Wireless Monitoring Tags for Embedded Material Property Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for monitoring internal material properties of objects, such as composite materials, are complex, costly, and often interfere with the creation and functionality of the object, providing limited sensing and relying on indirect extrapolations rather than direct measurements.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring tag device comprising a sensing component, wireless unit, and control component, which senses material properties wirelessly and communicates data to a remote device, allowing for efficient and effective monitoring with minimal interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional wired sensors are used to monitor internal material properties, then measurement capability is improved, but device complexity and interference with object creation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing functionality from complex wired sensor systems and embeds it into simple wireless monitoring tags that can be integrated directly into composite materials during manufacturing. These tags contain embedded sensors, microcontrollers, and wireless transmitters that operate independently without external wiring, eliminating the need for complex wired connections while maintaining measurement capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical wired connections with wireless communication technology. The monitoring tags use radio frequency (RF) or other wireless protocols to transmit material property data from embedded sensors to external monitoring systems, eliminating the need for physical wire penetration through molds and objects, thereby reducing device complexity and interference with manufacturing processes.
2Measurement precision
If conventional wired sensors are used to monitor internal material properties, then measurement capability is improved, but interference with object functionality increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts sensing capabilities from external wired systems and embeds them within the object itself during the manufacturing process. The monitoring tags are integrated into composite materials before curing, allowing continuous monitoring without requiring post-manufacturing installation that would create holes or require wire penetration, thereby avoiding interference with object functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements monitoring tags during the manufacturing process itself, embedding them into composite materials before curing occurs. This preliminary integration allows the tags to be positioned optimally within the material structure without requiring subsequent modifications that would compromise object integrity or create interference points such as wire penetration holes.
3Measurement precision
If conventional sensing systems are used, then some material properties can be monitored, but sensing scope and coverage are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs monitoring tags with multi-functional capabilities that can sense multiple material properties simultaneously (e.g., temperature, humidity, stress, strain, curing progress) using different sensor types integrated within a single tag. This universal approach allows comprehensive monitoring of various material properties without requiring separate specialized sensor systems for each parameter, thereby expanding sensing scope while maintaining measurement precision.
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 direct, continuous, and multi-parameter sensing of material properties within objects, reducing interference and providing real-time data for process adjustments, enhancing manufacturing control and quality assurance.
Implementation Method 1
The sensing component is configured to sense variations in a characteristic over time, wherein the characteristic is related to a material property of an object
Implementation Method 2
The wireless unit is configured to communicate with a remote device, including transmitting information associated with the variations in the characteristic
Data Source
AI summary
Efficient and effective internal material property monitoring systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, a monitoring tag device comprises a sensing component, a wireless unit, and a control component. The sensing component is configured to sense variations in a characteristic over time, wherein the characteristic is related to a material property of an object. The wireless unit is configured to communicate with a remote device, including transmitting information associated with the variations in the characteristic. The control component is coupled to the sensing component, wherein the control component is configured to control the sensing component and the wireless unit, wherein the control component also recognizes an indication of the variations in the characteristic over time.