Wireless Structural Health Monitoring System with Synchronized Timekeeper
First Claim
1. A method of obtaining data about a structure, comprising:
- a. providing a plurality of sensor modules on the structure, wherein each said sensor module includes a sensor, a processor, a sensor module precision timekeeper, and a sensor module transceiver, wherein said sensor provides data related to loading;
b. providing a base station;
c. periodically wirelessly receiving a broadcast resynchronization timing packet with each said sensor module transceiver, wherein said broadcast resynchronization timing packet received by each said sensor module transceiver includes a common resynchronization time value;
d. periodically resynchronizing each of said sensor module precision timekeepers based on a signal derived from said resynchronization time value;
e. digital sampling of said sensor module sensor in each said sensor module to provide digital sensor data, and providing a time stamp to said digital sensor data wherein time in said time stamp is provided by said sensor module precision timekeeper;
f. wirelessly transmitting data from each of said plurality of sensor modules to said base station, wherein said data is derived from said time stamped digital sensor data; and
g. receiving and aggregating said data from each of said plurality of sensor modules in said base station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of obtaining data about a structure includes providing a plurality of sensor modules on the structure. Each of the sensor modules includes a sensor, a processor, a sensor module precision timekeeper, and a sensor module transceiver. One of the plurality of sensor modules includes an energy harvesting device. The processor and the sensor module transceiver of this one of the plurality of sensor modules are powered solely with electricity derived from the energy harvesting device. The method further includes providing a base station. The method further includes periodically wirelessly receiving a broadcast resynchronization timing packet with each of the sensor module transceivers, wherein the broadcast resynchronization timing packet received by each of the sensor module transceivers includes a common resynchronization time value. The method further includes periodically resynchronizing each of the sensor module precision timekeepers based on a signal derived from the resynchronization time value. The method further includes digital sampling of the sensor module sensor in each of the sensor modules to provide digital sensor data, and providing a time stamp to the digital sensor data wherein time in the time stamp is provided by the sensor module precision timekeeper. The method further includes wirelessly transmitting data from each of the plurality of sensor modules to the base station, wherein the data is derived from the time stamped digital sensor data. The method further includes receiving and aggregating the data from each of the plurality of sensor modules in the base station.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method of obtaining data about a structure, comprising:
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a. providing a plurality of sensor modules on the structure, wherein each said sensor module includes a sensor, a processor, a sensor module precision timekeeper, and a sensor module transceiver, wherein said sensor provides data related to loading; b. providing a base station; c. periodically wirelessly receiving a broadcast resynchronization timing packet with each said sensor module transceiver, wherein said broadcast resynchronization timing packet received by each said sensor module transceiver includes a common resynchronization time value; d. periodically resynchronizing each of said sensor module precision timekeepers based on a signal derived from said resynchronization time value; e. digital sampling of said sensor module sensor in each said sensor module to provide digital sensor data, and providing a time stamp to said digital sensor data wherein time in said time stamp is provided by said sensor module precision timekeeper; f. wirelessly transmitting data from each of said plurality of sensor modules to said base station, wherein said data is derived from said time stamped digital sensor data; and g. receiving and aggregating said data from each of said plurality of sensor modules in said base station. - 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, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of obtaining data about a structure, comprising:
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a. providing a plurality of sensor modules on the structure, wherein each said sensor module includes a sensor, a processor, a sensor module precision timekeeper, and a sensor module transceiver, wherein one of said plurality of sensor modules includes an energy harvesting device, wherein said processor and said sensor module transceiver of said one of said plurality of sensor modules are powered solely with electricity derived from said energy harvesting device; b. providing a base station; c. periodically wirelessly receiving a broadcast resynchronization timing packet with each said sensor module transceiver, wherein said broadcast resynchronization timing packet received by each said sensor module transceiver includes a common resynchronization time value; d. periodically resynchronizing each of said sensor module precision timekeepers based on a signal derived from said resynchronization time value; e. digital sampling of said sensor module sensor in each said sensor module to provide digital sensor data, and providing a time stamp to said digital sensor data wherein time in said time stamp is provided by said sensor module precision timekeeper; f. wirelessly transmitting data from each of said plurality of sensor modules to said base station, wherein said data is derived from said time stamped digital sensor data; and g. receiving and aggregating said data from each of said plurality of sensor modules in said base station. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method of obtaining data about a structure, comprising:
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a. providing a sensing system comprising a base station, a wired sensor, and a plurality of wireless sensor modules, wherein said wired sensor is wire connected to said base station and wherein said plurality of wireless sensor modules are wirelessly connected to said base station on a wireless network, wherein said base station includes a base station memory for combining data from said wired sensor with data from said plurality of wireless sensor modules; b. wire transmitting data from said wired sensor to said base station; c. wirelessly transmitting data from each of said plurality of wireless sensor modules to said base station; and d. combining data from said wired sensor with data from said plurality of wireless sensor modules in said base station memory. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method of obtaining data about a structure, comprising:
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a. providing a plurality of sensor modules on the structure, wherein each said sensor module includes a sensor, a processor, a sensor module precision timekeeper, and a sensor module transceiver; b. providing a base station; c. periodically wirelessly receiving a broadcast resynchronization timing packet with each said sensor module transceiver, wherein said broadcast resynchronization timing packet received by each said sensor module transceiver includes a common resynchronization time value; d. periodically resynchronizing each of said sensor module precision timekeepers based on a signal derived from said resynchronization time value; e. digital burst mode sampling of said sensor module sensor in each said sensor module to provide burst mode digital sensor data, and providing a time stamp to said burst mode digital sensor data wherein time in said time stamp is provided by said sensor module precision timekeeper; f. wirelessly transmitting data from each of said plurality of sensor modules to said base station, wherein said data is derived from said time stamped burst mode digital sensor data; and g. receiving and aggregating said data from each of said plurality of sensor modules in said base station.
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Specification