Miniature modular wireless sensor

• US 8,395,496 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NextGen Aeronautics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NextGen Aeronautics, Inc.
• Inventors: Del Solar, Cesar, Joshi, Shiv P
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/079,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20090058663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• 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: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A miniature modular wireless sensor unit. The unit includes three separate easily assembled and disassembled modules: a processor-communications module, a battery pack module, and a swappable sensor module. Preferred embodiments utilize Bluetooth radio communication technology to communicate sensor data. The total size of preferred embodiments is 1.380 inch×0.940 inch×0.540 inch. Preferred embodiments are easily programmed and calibrated by lay people to automatically communicate sensor information via Bluetooth techniques to a personal computer, laptop or similar equipment. A wide variety of sensors can be utilized with the standard sensor unit. Various battery pack modules are provided to match battery power with needs.

Claims

1. A miniature modular wireless sensor unit comprising:

A) a processor-communications module comprising a processor and a radio transceiver,

B) a battery pack module comprising a battery, and

C) a swappable sensor module comprising a sensor;

said processor-communications module, said battery pack module and said swappable sensor module interlocked together via a sliding dovetail connection into a compact wireless sensor unit and being adapted for easy assembly and disassembly with finger force,

wherein said sensor is a component in a wireless sensor network comprising a base station and a plurality of other sensors including a plurality of types of sensors, each type of sensor comprising a sensor identification pin connected to a resistor to ground wherein the resistor of each type of sensor has a unique resistance different from the resistance of the other types of sensors so that software in the base station can identify each type of sensor providing for hot swappability of the sensors.

2. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said sensor unit occupies a volume of less than about 2.0 cubic inches.

3. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said sensor unit occupies a volume of less than about 1.0 cubic inch.

4. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said sensor unit occupies a volume of about 0.7 cubic inches or less.

5. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said sensor unit is adapted to fit together with a sliding dovetail joint.

6. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 5 wherein said sliding dovetail joint is tapered for ease of assembly and tight fit.

7. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 5 wherein the battery module comprises a dovetail element and the processor-communications module and the sensor module each comprises a dovetail socket.

8. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said radio operates at a frequency range of about 2.4 MHz.

9. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said radio is adapted to function as a part of a Bluetooth network.

10. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said radio is adapted to operate as a part of a Zigbee network.

11. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said radio is adapted to operate as a part of a Wi-Fi network.

12. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 said sensor is a type of sensor chosen from the following group of sensors:

A) thermal sensor,

B) pressure sensor,

C) optical image sensor,

D) motion sensor,

E) acc elerometer sensor,

F) strain gage sensor,

G) flow sensor,

H) voltage sensor,

I) electric current sensor,

J) motion sensor,

K) acoustic sensor,

L) chemical sensor,

M) radiation sensor,

N) other type of thermal sensor,

O) other type of optical sensor,

P) other type of electromagnetic sensor and

Q) other type of mechanical sensor.

13. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said sensor unit is along with other sensor units is deployed in communication with a single base station.

14. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 13 wherein the single base station is a Bluetooth base station.

15. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said processor comprises software adapted to provide byte packing.

16. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said processor comprises software adapted to provide data compression.

17. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said processor comprises software adapted to provide a sleep mode with periodic wakeups to check for wakeup signals.

18. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said battery module is adapted for recharging from wall power.

19. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 wherein said battery module comprises a replaceable rechargeable battery.

20. The miniature modular wireless sensor unit of claim 1 and further comprising a second lower power, low data rate small receiver radio adapted to be awoken at periodic intervals to listen for a wake-up signal to awaken the sensor.