Abstract:
A removable device rests within a fixed device for the purpose of providing sensor data and/or communications capability to the fixed device. The removable device has no power source of its own, instead receiving power from a collar affixed to the fixed device with a pair of coils in proximate locations. Another pair of coils provides data between the two. The fixed device is permanently serialized so that a supervisory system may associate communications from the removable device with a certain fixed device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Many electrical, mechanical, chemical, aqueous, and other systems require sensors for their operation. These sensors may provide data, sometimes a digital version, of the quantities sensed. The sensed quantities come in a huge variety, for example temperature, pressure, acidity, position, rotational or liner rate, rate of change, pressure, color, luminosity; the list is virtually limitless. Often times the designer of a system which requires one or more sensors designs at least an electrical interface to the control system, often a mechanical interface or coupling, a case, and perhaps a power supply. 
         [0002]    The burden of designing a system from scratch may be reduced by assembling standard products and using existing communications technologies. This method may still require expensive customization and/or understanding protocols that are familiar to others but new to the designer. The resulting design may also be physically larger than desired and need tooling for an enclosure. 
         [0003]    What is needed is a system whereby a variety of sensors or communications devices, which are an easily understood and implemented suite of sensors or communications devices, may be used in a system design with a minimum of tooling and programming. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure describes a system denominated a “WAND”, an acronym for Water, Air, Network Device. The WAND may be provisioned with a variety of sensors according to the system designer&#39;s needs, housed in a limited number of form factors. The WAND may be completely devoid of internal power, instead be inserted into a collar wherein the collar induces power into the WAND. Such an arrangement enables a system to be built and used wherein the WAND is easily removable for a variety of reasons. With standardized form factors for the WAND and collar, end products may be designed to have optional features, implemented by what WAND is selected for use, then possibly upgraded, etc, by merely swapping in a WAND with different features. This configuration also provides for fast, low labor cost maintenance. 
         [0005]    The use of connectorless power transfer and communications improves the WAND System&#39;s immunity to harsh, corrosive environments. 
         [0006]    WANDS may be configured with wireless communications capability, thereby acting as a gateway. Wired communications are sometimes synthesized by inductively communicating between the WAND and the collar, the collar in turn connected to other devices by any means. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate exemplary aspects of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain features of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top level schematic showing how the various subsystems of an exemplary system may be electrically connected. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  details an exemplary wireless power system. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  details an electronic subsystem including Wi-Fi capability. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an air-based sensor subsystem. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a water-based subsystem. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an H-field communications subsystem for a portable unit. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an H-field communications system for a power and data collar. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is an exemplary external load. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. References made to particular examples and implementations are for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or the claims. 
         [0017]    The variety of devices available for implementation of a WAND and collar system make it impractical to describe all possibilities in a disclosure. A WAND system may include many sensors, one sensor, or even no sensors within the scope of the present disclosure. Absent any sensors a WAND may be useful as a control and/or communications device, for example as an access point, repeater, gateway, or bridge between two different communications technologies. 
         [0018]    By way of example, a WAND for providing sensor and communications for an aeroponic growth system will be presented. One of ordinary skill in the related arts will appreciate the generality of the disclosure and know how different implementations may be designed. All such are within the scope of this disclosure and claims. 
         [0019]    Looking to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary WAND and collar system  100  comprises a WAND  101  and a collar  102 , customized for an exemplary aeroponic growth system. The WAND  101  comprises an HCW  120  (H-field Communications-WAND), an ASE  130  (Air Sensor Electronics), an STA  140  (WAND Station Board), a WSE  150  (Water Sensor Electronics) and a PRE  160  (Power Receiver Electronics). The collar  102  comprises an HCC  110  (H-Field Communications-Collar), and a PTE  170  (Power Transmitter Electronics). In the example of  FIG. 1  the PTE  170  passes through power, ground, and data lines to an ACE  180  (Atrium Chamber Electronics). The ACE  180  is not strictly speaking a part of the WAND and collar system  100  in that it is an arbitrary external system selected for the purpose of illustration. 
