SENSOR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR METAL ENCLOSURES

• US 20150215684A1
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Dayton
• Original Assignee: University of Dayton
• Inventors: Kauffman, Robert E., Wolf, J. Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless 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 sensor transmitter for communicating wirelessly a presence of a condition within a metal enclosure includes a power supply, at least one sensor where each sensor senses a presence of a condition, and a low frequency generator positioned within a metal enclosure and electrically coupled to the power supply and the at least one sensor. The low frequency generator transmits a low frequency wireless signal indicative of the presence of the condition within the metal enclosure when the condition is present at one sensor

Claims

1. A sensor transmitter for communicating wirelessly a presence of a condition within a metal enclosure, comprising:

a power supply;

at least one sensor, individual ones of the at least one sensor senses a presence of a condition; and

a low frequency generator positioned within a metal enclosure and electrically coupled to the power supply and the at least one sensor, the low frequency generator transmits a low frequency wireless signal indicative of the presence of the condition within the metal enclosure when the condition is present at the individual ones of the at least one sensor.

2. The sensor transmitter of claim 1, further comprising:

a second sensor that senses the presence of a second condition electrically coupled to the power supply; and

wherein the low frequency generator transmits a second low frequency wireless signal indicative of the presence of the second condition within the metal enclosure when the second condition is present at the second sensor.

3. The sensor transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a comparison device electrically coupled between the at least one sensor and the low frequency generator.

4. The sensor transmitter of claim 3, wherein the comparison device is a field effect transistor.

5. The sensor transmitter of claim 3, further comprising a magnetic field sensor electrically coupled between the power supply and the comparison device.

6. The sensor transmitter of claim 5, wherein the magnetic field sensor is a hall effect sensor.

7. The sensor transmitter of claim 5, wherein the magnetic field sensor is a reed switch.

8. The sensor transmitter of claim 1, wherein the power supply is an induction antenna and receives electromagnetic radiation of a specific wavelength to provide power for the sensor transmitter.

9. The sensor transmitter of claim 1, wherein the low frequency generator is an acoustic device, resonance coil, micromotor, or an off-center weighted motor.

10. The sensor transmitter of claim 1, wherein the condition is a leak, an impact, a humidity, a fuel, vapor, a temperature, a levelness, a flex, a vibration, a sound, a clamp opening, a crack, corrosion, or a light.

11. The sensor transmitter of claim 1, wherein the low frequency wireless signal is between about 20 Hz to about 20 kHz.

12. The sensor transmitter of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is chosen from the group consisting of a leak detection sensor, a vapor sensor, a water sensor, an impact sensor, a temperature sensor, a level sensor, distillate sensor, a variable resistor such as a flex sensor, a vibration sensor, an acoustic sensor, pressure switch, conductive line, corrodible metal film, and a light sensor.

13. A method for communicating a presence of a condition within a metal enclosure, comprising:

sensing a condition internal to a metal enclosure using at least one sensor; and

transmitting a low frequency wireless signal using a low frequency generator electrically coupled to a power supply and the at least one sensor when the condition is present at the at least one sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving the low frequency wireless signal external to the metal enclosure.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising activating the low frequency generator when the condition is present using a comparison device electrically coupled between the at least one sensor and the low frequency generator.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising checking if the at least one sensor senses the condition by exciting a magnetic field sensor electrically coupled between the power supply and the comparison device using a magnet field.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, the method further comprising:

sensing a first condition internal to the metal enclosure using the first sensor;

transmitting the low frequency wireless signal when the first sensor senses the first condition;

sensing a second condition internal to the metal enclosure using the second sensor; and

transmitting a second low frequency wireless signal when the second sensor senses the second condition wherein the frequency of the low frequency wireless signal is different from the second low frequency wireless signal.

18. A system for communicating with a sensor within a metal enclosure comprising:

a first power supply;

one or more sensor transmitters internal to a metal enclosure, a first sensor transmitter comprising;

a first sensor to detect a presence of a first condition,

a first low frequency generator electrically coupled to the first power supply and the first sensor and transmits a first low frequency wireless signal when the first condition is present at the first sensor, and

a first comparison device electrically coupled between the first sensor and the first low frequency generator; and

a receiver external to the metal enclosure that receives the first low frequency wireless signal indicative of the detection of the presence of the first condition.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first power supply is an induction antenna and receives electromagnetic radiation of a specific wavelength to provide power for the one or more sensor transmitters.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a second power supply;

a second sensor transmitters internal to the metal enclosure, comprising;

a second sensor to senses a presence of a second condition,

a second low frequency generator electrically coupled to the second power supply and the second sensor and transmits a second low frequency wireless signal when the second condition is present at the second sensor,

a second comparison device electrically coupled between the second sensor and the second low frequency generator; and

wherein the receiver external to the metal enclosure that receives the second low frequency wireless signal indicative of the detection of the presence of the second condition.