WIRELESS SENSOR DEVICE

• US 20130278377A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scanimetrics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Scanimetrics, Inc.
• Inventors: Slupsky, Steven, Sellathamby, Christopher V., Moore, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,329,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/32 for measuring the deformation in a solid
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/065 sealed by encapsulation, e.g. waterproof resin forming an integral casing, injection moulding

Abstract

A wireless sensor device includes a processor connected to a wireless transmitter and at least one sensor, and a power source connected to power the processor and the wireless transmitter. The processor has two or more states. An internal control element senses at least one predetermined condition. The internal control element switches the processor between states based on the occurrence of at least one predetermined condition. A molded body encloses at least the processor, the wireless transmitter, and the internal control sensor. The internal control sensor is physically isolated within the molded body.

Claims

1. A wireless sensor device, comprising:

a processor connected to a wireless transmitter and at least one sensor, the processor having two or more states;

a power source connected to power the processor and the wireless transmitter;

at least one internal control element for sensing one or more predetermined conditions, the internal control element switching the processor between states based on the occurrence of at least one predetermined condition; and

a molded body enclosing at least the processor, the wireless transmitter, and the internal control sensor such that the internal control sensor is physically isolated within the molded body.

2. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the molded body also encloses at least one of the power source and one or more sensors connected to the processor.

3. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the processor is connected wirelessly to a sensor that is external to the molded body.

4. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the processor is connected to an external sensor by conductors, a portion of the conductors being enclosed in the molded body.

5. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein at least one internal control element is an accelerometer, and at least one predetermined condition is the detection of one or more predetermined accelerations.

6. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein at least one internal control element is an RF transponder, and at least one predetermined condition is the introduction or removal of an RF interrogator from its detection radius.

7. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein at least one internal control element is a magnetic sensor, and at least one predetermined condition is the introduction or removal of a magnetic element on an outer surface of the molded body.

8. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the molded body enrobes at least the processor, the wireless transmitter, and the internal control sensor in a single piece construction.

9. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one of strain, cracks, crack propagation, motion, shock, acceleration, tilt, inclination, pressure, light, radiation, sound and chemical compounds.

10. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to process sensor data from the sensing element according to an algorithm and transmit the processed data by the wireless transmitter.

11. The wireless sensor device of claim 10, wherein the algorithm is a Rainflow algorithm that generates a histogram of discrete stress ranges.

12. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is a wireless transceiver.

13. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, further comprising an attachment for attaching the wireless sensor to an object.

14. The wireless sensor device of claim 13, wherein the attachment is at least one of a magnet, at least one welding flange, strapping, or an adhesive compound.

15. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a bolt tightness sensor.

16. The wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to operate as a node in a mesh network.

17. A method of operating a wireless sensor device, comprising the steps of:

providing a wireless sensor device, comprising;

a processor, a wireless transmitter, and at least one internal control sensor enclosed in a molded body, the processor being connected to the wireless transmitter, a power source, the internal control element, and at least one sensor, the processor having two or more states and the internal control sensor being physically isolated within the molded body;

configuring the internal control element to switch the processor between states upon the occurrence of at least one predetermined condition; and

applying at least one predetermined condition to the internal control element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the molded body encloses at least one of the power source and one or more sensors connected to the processor.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one sensor is external to the molded body and connected to the processor wirelessly.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one sensor is external to the molded body and connected to the processor by conductors, a portion of the conductors being enclosed in the molded body.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one internal control element is an accelerometer, and at least one predetermined condition is the detection of one or more predetermined accelerations.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one internal control element is an RF transponder, and at least one predetermined condition is the introduction or removal of an RF interrogator from its detection radius.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one internal control element is a magnetic sensor, and at least one predetermined condition is the introduction or removal of a magnetic element on an outer surface of the molded body.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the wireless sensor device comprises enrobing at least the processor, the wireless transmitter, and the internal control sensor in a single piece construction.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one of motion, shock, acceleration, tilt, inclination, pressure, light, radiation, sound and chemical compounds.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to process sensor data from the sensing element according to an algorithm and transmit the processed data by the wireless transmitter.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the algorithm is a Rainflow algorithm that generates a histogram of discrete stress ranges.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the wireless transmitter is a wireless transceiver.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising an attachment for attaching the wireless sensor to an object.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the attachment is at least one of a magnet, at least one welding flange, strapping, or an adhesive compound.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor is a bolt tightness sensor.