Inductively Powered Mobile Sensor System

• US 20070296393A1
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited (Auckland University)
• Original Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited (Auckland University)
• Inventors: Hu, Aiguo, Budgett, David, Malpas, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 9,065,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/355
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

The present invention provides an inductively powered sensor system having a primary conductive path capable of being energized to provide an electromagnetic field in a defined space. An inductive power pick-up is associated with a sensor and is capable of receiving power from the field to supply the sensor. The system includes a first sensing unit to sense the power available to the pick-up and a control unit to increase or decrease the power available to the sensor dependant on the sensed power available. A method of inductively powering a sensor, an inductively powered sensor and an animal enclosure including one or more primary conductive path of an inductive power supply are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An inductively powered sensor system, the system comprising:

a primary conductive path capable of being energized to provide an electromagnetic field in a defined space;

an inductive power pick-up associated with a sensor, the pick-up being capable of receiving power from the field to supply the sensor;

a first sensing unit operable to sense a power available to the pick-up; and

a control unit operable to increase or decrease a power available to the sensor dependant on the sensed power available to the pick-up.

2. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a second sensing unit operable to sense an immediate power requirement of the sensor; and

wherein the control unit increases or decreases the power available to the sensor so that the power supplied to the sensor substantially matches the immediate power required by the sensor.

3. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit varies the field by altering the frequency of the field to tune or de-tune the field toward or away from an optimal resonant frequency of the pick-up.

4. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit varies the field by increasing, or decreasing a current or voltage supplied to the primary conductive path.

5. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit varies the field by varying a vector of the field.

6. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit varies an optimal resonant frequency of the pick-up.

7. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first sensing unit is operable to sense the power available to the pick-up by sensing a voltage provided by the pick-up.

8. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second sensing unit is operable to sense the immediate power requirement of the sensor by sensing a current drawn by the sensor.

9. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first sensing unit is operable to sense the power available to the pick-up by sensing a location of the pick-up within the defined space.

10. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission unit operable to transmit the available power at the pick-up to the control unit.

11. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1, further including comprising:

a transmission unit operable to transmit the immediate power requirement of the sensor to the control unit.

12. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises:

a charging unit operable to charge an energy storage device from power supplied by the pick-up, so that power is available to the sensor when power is not supplied by the pick-up.

13. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the control unit provides the field only when the energy storage device requires charging.

14. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pick-up includes comprises a plurality of pick-up coils oriented in different directions.

15. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a vector sensing unit operable to sense an orientation of the pick-up relative to a vector of the field.

16. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 5 wherein a plurality of primary conductive paths are provided to allow the control unit to vary the field vector.

17. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the sensor comprises a vector sensing unit operable to sense an orientation of the pick-up relative to a vector of the field and the control unit varies the field vector dependent on the sensed orientation.

18. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit sweeps the frequency of the field to locate a resonant frequency or near resonant frequency of a pick-up.

19. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein further comprising:

a plurality of primary conductive paths;

a plurality of sensors, each sensor a separate pick-up associated therewith; and

wherein the control unit varies the field to selectively make power available to each sensor.

20. An inductively powered sensor system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the sensor is a biosensor.

21. An inductively powered sensor system according to claim 20 wherein the transmission unit also transmit physiological data sensed by the biosensor.

22. A method of inductively powering a sensor provided in a defined space, the method comprising the steps of:

generating an electromagnetic field in the defined space;

sensing a power available to a sensor provided in the defined space; and

controlling the field to increase or decrease the power available to the sensor dependant upon the sensed power available.

23. A method of inductively powering a sensor as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

sensing an immediate power requirement of the sensor; and

controlling the field to increase or decrease the power available to the sensor so that the power available to the sensor substantially matches the immediate power required by the sensor.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the step of varying the field further comprises a step of increasing or decreasing a frequency of the field.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the control unit varies the field by increasing or decreasing the current or voltage supplied to a primary conductive path.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the control unit varies the field by varying a field vector.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the sensor comprises a charging unit operable to charge an energy storage device from power supplied by the pick-up so that power is available to the sensor when power is not supplied by the pick-up, and the method further comprises the step of controlling the field to provide power only when the energy storage device requires charging.

28. A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the step of sensing an orientation of the pick-up relative to a vector of the field.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising the step of controlling the field vector dependent on the sensed orientation.

30. A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the step of sweeping a frequency of the field to locate a resonant frequency or near resonant frequency of the pick-up.

31. A method as claimed claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of primary conductive paths;

providing a plurality of sensors, each sensor having a separate pick-up associated therewith, and

varying the field to selectively make power available to each sensor.

32. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the sensor is a biosensor.

33. An inductively powered sensor comprising:

a first sensing unit operable to sense the power available to the sensor from an inductive power pick; and

a transmission unit operable to transmit sensed information to a remote control device for controlling the power available to the sensor.

34. An inductively powered sensor as claimed in claim 33 further comprising:

a second sensing unit operable to sense an instantaneous power requirement of the sensor for provision to the transmission unit.

35. An inductively powered sensor as claimed in claim 33 further comprising:

a vector sensing unit operable to sense an orientation of the pick-up relative to a vector of a field supplying power to the pick-up, the vector sensing unit further operable to provide the sensed information to the transmission unit.

36. An inductively powered sensor as claimed claim 33 further comprising:

a charging unit operable to charge an energy storage device from power supplied by the pick-up, so that power is available to the sensor when power is not supplied by the pick-up.

37. An inductively powered sensor as claimed in claim 33 wherein the pick-up includes a plurality of pick-up coils oriented in different directions.

38. An inductively powered sensor as claimed in claim 33 wherein the sensor is a biosensor.

39. An inductively powered biosensor as claimed in claim 38 wherein the transmission unit is further operable to transmit physiological data sensed by the biosensor.

40. An animal enclosure having a perimeter defined by one or more walls, floor and/or ceiling, the enclosure comprising:

at least one primary conductive path of an inductive power supply in or about the or any part of the perimeter so that upon the primary conductive path being energized an electromagnetic field is provided within the enclosure.

41. An animal enclosure as claimed in claim 40 wherein the enclosure comprises a cage.

42. An animal enclosure as claimed in claim 40 wherein the enclosure comprises an animal rest area of a larger animal enclosure.

43. An animal enclosure as claimed in claim 40 wherein the enclosure comprises an animal feed station of a larger animal enclosure.

45. An animal enclosure as claimed in claim 40 wherein each primary conductive path comprises a multi-turn coil.

46. An animal enclosure as claimed in claim 40 wherein the enclosure comprises a power supply operable to energize or control an energization of each primary conductive path.

47. An animal enclosure as claimed in claim 40 wherein the enclosure further comprises a radio frequency receiver operable to receive information transmitted by a sensing device in the enclosure.

44. An animal enclosure as claimed in 40 further comprising a plurality of primary conductive paths arranged to provide electromagnetic fields having different field vectors.

48. An inductively powered sensor system, the system comprising:

a primary conductive path capable of being energized to provide an electromagnetic field in a defined space,

an inductive power pick-up associated with a sensor, the pick-up being capable of receiving power from the field to supply the sensor;

a sensing unit operable to sense a power requirement of the sensor; and

a control unit operable to vary the field to increase or decrease the power available to the pick-up dependant on the sensed power requirement of the sensor.

49-52. -52. (canceled)