Intelligent data transfer for multiple sensor networks over a broad temperature range

• US 10,433,308 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Krasowski, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Clemence S
• Application Number:
  US15/835,927
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/02 Amplitude-modulated carrier systems, e.g. using on-off keying; Single sideband or vestigial sideband modulation H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/04 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A sensor network may be configured to operate in extreme temperature environments. A sensor may be configured to generate a frequency carrier, and transmit the frequency carrier to a node. The node may be configured to amplitude modulate the frequency carrier, and transmit the amplitude modulated frequency carrier to a receiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of sensors, wherein each of the sensors is configured to generate a frequency carrier; and

a plurality of nodes, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes is connected to a corresponding one of the sensors, wherein each node is configured to;

amplitude modulate the frequency carrier from a corresponding one of the sensors to uniquely identify that sensor; and

transmit the amplitude modulated frequency carrier to a receiver, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises;

a first path including an amplitude modulator; and

a second path including a code generator, wherein the amplitude modulator is configured to amplitude modulate the frequency carrier by a code sequence generated by the code generator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each second path includes a prescaler configured to divide the frequency carrier by an integer number per bit of the frequency carrier to generate a divided frequency carrier.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the code generator is configured to generate the code sequence using the divided frequency carrier.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is disposed in a first environment and the plurality of sensors are disposed in a second environment, wherein the first environment has a cooler temperature than the second environment.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an aircraft, wherein the second environment is within a jet engine of the aircraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the wherein the first environment is external to the aircraft.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured with a source separation algorithm configured to cause the receiver to divide the amplitude modulated signals transmitted by the plurality of nodes.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each sensor comprises one of a ring oscillator, an accelerometer, or a reactor sensor.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a variable frequency carrier;

a node connected to the sensor, wherein the node comprises;

a prescaler configured to divide the variable frequency carrier by an integer per bit to create a divided signal;

a code generator configured to generate a unique waveform using the divided signal; and

an amplitude modulator configured to amplitude modulate the variable frequency carrier using the unique waveform and transmit the amplitude modulated variable frequency carrier to a receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the node includes a first path and a second path, wherein both the first path and the second path are configured to receive the variable frequency carrier, wherein the first path includes the amplitude modulator, wherein the second path includes the prescaler and the code generator, wherein the second path is communicably coupled to the first path via the amplitude modulator.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the unique waveform generated by the code generator is periodic.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the integer is a number based on characteristics of the receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the integer is a predefined number.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor is one of a ring oscillator, an accelerometer, and a reactor sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

an additional sensor configured to generate an additional variable frequency carrier; and

an additional node configured to amplitude modulate the additional variable frequency carrier and transmit the amplitude modulated additional variable frequency carrier to the receiver.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of additional sensors configured to generate a plurality of additional variable frequency carriers; and

a plurality of additional nodes configured to amplitude modulate the additional variable frequency carriers and transmit the amplitude modulated additional variable frequency carriers to the receiver.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sensor and the plurality of additional sensors are disposed in a warmer environment than the receiver.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the warmer environment is inside an engine of an aircraft.

19. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor is constructed of SiC.