Energy harvesting, wireless structural health monitoring system
First Claim
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1. A method of maintaining a structure comprising,a. providing a structure having a component subject to component failure;
- b. mounting a sensor, a memory and an energy harvesting device on the structure;
c. using said sensor and logging data derived from said sensor in said memory, wherein said memory is powered solely with energy derived from said energy harvesting device; and
d. replacing said component if information in said memory shows that said component was subject to damaging usage.
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Abstract
A method of maintaining a structure includes providing a structure having a component subject to failure. A sensor, a memory and an energy harvesting device are mounted on the structure. The sensor is used and data derived from the sensor logged in the memory, wherein the memory is powered solely with energy derived from the energy harvesting device. The component is replaced if information in the memory shows that the component was subject to damaging usage.
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Citations
88 Claims
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1. A method of maintaining a structure comprising,
a. providing a structure having a component subject to component failure; -
b. mounting a sensor, a memory and an energy harvesting device on the structure; c. using said sensor and logging data derived from said sensor in said memory, wherein said memory is powered solely with energy derived from said energy harvesting device; and d. replacing said component if information in said memory shows that said component was subject to damaging usage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of operating a structure comprising:
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a. providing a structure having a component subject to component failure; b. mounting a sensor module to said structure for measuring a parameter related to component failure, wherein said sensor module includes a sensor, a wireless communication device and an energy harvesting device; c. acquiring data with said sensor; d. providing information derived from said data to said wireless communication device; e. powering said wireless communications device solely with energy derived from said energy harvesting device; f. transmitting said information with said wireless communication device; g. using said information to adjust operation of said structure so as to avoid damaging usage. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of operating a structure comprising,
a. providing a structure having a component subject to component failure; -
b. mounting a sensor, a memory and an energy harvesting device on the structure; c. using said sensor and logging data derived from said sensor in said memory, wherein said memory is powered solely with energy derived from said energy harvesting device; and d. using information in said memory to adjust operation of said structure so as to avoid damaging usage.
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40. A system comprising, a network of sensor nodes wherein each said sensor node includes a sensor, a processor, a memory, a low power time keeper, a wireless communication device and an energy harvesting device, said processor connected to receive data derived from said sensor, said memory connected for storing data derived from said sensor, said low power time keeper connected to periodically provide a signal to wake said processor from a sleep mode, said wireless communication device connected for communicating data derived from said sensor, said energy harvesting device connected for harvesting energy to power said processor, said memory, and said wireless communications device.
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41. A method of operating a system comprising:
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a. providing a sensor node including a sensor, a processor, a memory, a low power time keeper, a wireless communication device and an energy harvesting device; b. providing a signal from said low power time keeper to the processor to power up said processor from a powered off or a low powered condition at predetermined intervals of time; c. using energy derived from said energy harvesting device to provide power for operating at least one from the group consisting of said processor, said memory, and said wireless communications device; d. providing data derived from said sensor to said processor; e. storing data derived from said sensor in said memory; and f. using said wireless communication device to externally communicate data derived from said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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- 44. A structure, comprising a wireless instrumented structural component including a first sensor, a second sensor, a processor, a transmitter, and an energy harvesting device, wherein said first sensor is for measuring a first property related to structural load in said structural component, said second sensor is for measuring a second property related to structural load in said structural component, wherein said first property differs from said second property, wherein said transmitter is connected to provide load data for said structural component, wherein all power for operating said transmitter is derived from said energy harvesting device, wherein said processor is connected to receive an output derived from said second sensor for verifying operation of said first sensor.
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51. A method of using a structure, comprising
a. providing a wireless instrumented structural component mounted to the structure, said wireless instrumented structural component including a first sensor, a second sensor, a transmitter, and an energy harvesting device, said first sensor for measuring a first property related to structural load in said structural component, said second sensor for measuring a second property related to structural load in said structural component, wherein said first property differs from said second property; -
b. comparing data from said first sensor with data from said second sensor to determine that said first sensor is operating properly; c. providing energy from said energy harvesting device wherein all power for operating said transmitter is derived from said energy harvesting device; and d. wirelessly transmitting data about structural load in said structural component. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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- 64. A sensing device, comprising an inertial sensor and a GPS, said inertial sensor integrated with said GPS wherein all power for operation of said inertial sensor is provided from energy harvesting.
- 66. A sensing system comprising a base station, a first plurality of sensors, and a second plurality of sensors, wherein said first plurality of sensors are connected to said base station on a wired network and wherein said second plurality of sensors are connected to said base station on a wireless network.
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69. A method of estimating time before failure of a component of a structure, comprising:
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a. providing the structure having the component; b. instrumenting said structure with a sensor and a memory, said sensor to measure a parameter related to the structure, said memory for logging data derived from said sensor; c. providing an energy harvesting device on the structure, said energy harvesting device connected to provide all power for powering logging data; d. providing a model of the component subject to failure; e. entering information derived from said data into said model; and f. using said model and said information to estimate a parameter related to time before failure of said component. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A method of collecting information about a structure, comprising:
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a. providing an instrumented component including a sensor, a memory, and an energy harvesting device, wherein said component is an integral part of a structure when installed in the structure, wherein said instrumented component includes packaging to protect said sensor, said memory, and said energy harvesting device; b. installing said component in the structure; and c. using energy derived from said energy harvesting device to provide power for logging data in said memory. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86)
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87. A method of maintaining a structure comprising,
a. providing a structure having a component subject to component failure; -
b. mounting a sensor, a memory and an energy harvesting device on the structure; c. using said sensor and logging data derived from said sensor in said memory, wherein said memory is powered solely with energy derived from said energy harvesting device; and d. logging data at a rate depending on amount of energy harvested by said energy harvesting device. - View Dependent Claims (88)
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Specification