Robotic system for powering and interrogating sensors

• US 20030234730A1
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MicroStrain, Inc. (Spectris PLC)
• Inventors: Hamel, Michail John, Townsend, Christopher Pruyn, Arms, Steven Willard
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.01
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A mobile system powers, charges, and communicates with separate devices, such as sensors and actuators. The mobile system includes an unmanned vehicle for approaching and wirelessly electromagnetically powering the separate device.

Claims

1. A mobile system for powering a separate device, comprising an unmanned vehicle for approaching and wirelessly electromagnetically powering the separate device.

2. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said unmanned vehicle comprises an on-board power supply for wirelessly powering the separate device.

3. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said on-board power supply comprises a battery, a fuel cell, or a solar cell.

4. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a circuit for communicating with the separate device.

5. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the separate device.

6. A mobile system as recited in claim 5, wherein said separate device comprises a sensor or an actuator.

7. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device comprises a rectifier and regulator.

8. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device further comprises a microprocessor.

9. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device further comprises a multiplexor, a signal conditioner, and an a/d converter.

10. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device further comprises a non-volatile memory.

11. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device comprises a processor, a non-volatile memory, a signal conditioner, an a/d converter, and a communications circuit, wherein said sensor is connected to said processor through said signal conditioner and said a/d converter, and wherein said processor is connected to said non-volatile memory and to said communications circuit.

12. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device further comprises a circuit for wirelessly receiving power from said unmanned vehicle.

13. A mobile system as recited in claim 12, wherein said circuit comprises a coil and a capacitor.

14. A mobile system as recited in claim 13, wherein said capacitor comprises a tunable capacitor.

15. A mobile system as recited in claim 12, wherein said circuit is also used for transmitting digital data between said unmanned vehicle and said separate device.

16. A mobile system as recited in claim 15, wherein said separate device further comprises an element to vary reactance of said circuit.

17. A mobile system as recited in claim 16, wherein said element to vary reactance of said circuit is controlled by data from said sensor.

18. A mobile system as recited in claim 17, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a circuit for detecting said variation in reactance.

19. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device comprises a network of wireless sensing modules.

20. A mobile system as recited in claim 6, wherein said separate device further comprises a transmitter or a transceiver for transmitting information from said sensor or for receiving information.

21. A mobile system as recited in claim 20, wherein said separate device further comprises a sensor data logging unit for storing information from said sensor.

22. A mobile system as recited in claim 21, wherein said sensor data logging unit comprises a processor and non-volatile memory.

23. A mobile system as recited in claim 21, wherein said sensor data logging unit further comprises a multiplexor, a signal conditioner, and an a/d converter.

24. A mobile system as recited in claim 5, wherein said separate device comprises a rechargeable battery, a capacitor, or a fuel cell.

25. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a charging circuit, wherein said charging circuit is capable of charging or recharging a battery on the separate device without physically contacting the separate device.

26. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said charging circuit is not physically connected to another source of power while charging or recharging the separate device.

27. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said charging circuit comprises a battery.

28. A mobile system as recited in claim 27, wherein said battery is rechargeable.

29. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said charging circuit comprises a solar cell, a fuel cell, or a generator.

30. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said unmanned vehicle comprises a processor.

31. A mobile system as recited in claim 30, wherein said processor on the unmanned vehicle is for directing movement of said unmanned vehicle.

32. A mobile system as recited in claim 30, wherein the device has an address and wherein said processor on the unmanned vehicle is capable of reading said address.

33. A mobile system as recited in claim 30, wherein said processor on the unmanned vehicle is capable of processing data received from the device.

34. A mobile system as recited in claim 30, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises memory for storing data received from the device.

35. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said unmanned vehicle is capable of sequential movement to a plurality of said separate devices for sequentially charging or recharging the devices.

36. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said charging circuit transmits electromagnetic radiation to said separate device.

37. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said charging circuit comprises a coil for transmitting said electromagnetic radiation.

38. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a receiver.

39. A mobile system as recited in claim 38, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a data logging unit for storing information received from the separate device.

40. A mobile system as recited in claim 38, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a transmitter.

41. A mobile system as recited in claim 40, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a coil or antenna for transmitting information to the device.

42. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said separate device further comprises device charging circuitry.

43. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said separate device further comprises a charge monitoring line for optimizing coupling between separate device and device charging circuit.

44. A mobile system as recited in claim 25, wherein said separate device further comprises a RF receive signal strength line for assisting in locating said separate device.

45. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said unmanned vehicle is autonomous or remote controlled.

46. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said unmanned vehicle comprises a drone or a robot.

47. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a touch sensor, an accelerometer, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, or a video camera.

48. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a docking station, wherein said unmanned vehicle is able to connect to said docking station.

49. A mobile system as recited in claim 1, wherein said docking station is for recharging unmanned vehicle batteries or transferring data to or from said unmanned vehicle.

50. A sensing system, comprising an unmanned vehicle and a wireless sensing module, said unmanned vehicle for approaching and wirelessly electromagnetically powering said wireless sensing module, wherein said wireless sensing module comprises a sensor, a data logging unit, and a communications circuit, said data logging unit for storing information from said sensor, said communications circuit for communicating data stored in said data logging unit.

51. A mobile system for charging a separate device, comprising an unmanned vehicle for approaching and wirelessly electromagnetically powering the separate device, wherein said unmanned vehicle further comprises a charging circuit, wherein said charging circuit is capable of charging or recharging a battery or a capacitor on the separate device without physically contacting the separate device.

52. A mobile system for powering a separate device, comprising an unmanned vehicle for approaching and wirelessly electromagnetically powering the separate device wherein said unmanned vehicle comprises a processor wherein said processor is for directing movement of said unmanned vehicle toward said separate device.

53. A mobile system for powering a separate device, comprising an unmanned vehicle for approaching and wirelessly electromagnetically powering a separate device, wherein said separate device contains a switched reactance modulation circuit for communicating data.

54. A mobile system for reading a separate device, comprising an unmanned vehicle and a plurality of separate devices, said unmanned vehicle for approaching and wirelessly electromagnetically reading said plurality of separate devices, wherein each of said separate devices has a unique identification code for reading by the unmanned vehicle.

55. A system comprising:

a wireless sensor module including a sensor and transmitting circuit for wirelessly transmitting sensor data from said sensor to a base station; and

a connection from said base station to the internet for providing sensor information wherein said sensor information is in XML format.

56. A system comprising:

a base station, wherein said; and

a sensor module having a sensor and a transmitting circuit for wirelessly transmitting sensor data from said sensor to said base station, said base station for receiving said wirelessly transmitted sensor data, wherein said base station is capable of bidirectional wireless connection to the internet for providing said sensor information to the internet.

57. A system as recited in claim 56 wherein said bidirectional wireless connection is by cell phone.

58. A system as recited in claim 56 wherein said sensor module further comprises a receiving circuit.