Wireless reomote control systems

• US 20090179769A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Instrumentel Limited (Unipart Group of Cos. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Instrumentel Limited (Unipart Group of Cos. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Horler, Gregory Douglas
• Application Number:
  US12/317,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.10
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/04 using magnetically coupled devices

Abstract

Wireless remote control system for engine piston with in-piston circuit (50) and an external processing unit mounted on the exterior of the crank case (51). A carrier signal generated in the external processing unit is fed to a primary coil (P) located within the crank case and the secondary coil (S), loosely coupled to coil (P) and tuned for resonance therewith is located in the skirt of the piston. The secondary coil picks up a carrier signal from the primary coil and the carrier signal is rectified, smoothed and regulated to provide DC power to a micro controller in the piston circuit. The micro controller may use data from a number of sensors to modulate the signal in the secondary coil, which modulation is picked up by the primary coil and thus sensor data is transmitted to the external processing unit where it is filtered and decoded.

Claims

1. A wireless remote control system comprising:

a base station having a base electronic circuit that transmits electromagnetic radiation; and

a remote station having a remote electronic circuit comprising control means operatively arranged to control at least one device and arranged in a path of the electromatic radiation from the base power station;

wherein the remote electronic circuit is constructed and arranged to also derive power from incident electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the base station.

5. The wireless remote control system of claim 1 in operative combination with an engine having a telemetry circuit and further comprises:

an engine structure with at least one piston drivable within a chamber for imparting force outside the chamber by drive means operatively engaged by the piston;

a power supply for providing power to the circuit;

at least one sensor for sensing at least one condition inside the engine chamber;

transmitter means for the wireless transmission of data corresponding to the condition sensed by the sensor;

an induction coil positioned within the piston;

a connecting rod with big and little ends connected at a first end by a little-end bearing to the piston and connected at its other end by a big-end bearing to drive means of the engine; and

a magnet positioned on the little-end bearing of the connecting rod and constrained to move in an oscillatory manner relative to the induction coil to induce an emf therein as the piston moves, for providing power to the circuit.

6. The wireless remote control system of claim 1 in operative combination with an engine having a telemetry circuit which corresponds to said remote electronic circuit and further comprises:

including a telemetry system circuit associated with the piston and comprising;

a power supply for providing power to the circuit;

at least one sensor for sensing at least one condition inside the engine;

transmitter means for the wireless transmission of data corresponding to the condition sensed by the sensor;

a switch for connecting the power supply to the rest of the circuit; and

a radio frequency identification device (RFID) for controlling the switch, the RFID deriving energy from an incident coded radio signal, and being operable to open or close the switch, thus selectively allowing power from the power supply to be switched on and off remotely.

7. The wireless remote control system of claim 1 in operative combination with an engine having a telemetry circuit which corresponds to said remote electronic circuit and further comprises:

a power supply for providing power to the circuitry;

at least one sensor for sensing at least one condition inside the engine;

transmitter means for the wireless transmission of data corresponding to the condition sensed by the sensor to a base station which includes a stored look-up table, wherein the transmitter means transmits the data in the form of a modulated carrier signal the frequency of which varies as a function of the temperature of the transmitter means;

the transmitter means being arranged to transmit data corresponding to its own temperature; and

wherein the base station is arranged to track the carrier frequency of the transmitter means by comparing the transmitted temperature data with temperature values stored in the look-up table.

2. A piston driven engine, including telemetry circuitry comprising:

an engine structure with at least one piston drivable within a chamber for imparting force outside the chamber by drive means operatively engaged by the piston;

a power supply for providing power to the circuit;

at least one sensor for sensing at least one condition inside the engine chamber;

transmitter means for the wireless transmission of data corresponding to the condition sensed by the sensor;

an induction coil positioned within the piston;

a connecting rod with big and little connected at a first end by a little-end bearing to the piston and connected at its other end by a big-end bearing to drive means of the engine; and

a magnet positioned on the little-end bearing of the connecting rod and constrained to move in an oscillatory manner relative to the induction coil to induce an emf therein as the piston moves, for providing power to the circuit.

3. A piston for use in an engine, including a telemetry system circuit associated with the piston and comprising:

a power supply for providing power to the circuit;

at least one sensor for sensing at least one condition inside the engine;

transmitter means for the wireless transmission of data corresponding to the condition sensed by the sensor;

a switch for connecting the power supply to the rest of the circuit; and

a radio frequency identification device (RFID) for controlling the switch, the RFID deriving energy from an incident coded radio signal, and being operable to open or close the switch, thus selectively allowing power from the power supply to be switched on and off remotely.

4. A telemetry system for use in an engine piston, including telemetry circuitry comprising:

a power supply for providing power to the circuitry;

at least one sensor for sensing at least one condition inside the engine;

transmitter means for the wireless transmission of data corresponding to the condition sensed by the sensor to a base station which includes a stored look-up table, wherein the transmitter means transmits the data in the form of a modulated carrier signal the frequency of which varies as a function of the temperature of the transmitter means;

the transmitter means being arranged to transmit data corresponding to its own temperature; and

wherein the base station is arranged to track the carrier frequency of the transmitter means by comparing the transmitted temperature data with temperature values stored in the look-up table.