Wirelessly sensing properties of a closed environment and devices thereof

• US 10,401,317 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gate Scientific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gate Scientific, Inc.
• Inventors: Scaboo, Kristian Michael, Jensen, Morten Juel
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/882,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20180195989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 700 11, 99325, 99342, 219201
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/808 with stirrers driven from the bottom of the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/45 Magnetic mixers; Mixers with magnetically driven stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/452 using independent floating stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2115 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2142 using wireless sensors introduced in the mixture, e.g. transponders or RFID tags, for measuring the parameters of the mixture or components to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2202 Controlling the mixing process by feed-back, i.e. a measured parameter of the mixture is measured, compared with the set-value and the feed values are corrected
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2215 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/02 Stirrer or mobile mixing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/482 concerning the temperature responsive elements measuring temperature or quantity of heat, thermally-sensitive elements G01K; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00, H10N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/123 for controlling the temperature temperature control per se G05D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4167 pH electrodes therefor G01N27/302, G01N27/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/36 Analysing materials by measuring the density or specific gravity, e.g. determining quantity of moisture methods of measurement in general G01N9/02 - G01N9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/06 Control, e.g. of temperature, of power

Abstract

A wireless sensor measures properties of a substance and transmits the properties to a remote wireless receiver. The wireless sensor can be fully enclosed within a container containing the substance, allowing remote monitoring of the properties of the substance without compromising integrity of a closed system.

Claims

1. A method for heating and agitating a liquid in a container, comprising:

positioning the container on a heating device, wherein the heating device comprises a heating element and a wireless receiver;

positioning a submersible device in the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first temperature measurement element and a wireless transmitter, and wherein the wireless transmitter is in communication with the wireless receiver, and wherein the communication between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises communication by RFID, and wherein the wireless receiver is between the heating element and the submersible device;

measuring a liquid temperature of the liquid with the first temperature measurement element;

communicating the liquid temperature from the first temperature measurement element to a heating element controller;

heating the liquid, wherein heating the liquid comprises activating the heating element by the heating element controller based on the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller; and

agitating the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first magnet, and wherein the heating device comprises a magnetic field creator, and wherein the magnetic field creator creates and alters a magnetic field exerting a magnetic force on the first magnet, and wherein the agitating the liquid comprises moving the submersible device in the liquid with the magnetic force on the first magnet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field creator comprises a permanent magnet and a motor, wherein the motor is mechanically attached to the permanent magnet, further comprising rotating the permanent magnet with the motor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field creator comprises one or more electromagnets.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a target temperature of the liquid with one or more controls on the heating device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein when the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller is above the target temperature, a wireless computing device emits a notification.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a target temperature of the liquid, wherein when the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller is above the target temperature, the heating clement controller de-activates the heating element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a target temperature of the liquid, wherein when the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller is below the target temperature, the heating element controller activates the heating element.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating element controller is in the heating device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures pH of the liquid.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures specific gravity of the liquid.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures viscosity of the liquid.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures salinity of the liquid.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures conductance of the liquid.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures at least one property of the liquid, the at least one property of the liquid being any of color, fluorescence, or chemiluminescence.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures absorbance of the liquid.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures pressure of the liquid.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures an electrochemical attribute of the liquid.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures liquid level of the liquid.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device measures rotation of the submersible device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device comprises a second temperature measurement element of a different type than the first temperature measurement element and where the temperature measurement of the first temperature measurement element and the second temperature measurement element is compared by the heating element controller and where the heating is terminated if a set difference is determined between the two temperature measurements thereby indicating a failure in the temperature measurement.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises communication by a signal of 13.56 MHz.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the submersible device comprises an analog to digital converter, and further comprising converting analog signals to digital signals, and transmitting the digital signals.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises a WiFi module, and wherein the method further comprises communicating data from the WiFi module to a remote computing device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein he submersible device is encased in EFEP.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a reagent from a reagent delivery device, wherein the delivering comprises controlling the dispensing of the reagent based on data measured from and transmitted by the submersible device.

26. A method for heating and agitating a liquid in a container, comprising:

positioning the container on a heating device having a heating surface, wherein the heating device comprises a heating element and a wireless receiver;

positioning a submersible device in the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first temperature measurement element and a wireless transmitter, and wherein the wireless transmitter is in communication with the wireless receiver, and wherein the communication between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises communication by RFID, and wherein the wireless receiver is between the heating element and the heating surface;

measuring a liquid temperature of the liquid with the first temperature measurement element;

communicating the liquid temperature from the first temperature measurement element to a heating element controller;

heating the liquid, wherein heating the liquid comprises activating the heating element by the heating element controller based on the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller; and

agitating the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first magnet, and wherein the heating device comprises a magnetic field creator, and wherein the magnetic field creator creates and alters a magnetic field exerting a magnetic force on the first magnet, and wherein the agitating the liquid comprises moving the submersible device in the liquid with the magnetic force on the first magnet.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the communication between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises communication by a signal of 13.56 MHz.

28. A method for heating and agitating a liquid in a container, comprising:

positioning the container on a heating device having a heating surface, wherein the heating device comprises a heating element and a wireless receiver;

positioning a submersible device in the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first temperature measurement element and a wireless transmitter, and wherein the wireless transmitter is in communication with the wireless receiver, and wherein the communication between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises communication by RFID, and wherein the wireless receiver is on top of the heating element;

measuring a liquid temperature of the liquid with the first temperature measurement element;

communicating the liquid temperature from the first temperature measurement element to a heating element controller;

heating the liquid, wherein heating the liquid comprises activating the heating element by the heating element controller based on the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller; and

agitating the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first magnet, and wherein the heating device comprises a magnetic field creator, and wherein the magnetic field creator creates and alters a magnetic field exerting a magnetic force on the first magnet, and wherein the agitating the liquid comprises moving the submersible device in the liquid with the magnetic force on the first magnet.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the communication between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises communication by a signal of 13.56 MHz.

30. A method for heating and agitating a liquid in a container, comprising:

positioning the container on a heating device having a heating surface, wherein the heating device comprises a heating element wireless receiver, wherein the heating element wireless receiver is a unitary element;

positioning a submersible device in the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first temperature measurement element and a wireless transmitter, and wherein the wireless transmitter is in communication with the heating element wireless receiver;

measuring a liquid temperature of the liquid with the first temperature measurement element;

communicating the liquid temperature from the first temperature measurement element to a heating element wireless receiver controller;

heating the liquid, wherein heating the liquid comprises activating the heating element wireless receiver by the heating element wireless receiver controller based on the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element wireless receiver controller; and

agitating the liquid, wherein the submersible device comprises a first magnet, and wherein the heating device comprises a magnetic field creator, and wherein the magnetic field creator creates and alters a magnetic field exerting a magnetic force on the first magnet, and wherein the agitating the liquid comprises moving the submersible device in the liquid with the magnetic force on the first magnet.