Detection system and detection method

• US 9,921,188 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Takamine, Hidefumi, Watabe, Kazuo, Omori, Takahiro, Usui, Takashi, Hirokawa, Junko, Kasahara, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US14/841,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20160084803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/26 prestressed E04C3/22, E04C3/29 take precedence; prestressing members E04C5/08
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/08 Members specially adapted to be used in prestressed constructions production of reinforced objects in general B28B23/00; prestressed structures produced in situ E04G21/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0232 Glass, ceramics, concrete or stone
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/22 Details , e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/383 Concrete, cement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a detection system includes a plurality of sensor nodes and a sensor module. The plurality of sensor nodes detects sound waves generated from a prestressed concrete and converts the detected sound waves into detection signals. The sensor module is connected to the plurality of sensor nodes and receives the detection signals. The plurality of sensor nodes includes the sensor nodes in an operating state and the sensor nodes in a dormant state in which power consumption is held down as compared to the operating state. When magnitude of the detection signals is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, the sensor module switches the sensor node in the dormant state to the operating state.

Claims

1. A detection system comprising:

a plurality of sensor nodes to detect sound waves generated from a prestressed concrete and convert the detected sound waves into detection signals; and

a sensor module that is connected to the plurality of sensor nodes and receives the detection signals, wherein

the plurality of sensor nodes includes at least a first sensor node and one or more other sensor nodes, wherein,

the first sensor node is initially in an operating state; and

the one or more other sensor nodes are initially in a dormant state in which power consumption is held down as compared to the operating state, and

when a magnitude of the detection signals is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, the sensor module switches a second sensor node from among the one or more other sensor nodes from the dormant state to the operating state.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when an operating period of the first sensor node in the operating state is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, the sensor module switches the first sensor node from the operating state to the dormant state and switches a sensor node from among the one or more other sensor nodes from the dormant state to the operating state.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when a period of time equal to or greater than a third threshold value elapses since the second sensor node has been switched to the operating state by the sensor module, the second sensor node again returns to the dormant state.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the sensor module comprises:

a comparing unit for determining whether or not the magnitude of the detection signals is equal to or greater than the first threshold value,

an operating unit to perform a predetermined operation with respect to the detection signals, and

a power supply that is capable of supplying electrical power to the plurality of sensor nodes, the comparing unit, and the operating unit, and

when the magnitude of the detection signals is smaller than the first threshold value, the power supply supplies electrical power for operating the first sensor node in the operating state and for operating the comparing unit, and supplies electrical power lower than power consumption in the operating state to the one or more other sensor nodes in the dormant state and to the operating unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the dormant state represents a state in which power consumption is zero,

the sensor module comprises:

a comparing unit for determining whether or not magnitude of the detection signals is equal to or greater than the first threshold value,

an operating unit to perform a predetermined operation with respect to the detection signals, and

a power supply that is capable of supplying electrical power to the plurality of sensor nodes, the comparing unit, and the operating unit, and

when the magnitude of the detection signals is smaller than the first threshold value, the power supply supplies electrical power for operating the first sensor node in the operating state and for operating the comparing unit, but does not supply electrical power to the one or more other sensor nodes in the dormant state and to the operating unit.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the sensor module is disposed in plurality, and each of a plurality of sensor modules is connected to one of the plurality of sensor nodes, and

the detection system further comprises a communicating unit to send, when the magnitude of the detection signals is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, a return signal to the sensor modules to which the one or more other sensor nodes in the dormant state are connected, wherein the return signal enables switching of the second sensor node from the dormant state to the operating state.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein

the predetermined operation comprises:

counting number of times of generation of the detection signals, and

determining whether or not a measurement transition curve, which represents transition of the number of times of generation of the detection signals during a predetermined period of time since start of counting, is similar to a fracture-time transition curve, which represents transition of the number of times of generation of the detection signals when a fracture develops in a prestressed concrete (PC) cable, and

the sensor module further comprises a communicating unit to issue a warning to a server device when the measurement transition curve, which represents transition of the number of times of generation of the detection signals during a predetermined period of time since start of counting, is similar to the fracture-time transition curve.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein

the predetermined operation comprises:

counting number of times of generation of the detection signals, and

determining whether or not a measurement transition curve, which represents transition of the number of times of generation of the detection signals during a predetermined period of time since start of counting, is similar to a fracture-time transition curve, which represents transition of the number of times of generation of the detection signals when a fracture develops in a prestressed concrete (PC) cable, and

the sensor module further comprises a communicating unit to issue a warning to a server device when the measurement transition curve, which represents transition of the number of times of generation of the detection signals during a predetermined period of time since start of counting, is similar to the fracture-time transition curve.

9. The system according to claim 4, wherein

the predetermined operation includes calculating a predetermined parameter from the detection signals, and

the sensor module further comprises a communicating unit to send the predetermined parameter to a server device.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein

the predetermined operation includes calculating a predetermined parameter from the detection signals, and

the sensor module further comprises a communicating unit to send the predetermined parameter to a server device.

11. A detection system comprising:

a plurality of sensor nodes to detect information and convert the detected information into detection signals; and

a sensor module that is connected to the plurality of sensor nodes and that receives the detection signals, wherein

the plurality of sensor nodes includes at least a first sensor node and one or more other sensor nodes, wherein,

the first sensor node is initially in an operating state; and

the one or more other sensor nodes are initially in a dormant state in which power consumption is held down as compared to the operating state,

when a magnitude of the detection signals is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, the sensor module switches a second sensor node from among the one or more other sensor nodes from the dormant state to the operating state, and

when an operating period of the first sensor node in the operating state is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, the sensor module switches the first sensor node in the operating state to the dormant state and switches the second sensor node from among the one or more other sensor nodes from the dormant state to the operating state.

12. A detection method implemented in a detection device that includes a plurality of sensor nodes including at least a first sensor node and one or more other sensor nodes, wherein the first sensor node is initially in an operating state and the one or more other sensor nodes are initially in a dormant state in which power consumption is held down as compared to the operating state, the detection method comprising:

detecting sound waves generated from a prestressed concrete and converting the detected sound waves into detection signals, by the first sensor node in the operating state;

receiving, by a sensor module that is connected to the plurality of sensor nodes, the detection signals from the first sensor node in the operating state; and

switching, by the sensor module, a second sensor node from among the one or more other sensor nodes from the dormant state to the operating state when magnitude of the detection signals is equal to or greater than a first threshold value.