SENSORS WITH MODULAR ARCHITECTURE

• US 20060228998A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Levinson, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors

Abstract

A modular sensing system architecture. A sensing system includes multiple planes that are in electrical communication. A power plane provides a power source and a communications module that can be optical and/or electrical in nature. The power source can be upgraded using optical power delivered over an optical fiber. The sensing system can also both transmit/receive data over the optical fiber. A processing plane provides memory and processing power. The processing plane can be updated/upgraded via the communications module or the optical fiber. A sensor plane includes multiple sensors. The architecture enables sensor planes to be interchangeable while still having communication with other planes of the sensor. The processing plane can be updated to accommodate different sensor configurations.

Claims

1. A sensing system comprising:

a power plane that includes a power source and a communications module;

a processing plane including a processor and memory;

a sensing plane that includes one or more sensors, the sensing plane in electrical communication with at least one of the processing plane and the power plane; and

wherein each of the power plane, processing plane, and sensing plane has at least one surface configured to bond with a corresponding surface on one of the other planes to enable interplane communication.

2. A sensing system as defined in claim 1, the one or more sensors further comprising one or more of a nuclear sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor, and a programmable sensor.

3. A sensing system as defined in claim 1, the power plane further comprising:

semiconductor device that includes a plurality of photodiodes and a laser; and

an optical input configured to connect with an optical fiber, wherein light received over the optical fiber generates a current in the plurality of photodiodes that perform at least one of;

power the processor and memory in the processing plane;

recharge the battery; and

power the one or more sensors.

4. A sensing system as defined in claim 3, wherein the processing plane further comprises a plurality of field programmable gate arrays.

5. A sensing system as defined in claim 4, the communications module further comprising an RF module, wherein the sensor receives and transmits data using at least one of the RF module and the laser, wherein an output of the laser is modulated and launched in the optical fiber.

6. A sensing system as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the power plane comprises one or more cavities formed to accommodate the power source and the communications module;

the processing plane comprises one or more cavities formed therein to accommodate the processor and the memory; and

the sensor plane comprises one or more cavities formed to accommodate the one or more sensors.

7. A sensing system as defined in claim 6, wherein some of the one or more cavities in the power plane, the processing plane, and the sensing plane form hermetic cavities when the power plane, the processing plane, and the sensing plane are bonded together.

8. A sensing system as defined in claim 7, wherein leads extend into some of the one or more cavities in the power plane, the processing plane, and the sensing plane, wherein the leads are configured to connect with contacts formed on one of the power plane, the processing plane, and the sensing plane.

9. A sensing system as defined in claim 8, wherein a volume of the sensor is less than 1 cubic centimeter.

10. A sensing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the interplane communication includes at least one of electrical communication and optical communication.

11. A modular sensing system comprising:

a plurality of planes, each plane comprising one or more cavities formed to accommodate components of the sensor such that each plane retains a shape that permits the plurality of planes to be stacked together in a manner that enables interplane communication between the components of the sensor, the interplane communication including electrical communication

a power source disposed in a first cavity of a first plane and a communication module disposed in a second cavity of the first plane, wherein the communication module generates a current in response to an optical signal that can recharge the power source;

one or more sensors disposed in corresponding cavities formed in a second plane; and

a processor module disposed in a cavity on a third plane, wherein the processor module receives data collected by the one or more sensors and the collected data is transmitted to a remote location using the communication module.

12. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 11, wherein at least some of the one or more cavities of the plurality of planes form a hermetic cavity that is shared between one or more planes.

13. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 11, wherein the second plane is configured to be replaced with a third plane having a second set of sensors, wherein the processor module is reprogrammed using the communication module to enable operation of the second set of sensors.

14. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 11, wherein the communication module further comprises a plurality of photodiodes and a laser grown in series, the plurality of photodiodes generating the current in response to the optical signal.

15. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 14, the communication module further comprising an optical input that can removably connect with an optical fiber to receive the optical signal to generate the current with the plurality of photodiodes, wherein the optical signal is modulated with data used to reprogram the processor module.

16. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 15, wherein the processor module comprises:

a processor;

memory including both volatile memory and non-volatile memory; and

one or more field programmable gate arrays, each field programmable gate array including one or more of analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, timers, counters, amplifiers, filters, and pulse width modulators.

17. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 11, wherein the shape of each plane includes a surface that is substantially flat and that is configured to bond with a corresponding flat surface of another plane.

18. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of planes is formed from a ceramic material.

19. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 11, wherein the plurality of planes have a volume that is less than 1 cm³.

20. A modular sensing system as defined in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of planes includes one or more layers with conductive traces formed thereon, wherein some of the one or more cavities contain leads that are configured to connect with contacts formed on an adjacent plane.