Smart distributed measurement and control system with a flexible architecture
US5586305A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 17, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 21, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P90/02
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A distributed adaptable measurement network, which has flexible sensor or actuator nodes, takes multiple single valued measurements, such as temperature, pH, density, turbidity, velocity, breakdown strength, and strain as a function of time. The network can control large scale physical processes in response to these measurements. The flexible sensor or actuator node uses interchangeable common core modules, where each common core module uses a common description for data configuration and control of the measurement and response parameters. Although many physical variables can be affected, each variable is controlled in the same fashion. A transducer module selects the physical variable to which the common core module will be sensitive and whether its role will be that of a sensor or an actuator. The network may also contain system transducers which can control or alter the initial measurement and response parameters selected by the transducer module.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.