Flexible sensor curtain
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsChristian Eggenberger, Jens Rathgeber, Toby Zenerino, Michael Egger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flexible curtain defines a major surface and is configured to repeatedly actuate to move between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration. Two sensors are configured to detect different condition and are removably attached to two sensor attachment locations. The major surface extends across an operational surface of a target system such that the sensors detect the conditions of the target system when the flexible curtain defines the deployed configuration. The flexible curtain and the sensors converge at a predetermined edge of the flexible curtain to expose the operational surface of the target system when the flexible curtain defines the stowed configuration.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a flexible curtain that defines a major surface and is configured to repeatedly actuate to move between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration;
- a first sensor configured to detect a first condition and removably attached to a first sensor attachment location;
- and
- a second sensor configured to detect a second condition and removably attached to a second sensor attachment location, wherein:
- the major surface extends across an operational surface of a target system such that the first and second sensors detect the first and second conditions of the target system when the flexible curtain defines the deployed configuration;
- and
- the flexible curtain and the first and second sensors converge to a predetermined edge of the flexible curtain to expose the operational surface of the target system when the flexible curtain defines the stowed configuration.
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- deploying a flexible curtain that defines a major surface and a plurality of sensor attachment locations on the major surface from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration near a target system such that the major surface extends across an operational surface of the target system;
- detecting a first and second condition of the target system via respective first and second sensors removably attached to respective first and second sensor attachment locations of a plurality of sensor attachment locations of the flexible curtain;
- and
- moving the flexible curtain from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration to expose the operational surface of the target system.
A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:
- deploy a flexible curtain that defines a major surface and a plurality of sensor attachment locations on the major surface from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration near a target system such that the major surface extends across the operational surface of the target system;
- detect a first and second condition of the target system via respective first and second sensors removably attached to respective first and second sensor attachment locations of a plurality of sensor attachment locations of the flexible curtain;
- and
- move the flexible curtain from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration to expose the operational surface of the target system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.