Terrain sensor node system and method

• US 10,254,114 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Williams Rdm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Williams Rdm, Inc.
• Inventors: Walters, Mark D
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, Francis C
• Application Number:
  US15/632,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20180347975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/30 for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/00 Supporting structures for PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A terrain sensor node system and method are provided herein. The terrain sensor node can be employed without hands on placement. Solar power is facilitated and contributes to service life and reliability. A robust housing is capable of aerial drop installation. A domed top and a rounded weighted bottom combine to form a housed sensor that is capable of righting itself after landing. A transparency in the upper housing enables the harnessing of solar power in a righted sensor. An antenna withstands aerial sensor deployment and rotates to a workable orientation without user intervention.

Claims

1. A method of housing a terrain sensor node, the method comprising;

using semi-circle bent nickel-titanium wires to form a wire dome;

acquiring a housing base with a low height, a round bottom outer surface, and sidewalls forming a octagon;

mounting sensor electronics and rechargeable batteries beneath the solar cell array and in the housing base;

mounting a solar cell array beneath, the wire dome; and

securing the wire dome to the housing base.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

installing a weight in the housing base.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

securing the wires to a metal ring; and

wherein, securing the wire dome to the housing base includes potting the metal ringed dome into the base.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the sensor electronics includes a circuit card assembly.

5. A method of manufacturing a terrain sensor node, the method comprising:

bending at least two nickel-titanium metal wires into a semi-circle-like shape;

forming a thin metal ring of an array diameter;

anchoring at least two crimp ferrules 180 degrees apart in the thin metal ring;

securing a first end of at least one of the at least two bent nickel titanium metal wires into a first crimp ferrule; and

securing a second end of the at least one of the at least two bent nickel-titanium metal wires into a second crimp ferrule.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein:

bending of the wires forms an elliptical half shape.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

anchoring eight crimp ferrules to a metal ring.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein:

the array diameter is greater than a diameter of a solar cell array.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

spacing the crimp ferrules 45 degrees apart.

10. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

forming a dome about a circumference of the metal ring using bent nickel titanium wires secured to crimp ferrules anchored in the metal ring.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

securing the metal ring with formed dome into a base housing.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

placing a solar cell array underneath the formed dome.

13. The method according to claim 5, wherein:

putting the at least one of the two bent nickel-titanium metal wires under tension by securing a second end of the at least one of the two bent nickel-titanium metal wires into a second crimp ferrule.

14. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

bending four nickel-titanium wires into a semi-circle shape.

15. A method of manufacturing a terrain sensor node, the method comprising:

acquiring a potting mold with a spherical bottom and an open top;

placing a weight into a bottom of the mold;

placing rechargeable batteries into the mold placing a circuit board assembly atop the weight;

pouring potting compound into the mold over the circuit assembly and beneath an uppermost level of the mold;

leaving an antenna electrical connection from the circuit assembly exposed; and

leaving a solar cell electrical connection from the circuit assembly exposed.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

injection molding the potting compound into the mold or pouring the potting compound into the mold.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

using a highly impact resistant potting compound.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

placing a metal ring with the formed wire dome mounted thereto into the mold;

pouring potting compound to just cover the metal ring; and

forming a potted assembly.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

awaiting a potting cure time.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

removing the formed potted assembly from the mold.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

using urethane potting compound.

22. A method of manufacturing a terrain node, the method comprising:

placing a solar cell atop a potted assembly;

electrically connecting the circuit assembly to the solar cell array; and

electrically connecting the circuit assembly to an at least one of a dome wire.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

taping around the edges of the unit;

pouring ultraviolet resistant optically clear urethane potting compound over a top of photo cell array;

covering a top of the solar cell array with the clear urethane.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

waiting a urethane potting cure time; and

removing the tape.

25. A method of recharging batteries in a remote terrain node, the method comprising:

launching a terrain sensor node from an aircraft;

righting the terrain sensor node without user intervention;

exposing a solar cell array housed in the terrain sensor node towards the sky; and

recharging rechargeable batteries via a current from the solar cell array.

26. A terrain sensor node, the device comprising:

a wire dome top;

the wired dome top secured to a polymer base;

a solar panel secured to the polymer base and beneath the wired dome top.

27. The device according to claim 26, further comprising:

the polymer base comprising;

a curved outer bottom surface in three dimensions.

28. The device according to claim 27, further comprising:

sidewalls integral to the polymer base and forming a octagon.

29. The device according to claim 26, further comprising:

a weight nearly centered in the cross sectional horizontal plane, position at lower than half the base height, and housed in the base.

30. The device according to claim 26, wherein:

the polymer is urethane.

31. The device according to claim 26, further comprising:

the wire dome top comprising;

NITINOL wires under tension.

32. The device according to claim 26, further comprising:

sensors and a circuit card assembly housed in the base.

33. The device according to claim 32, further comprising:

at least one rechargeable battery electrically connected to the circuit card assembly.

34. The device according to claim 33, further comprising:

at least 4 nickel-titanium wires under tension.

35. The device according to claim 34, further comprising:

a thin metal ring having a diameter near a base diameter.

36. The device according to claim 35, further comprising

crimp ferrules anchored to the thin metal ring.

37. The device according to claim 36, further comprising:

wires secured under tensions to the metal ring via the anchored crimp ferrules.

38. The device according to claim 37, further comprising:

a urethane coating over the solar panel.

39. The device according to claim 36, further comprising:

an ultraviolet protection coating over the solar cell.

40. A method of manufacturing a terrain sensor node, the method comprising:

acquiring a potting mold with a spherical bottom and an open top;

placing rechargeable batteries into the mold

placing a circuit board assembly atop the weight;

pouring potting compound into the mold over the circuit assembly and beneath an uppermost level of the mold; and

lowering a centroid to a below a bottom half of the sensor node base or lower.

41. A method of self-righting a sensor assembly, the method comprising:

using a rounded bottom housing; and

lowering a centroid of the sensor assembly to the beneath a base sidewall.