         [0020]    The major example blocks will be described in detail. In some instances component part numbers may be stated. All components are commercial off-the-shelf (COTS); most are available from major distributors such as DIGIKEY.COM. 
         [0021]    The PTE  170  may be implemented in a variety of ways. The PTE in the exemplary design provides power to the PRE  160  inside the WAND  101 , where it is distributed internally to WAND electronics assemblies HCW  120 , ASE  130 , STA  140 , and WSE  150 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , we see the PTE  170  coupled to the PRE  160  for power transfer from the collar to the WAND. In the PTE  170  a regulator such as an LM25010  210  receives 19 VDC from an external supply. The regulator  210  provides a 3.3 VDC output, which powers the PTE  170  board on a line  275 . A second path routes the 19 VDC input supply to the HCC  110 . The 3.3 VDC is also provided to a Texas Instruments P/N BQ500210 “Qi Compliant Wireless Power Transmitter Manager”  220 . The manager  220  provides a PWM drive signal to a high speed driver, for example a Texas Instruments TPS28225, which in turn drives a Wurth Wireless Power Charging Transmitter Coil  230  P/N 760368110, using the 19 VDC supply. The transmitting coil  230  is located approximate to a receiving coil  240  TDK P/N WR-483250, which is electrically connected to a Texas Instruments BQ51013 Wireless Power Receiver  250  in the PRE  160 . The 5.0 VDC output of the power receiver  250  is provided to the STA  140  on a line  260 . 
         [0022]    Looking to  FIG. 3 , 5.0 VDC power received by STA  140  from the PRE  160  on a line  260  is further provided directly to the HCW  120  on a line  343 , WSE  150  on a line  342  , and ASE  130  on a line  341 . 5.0 VDC power is converted to 3.3 VDC and provided to a Wi-Fi unit  320 , for example a Microchip MRF24WGOMA. The Wi-Fi  320  responds to data and commands provided by an MCU  310 , for example a Microchip PIC32MX695F512L via a nine-line bus  321 . The STA  140  may also include RS-485 communications capability between the MCU  310  and the ASE  130  on a line  351 , WSE  150  on a line  352 , and HCW  120  on a line  353 . 
         [0023]    STA  140  may connect to ASE  130  which may support a suite of air sensors. In addition to power and ground on the line  341 , the STA may have an RS-484 wired communications bus for two-way communication on the bus  351 . The ASE  130  may include a suite of air sensors, collectively numerated  450 . Examples of air sensors  450  include sensors for CO2, CO, O2 and ambient light. Some embodiments may include am MCU  410 , for example PIC32MX350F256H, wherein the MCU  420  includes an analog to digital converter  470  (ADC). Some embodiments include a MUX or analog front end  460 . Some MCUs  410  may have enough analog input pins instead of an external MUX  460 . The MCU  410  may manage the sensors, for example powering them up or down, standby or operative mode, determining status, and diagnostics. The MCU  410  may also be programmed to receive requests for data related to a given sensor, providing the data back to the STA board  140  via the RS-485 bus  420 . The STA may then provide the data to the requester via the  320  Wi-Fi or other data link. 
         [0024]    The WSE  150  may be very similar to the ASE  130 . The WSE  150  may receive DC power from STA  140  on the line  342  and may also send and receive data on an RS-485 wired communications bus  352 . In the example shown, the WSE  150  may comprise a suite of water sensors  550 , wherein the sensors  550  are submerged in a water medium. Examples of sensors  550  include pH, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), and resistivity. In some embodiments an MCU  510 , for example a PIC32MX350F256H, wherein the MCU  510  includes an analog to digital converter  570  (ADC). Some embodiments include a MUX or analog front end  560 . Some MCUs  510  may have enough analog input pins instead of an external MUX  560 . The MCU  510  may manage the sensors, for example powering them up or down, standby or operative mode, determining status, and diagnostics. The MCU  510  may also be programmed to receive requests for data related to a given sensor, providing the data back to the STA board  140  via the RS-485 bus  520 . The STA may then provide the data to the requester via the  320  Wi-Fi or other data link. 
