Wireless sensor for electromagnetically shielded applications and method of communication
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsKyehwan Lee, Heinrich Foltz, Rajiv Nambiar
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Abstract
A wireless sensor system is described which can be used to measure temperature and/or pressure within an electromagnetically shielded environment. The sensor system includes an embedded processor which intermittently transmits data from the sensors. In electromagnetically shielded environments, the processor transmits the data when the electromagnetically shielding components are moved into a non-shielding configuration.
Claims17
A sensor system comprising:
- a body;
- a pressure and/or temperature sensor disposed within the body and forming at least partially defining an exterior surface of the sensor system;
- a processor coupled to the pressure and/or temperature sensor, disposed within the body, wherein the processor collects data from the pressure and/or temperature sensor during use;
- an RF module, disposed within the body, coupled to the processor, wherein the RF module produces RF signals for transmitting data related to the pressure and/or temperature detected by the pressure and/or temperature sensors;
- an antenna, disposed within the body, coupled to the RF module;
- and
- a power supply coupled to the processor and the RF module;
- wherein the processor counts the number of transmissions made by the RF module and provides the number of transmissions made by the RF module with the data transmitted by the RF module.
A method of monitoring the pressure and/or temperature within a mold of an injection molding system comprising:
- placing material within a mold cavity defined by two or more mold members;
- placing a sensor system within or proximate to one or more of the mold members, wherein the sensor system comprises:
- a body;
- a pressure and/or temperature sensor disposed within the body and forming at least partially defining an exterior surface of the sensor system;
- a processor coupled to the pressure and/or temperature sensor, disposed within the body, wherein the processor collects data from the pressure and/or temperature sensor during use;
- an RF module, disposed within the body, coupled to the processor, wherein the RF module produces RF signals for transmitting data related to the pressure and/or temperature detected by the pressure and/or temperature sensors;
- an antenna, disposed within the body, coupled to the RF module;
- and
- a power supply coupled to the processor and the RF module;
- measuring the pressure and/or temperature of the mold cavity during molding using the sensor system;
- and
- transmitting pressure and/or temperature data collected during molding when the mold cavity is opened.
An injection molding system comprising:
- one or more mold members, wherein the mold member(s) define an internal molding cavity;
- and
- a sensor system disposed within one or more mold members, or within the mold cavity, wherein the sensor system comprises:
- a body;
- a pressure and/or temperature sensor disposed within the body and forming at least partially defining an exterior surface of the sensor system;
- a processor coupled to the pressure and/or temperature sensor, disposed within the body, wherein the processor collects data from the pressure and/or temperature sensor during use;
- an RF module, disposed within the body, coupled to the processor, wherein the RF module produces RF signals for transmitting data related to the pressure and/or temperature detected by the pressure and/or temperature sensors;
- an antenna, disposed within the body, coupled to the RF module;
- and
- a power supply coupled to the processor and the RF module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.