Wireless sensing node powered by energy conversion from sensed system

• US 20060176175A1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcoa USA Corp. (Alcoa Corp.), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Alcoa Technical Center, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Ziegler, Donald P., Evans, James William, Steingart, Daniel Artemis, Wright, Paul K., Schneider, Michael Harris
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.220
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 3/20 Automatic control or regulation of cells controlling or regulating in general G05

Abstract

A sensing system for sensing conditions or characteristics associated with a process or thing. The sensing system includes one or more energy converters and a sensor, which are coupled to the process or thing. A node is coupled to the sensor and the energy-converter, and the node is powered by output from the energy converter. In a more specific embodiment, the node includes a controller that implements one or more routines for selectively powering a wireless transmitter of the node based on a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition may specify that sensor output values are within a predetermined range or are below or above a predetermined threshold. Alternatively, the predetermined condition may specify that electrical energy output from the energy converter is below a predetermined threshold. A remote computer may be wirelessly connected to node and may include software and/or hardware that is adapted to process information output by the sensor and relayed to the computer via the node.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing a condition of a system, the apparatus comprising:

an energy-converter coupled to the system;

a sensor coupled to the system; and

a node coupled to the sensor and the energy-converter, wherein the node is powered by output from the energy converter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energy-converter includes a thermoelectric generator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a heat flux sensor, a chemical sensor, a pressure sensor, and/or a vibration sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energy-converter includes a pressure transducer, a vibration transducer, or an electrical circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the node includes a wireless transmitter.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the node includes a controller, wherein the controller implements one or more routines for selectively adjusting power to the wireless transmitter and/or to a receiver in response to a predetermined condition.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the predetermined condition includes, values output from the sensor being within a predetermined range or below or above a predetermined threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the predetermined condition includes electrical energy, which is output from the energy converter, being below a predetermined threshold.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the predetermined condition includes a signal from the remote computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 further including a remote computer wirelessly coupled to the node via the wireless transmitter and/or receiver.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the remote computer includes one or more routines adapted to process information output by the sensor.

12. An apparatus for obtaining information pertaining to a system, the apparatus comprising:

first means for employing energy from the system to generate a signal;

second means for sensing a condition pertaining to the system and providing sensed information in response thereto;

third means for collecting the sensed information; and

fourth means for employing the first means to power the second means and/or the third means.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the third means includes a sensor node.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the energy includes waste energy.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the waste energy includes heat energy.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the waste energy includes electrical energy.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the energy includes vibration energy.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the sensor node includes a wireless transmitter/receiver.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the second means includes a temperature sensor, a chemical sensor, a pressure sensor, a heat flux sensor, a gas-flow sensor, a voltage sensor, and/or a current sensor.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the sensor node includes a node controller, the node controller being adapted to selectively adjust power to the wireless transmitter based on one or more predetermined conditions.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions include a power level associated with the signal being below a predetermined threshold.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions include sensor-output status.

23. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the energy output by the process or thing includes heat energy.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the first means includes a thermoelectric generator adapted to convert heat energy output by the process or thing into electrical energy.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the energy output by the process or thing includes electrical energy.

26. A method for obtaining information pertaining to a process or thing associated therewith comprising:

first means for employing energy from the process to generate a signal;

second means for sensing a condition pertaining to the process and providing sensed information in response thereto;

third means for collecting the sensed information; and

fourth means for employing the first means to power the second means and/or the third means.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor for sensing a characteristic of a process;

a thermoelectric generator having first and second temperature sources, wherein the first temperature source is obtained from the process being sensed by the sensor; and

a wireless transmitter coupled to the thermoelectric generator and the sensor, wherein the wireless transmitter obtains power from the thermoelectric generator for transmitting an indication of the sensed characteristic from the sensor to a receiver.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a pressure sensor.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a flow sensor.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a chemical sensor.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a vibration sensor.

33. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a measurement of electrical current through or within the cell or its superstructure.

34. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a measurement of voltage within the cell or its superstructure.

35. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor includes a measurement of heat flux through the exterior of the cell

36. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

a duct having an interior and exterior, wherein the first temperature source is derived from the interior of the duct and wherein the second temperature source is derived from the exterior of the duct.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising:

a heat sink positioned at least in part in the exterior of the duct.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising:

a hot plate thermally coupled to the interior of the duct.

39. A method for obtaining a sensor reading, the method comprising:

using a thermoelectric generator to generate electrical energy, wherein the thermoelectric generator obtains heat from a source;

using a sensor to measure a characteristic of the source; and

using a wireless transmitter powered by the electrical energy to transmit the measured characteristic.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a pressure sensor.

42. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a flow sensor.

43. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a chemical sensor.

44. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a vibration sensor.

45. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a measurement of electrical current.

46. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a measurement of voltage.

47. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor includes a measurement of heat flux.

48. An apparatus comprising:

a thermoelectric generator having first and second temperature sources, wherein the thermoelectric generator generates electrical power from a temperature differential between the first and second temperature sources; and

a wireless transmitter coupled to the thermoelectric generator, wherein the wireless transmitter obtains power from the thermoelectric generator for relaying a signal to another receiver.