         [0025]    Looking to  FIG. 6 , the HCW  120 /HCC  110  pair operate very much as do the PTE  170 /PRE  160 , except data is exchanged between the transmitting and receiving coil rather than power. The HCW  120  receives 5.0 VDC power from STA on the line  343 . An MCU  610 , for example a Microchip PIC32MX350F128D, may communicate with the STA  140  via the RS-485 bus  353 . The MCU  610  receives data on a line  641  and sends data on a line  644 . Data activity is controlled by an XMIT_EN signal on a line  642 ,  643 . The signals connect the MCU  610  to a coil transmitter  631  and a coil receiver  632 . The P and N signals from the coil transmitter  631  and the coil receiver, connected as shown, drive a CCC  135 W. The CCC  135 W coil and a matching (may be identical) coil CCC  135 C on the HCC  110 , the pair of coils being proximate to enable inductively passing data signals. An example of the CCC  135  coil is a TDK WR-483250-15M2-G. 
         [0026]    Looking now to  FIG. 7 , the HCC  110  receives 19 VDC power on a line  270  from the PTE  170 . Except for operating voltage, the HCW  120  and HCC  110  are very similar in operation. 
         [0027]    An MCU  710 , for example a Microchip PIC32MX350F128D, may communicate with the ACE  180  via the RS-485 bus  280 , which may be a pass-through in the PTE  170 . The MCU  710  receives data on a line  741  and sends data on a line  744 . Data activity is controlled by an XMIT_EN signal on a line  742 ,  743 . The signals connect the MCU  710  to a coil transmitter  731  and a coil receiver  732 . The P and N signals from the coil transmitter  731  and the coil receiver, connected as shown, drive a CCC  135 C. 
         [0028]    The HCC  110  includes an ESN (electronic serial number)  750 , for example a Maxim Integrated DS2411. The WAND and collar system  100  may be used to provide sensors and communications capability to a fixed piece of equipment. A given WAND&#39;s  101  technology content, such as sensor suite, may be known by its manufacturer&#39;s product model number. As such, all WANDs  101  bearing the instant model number are expected to be the same. That is, the WANDs would be freely interchangeable. However the fixed equipment may be one of an unlimited number of otherwise identical units, and a supervisory system would need to know from which fixed piece of equipment data is being sent to or received from a WAND  101 . The number in an ESN is deemed to be unique, and known to the supervisory system. In some embodiments the WAND  101  may be paired to a certain piece of fixed equipment by interrogating the HCC  110  through the CCC  135  communications link and asking the MCU  710  to report the serial number stored in its ESN  750 . 
         [0029]    As mentioned hereinbefore, there may be electronics in the equipment including the collar  102 . By way of example, we look at an ACE  180 , an exemplary system within an aeroponic growth system. The ACE may be designed to make use of the water sensors of the WSE  150  and/or air sensors ASE  130 . In addition the WAND  101  may provide communications capability via the Wi-Fi instantiated within the STA  140  subsystem of the WAND  101 . The communications may be for the purpose of providing data to an external system or receiving commands from an external system. One of ordinary skill in the art will know of many other purposes, depending upon the fixed equipment and its purpose. 
         [0030]    Per  FIG. 8 , an ACE  180  may communicate with the WAND  101  via the HCC  110  on an RS-485 bus  280 . This and other signals may be passed through to the ACE  180  by the PTE  170 , and power and other signals may be passed to the PTE  170  by the ACE  180 . The ACE  180  may include an MCU  810 , which includes a number of general purpose input/output (GPIO) pins  820 . Some systems may include an ADC  830  to provide a digital version of analog signals connected to the ADC  830 . In an aeroponic system the MCU  810  may provide signals to turn fans ON or OFF, as well as motor drivers, relays, and the like. In one embodiment the ACE  180  includes a variety of colored lights, wherein the MCU  810  may turn on a light of an appropriate color, for example green, yellow, or red and optionally a noise-producing device to provide a quick and easy status value to an observer. In some embodiments it is the ACE  180 , likely being connected to grid power, which provides the 19 VDC input to the PTE  170 . 
         [0031]    The preceding description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.