Wirelessly sensing properties of a closed environment and devices thereof
Inventors
SCABOO, Kristian Michael • Jensen, Morten Juel
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10401317-B2
Publication Date
2019-09-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
A wireless sensor measures properties of a substance and transmits the properties to a remote wireless receiver. The wireless sensor can be fully enclosed within a container containing the substance, allowing remote monitoring of the properties of the substance without compromising integrity of a closed system.
Core Innovation
A closed-container heating and agitation approach is provided in which a container is positioned on a heating device that comprises a heating element and a wireless receiver. A submersible device is positioned in the liquid and includes a first temperature measurement element and a wireless transmitter that is in communication with the wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter communicates the measured liquid temperature to a heating element controller, and the heating element controller activates the heating element based on the communicated liquid temperature.
Agitation is performed without direct electrical connection between the controller and the liquid contents by using a magnetic field creator and a first magnet carried by the submersible device. The magnetic field creator creates and alters a magnetic field that exerts a magnetic force on the first magnet. The agitating comprises moving the submersible device in the liquid with the magnetic force on the first magnet.
In addition to wireless temperature-based heating control via RFID communication, the disclosure includes refinements to the wireless temperature measurement and control loop. Example refinements specify communication by RFID, including a 13.56 MHz signal, multiple temperature measurement elements for verification, and terminating heating when a discrepancy is detected between temperature measurements.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim set includes three independent methods that share a common inventive structure: wirelessly communicating a measured liquid temperature from a submersible device to a heating element controller to activate heating, combined with magnetic-field-driven agitation using a magnetic field creator acting on a magnet of the submersible device. Across the independent claims, at least four inventive features are repeatedly present: wireless temperature measurement and communication, controller-based activation of heating based on the communicated temperature, RFID-based wireless communication, and magnetic-force moving of the submersible device for agitation.
Wireless RFID temperature communication to heating control
The wireless transmitter is in communication with the wireless receiver, and the communication between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver comprises communication by RFID, communicating the liquid temperature from the first temperature measurement element to a heating element controller.
Controller-activated heating element based on communicated temperature
Heating the liquid comprises activating the heating element by the heating element controller based on the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller.
Magnetic-field driven agitation using a submersible magnet
The submersible device comprises a first magnet, and the heating device comprises a magnetic field creator that creates and alters a magnetic field exerting a magnetic force on the first magnet, and the agitating comprises moving the submersible device in the liquid with the magnetic force on the first magnet.
Heating termination based on temperature measurement discrepancy
The submersible device uses two temperature measurement elements of different types, compares their temperature measurements via a heating element controller, and terminates heating when a set difference between the measurements is detected to indicate a temperature measurement failure.
Heating deactivation when communicated temperature exceeds a target temperature
The method further sets a target liquid temperature and deactivates the heating element when the liquid temperature communicated to the heating element controller exceeds that target.
Reagent delivery controlled based on transmitted submersible data
Delivering a reagent using a reagent delivery device by controlling reagent dispensing based on data measured by and transmitted from a submersible device.
Across the independent claims, the central claim coverage is a wireless temperature-to-controller heating control loop using RFID between a submersible device and a heating device receiver, together with magnetic-field-driven agitation that moves the submersible device using a magnetic force on a magnet. Dependent claim refinements further specify RFID communication parameters, enable temperature verification with heating termination on measurement discrepancy, provide target-temperature-based deactivation, and optionally couple transmitted measurements to reagent dispensing.
Stated Advantages
Provides heating and agitation of a liquid in a container using wireless temperature measurement and wireless communication.
Enables activating and deactivating the heating element based on communicated liquid temperature.
Provides agitation by moving the submersible device using magnetic force from a created and altered magnetic field.
Supports termination of heating when a temperature measurement failure is indicated by a discrepancy between temperature measurements.
Allows reagent dispensing to be controlled based on data measured by and transmitted from a submersible device.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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