resistance contributions and environmental drift, particularly in passive resistive sensors with composite polymers, which affect the accuracy of structural health monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A measurement module with a switch block and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that directly measures voltage at the terminals of a resistive sensor, bypassing noise from the switch block, and uses multiple two-terminal resistance measurements to compensate for contact resistance and environmental variations, providing accurate and noise-free resistance data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional wired or wireless sensor communication methods are used, then sensor data can be transmitted to reader apparatus, but noise and contact resistance contributions degrade measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the voltage measurement function from the switch block pathway and places it directly at the sensor terminals. The ADC is positioned to measure voltage before the signal passes through the switch block, thereby removing the switch block's contact resistance and noise from the measurement path. This separation of measurement function from the switching pathway eliminates the harmful effects of contact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary measurement path that directly connects the ADC to the sensor terminals through dedicated voltage sensing traces. This intermediary pathway bypasses the switch block entirely for voltage measurement, allowing the system to obtain clean voltage signals without the noise and contact resistance that would otherwise be introduced by the switching mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ADC is coupled through switch block to measure sensor voltage, then switching between multiple sensors is enabled, but noise from switch block degrades voltage signal quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement system into two distinct pathways: a high-precision voltage measurement path that bypasses the switch block entirely, and a control path that uses the switch block for multiplexing. The voltage measurement function is separated from the switching function, allowing each to optimize for its specific purpose without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage measurement function is extracted from the switch block pathway and placed in a separate, dedicated measurement path. This extraction removes the noise and contact resistance contributions from the switch block from the voltage measurement, while the switch block remains available for sensor selection and control functions.
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
This approach enhances the accuracy and noise performance of resistance measurements, allowing for reliable structural health monitoring by isolating contact resistance contributions and accounting for environmental changes, thereby improving the precision of crack length prediction and structural integrity assessment.
Implementation Method 1
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the first terminal and configured to digitize a voltage present at the first terminal
Implementation Method 2
a switch block configured to selectably couple a reference signal source to a first terminal of the plurality of terminals of the variable resistance sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a measurement module for measurement of a multi-electrode resistive sensing element with improved noise performance and accuracy. In some embodiments, stimulation to the sensing element is provided by a current path that originates from a signal source, through a switch block, through a pair of terminals, and ending at a reference node such as ground. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is coupled directly to one or both of the terminals to digitize a voltage. The ADC is coupled to terminals on the sensing element to measure a sensed voltage signal before the sensed signal goes through the switch block. As a result, the measured voltage signal may be free of noise that could be picked up from passing through the switch block, and accuracy of the resistance measurements on the sensing element can be improved.