Sensor form factors in hostile environments
OwnerHendrik J. Volkerink, Ajay Khocheinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tape node includes a substrate supporting electronic components for communicating wirelessly and collecting sensor data. Tape nodes may be attached to stationary or moving objects and may be combined in a network for communicating information to a network service about the objects. Tape nodes have a specialized form factor for operating in hostile environments where sensors may be placed in the hostile environment while sensitive electronics and communications interfaces may be placed away from the hostile environment in an ambient environment.
Claims20
A sensor product for hostile environments, comprising:
- a substrate configured to support electronic components and having:
- (a) a first portion comprising a first fraction of a length of the substrate and supporting electronic components configured to operate within an ambient environment;
- (b) a second portion comprising a second fraction of the length of the substrate and supporting electronic components configured to operate within a hostile environment;
- and
- (c) a flexible connecting portion comprising a remaining fraction of the length of the substrate and configured to physically connect the first portion and the second portion,
- wherein the flexible connecting portion electrically connects the first and second portions and the hostile environment comprises environmental conditions outside of recommended operating conditions (ROC) for one or more of the electronic components of the first portion.
A wireless sensing system, comprising:
- a first tape node configured to operate within a hostile environment, the first tape node comprising a substrate configured to support electronic components and having:
- (a) a first portion comprising a first fraction of a length of the substrate and supporting electronic components and a first wireless communications device configured to operate within an ambient environment;
- (b) a second portion comprising a second fraction of the length of the substrate and supporting electronic components configured to operate within a hostile environment;
- and
- (c) a flexible connecting portion comprising a remaining fraction of the length of the substrate and configured to physically connect the first portion and the second portion;
- and
- a second tape node configured to operate within ambient conditions, the second tape node comprising a second wireless communications device configured to receive transmissions from the first wireless communications device, wherein
- the hostile environment comprises environmental conditions outside of recommended operating conditions (ROC) for one or more of the electronic components of the first portion of the first tape node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.