POWER FREE REMOTE SENSOR SYSTEM DATA TRANSMISSIONS

• US 20100194591A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Berkcan, Ertugrul, Andarawis, Emad, Delgado, Eladio, Rao, Samantha
• Granted Patent: US 8,253,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/20 using a distributed architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A distributed monitoring system for a structure.

Claims

1. A distributed monitoring system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, comprising:

one or more sensor nodes coupled to the structure, each sensor node comprising;

a power supply adapted to scavenge energy directed at the power supply;

a sensor operably coupled to the power supply for sensing one or more operating conditions of the structure in the immediate environment; and

a communications interface operably coupled to the power supply and the sensor for communicating the sensed operating conditions of the structure; and

one or more readers positioned proximate the sensor nodes, each reader comprising a transceiver adapted to communicate with the sensor nodes;

wherein the readers are adapted to acquire data from the sensor nodes representative of the operating conditions either intermittently or continuously.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each reader comprising an energy radiator adapted to radiate energy at the power supplies.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises at least a portion of an aircraft.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the readers are adapted to acquire data from the sensor nodes representative of the operating conditions during a qualification testing of the aircraft.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the readers are adapted to acquire data from the sensor nodes representative of the operating conditions during flight of the aircraft.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the readers are adapted to acquire data from the sensor nodes representative of the operating conditions prior to or after flight of the aircraft.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein one or more of the readers are affixed to a manufacturing facility for manufacturing the aircraft.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein one or more of the readers are affixed to a hangar structure.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein one or more of the readers are affixed to an aircraft carrier.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises at least a portion of a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a sub-component of a larger structure.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the readers are adapted to determine if data received from one or more sensor nodes is an exception.

13. The system of claim 12, if one or more of the readers determine that data received from one or more sensor nodes is an exception, then one or more of the readers determine if trend data would be sufficient.

14. The system of claim 13, if one or more of the readers determine that trend data would be sufficient, then one or more of the readers download trend data from one or more of the sensor nodes.

15. The system of claim 13, if one or more of the readers determine that trend data would not be sufficient, then one or more of the readers download a full data set from one or more of the sensor nodes.

16. The system of claim 12, if one or more of the readers determine that data received from one or more sensor nodes is not an exception, then one or more of the readers determine if further data is needed from one or more of the sensor nodes.

17. A method of operating a system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, comprising:

providing sensor nodes at locations around the structure for sensing operating conditions of the structure;

positioning the structure proximate another structure;

directing radiated energy from the other structure at one or more of the sensor nodes;

scavenging the radiated energy at one or more of the sensor nodes; and

using the scavenged energy at one or more of the sensor nodes to transmit sensed operating conditions from one or more of the sensor nodes to one or more readers either intermittently or continuously.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the structure comprises at least a portion of an aircraft.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting sensed operating conditions from one or more of the sensor nodes to the other structure during flight of the aircraft.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting sensed operating conditions from one or more of the sensor nodes to the other structure prior to or after flight of the aircraft.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein other structure comprises a hangar structure.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein other structure comprises an aircraft carrier.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the structure comprises at least a portion of a vehicle.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the structure comprises a sub-component of a larger structure.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

the other structure determining if data received from one or more sensor nodes is an exception.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

if the other structure determines that data received from one or more sensor nodes is an exception, then the other structure determining if trend data would be sufficient.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

if the other structure determines that trend data would be sufficient, then the other structure downloading trend data from one or more of the sensor nodes.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

if the other structure determines that trend data would not be sufficient, then the other structure downloading a full data set from one or more of the sensor nodes.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

if the other structure determines that data received from one or more sensor nodes is not an exception, then the other structure determining if further data is needed from one or more of the sensor nodes.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting sensed operating conditions from one or more of the sensor nodes to the other structure during manufacture of the aircraft.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting sensed operating conditions from one or more of the sensor nodes to the other structure during qualification testing of the aircraft.