WO2001031306A1 - Miniature addressable pressure transducer - Google Patents

Miniature addressable pressure transducer Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001031306A1
WO2001031306A1 PCT/US2000/029300 US0029300W WO0131306A1 WO 2001031306 A1 WO2001031306 A1 WO 2001031306A1 US 0029300 W US0029300 W US 0029300W WO 0131306 A1 WO0131306 A1 WO 0131306A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
pressure
recited
pressure transducer
transducer
data
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/029300
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Larry E. Mosher
Martin E. Fraeman
Original Assignee
The Johns Hopkins University
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to AU12281/01A priority Critical patent/AU1228101A/en
Application filed by The Johns Hopkins University filed Critical The Johns Hopkins University
Publication of WO2001031306A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001031306A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L19/00—Details of, or accessories for, apparatus for measuring steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluent medium insofar as such details or accessories are not special to particular types of pressure gauges
    • G01L19/08—Means for indicating or recording, e.g. for remote indication
    • G01L19/083—Means for indicating or recording, e.g. for remote indication electrical

Definitions

  • the invention relates to spacecraft sensors and, more specifically, to a pressure transducer with integrated electronics that permits distributed data collection of pressure data in a spacecraft through a serial bus, thus, significantly simplifying the spacecraft's electrical wiring.
  • Pressure sensing electronics exist in several existing pressure transducers, but are in bulky separate housings that require long individual harnesses and additional mounting hardware. This adds significantly to the spacecraft's or launch vehicle's harness mass and weight.
  • the invention solves the above problems by repackaging pressure sensing electronics and pressure sensor in an in-line boss and including an interface with a serial data bus. This results in a smaller transducer and, also, in a significant reduction in the mass of the harness and electronics necessary to transport the signal to a spacecraft telemetry system.
  • the transducer is powered with a small battery and only when data is needed. This pulse inquiry mode gives the transducer a life exceeding the normal spacecraft requirement.
  • the battery powered embodiment can also be made to drive an RF transmitter or a light source, e.g., a laser or an infrared (IR) emitting diode, that periodically, e.g., once a second, broadcasts a coded message that is received by a decoder box without requiring any harness whatsoever.
  • a light source e.g., a laser or an infrared (IR) emitting diode
  • IR infrared
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the miniature, addressable pressure transducer of the invention.
  • Fig. 2 illustrates different housings for the transducer shown in Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 consisting of Figs. 3a and 3b, illustrates respectively, the in-line boss and tube stub methods for mounting the transducer shown in Fig. 1 to a line or container.
  • Fig. 4 consisting of Figs. 4a and 4b, illustrates, respectively, a two-wire and one-wire harness approach for multiple transducers of the invention in a spacecraft.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates multiple methods for linking the transducer of the invention to a receiver element through a decoder box.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the transducer of the invention.
  • the invention comprises a pressure transducer 10.
  • the transducer comprises a pressure sensor 12, mounted via a mounting means to a line or container; signal and power conditioning electronics 14 connected to the pressure sensor; and an interface (IF) 16 for communicating with a spacecraft's or launch vehicle's computer (30 in Figs. 4a and 4b), the IF comprising an addressable, digital serial data bus.
  • the sensor 12, electronics 14 and IF 16 are all located in the pressure transducer which is significantly reduced in size as a result.
  • data is transmitted into and out of the transducer over power and power return (ground) wires 20 (two solid lines) leaving the transducer.
  • the dotted lines coming out of the pressure transducer indicate optional, additional links 18 for data and clock.
  • wires may be optimum for serial bus configurations in spacecraft, any number of wires between one and five may be feasible and preferable.
  • One wire only could be used where the transducers use the spacecraft chassis as a common return or ground (see Fig. 4b).
  • Two wires only may be acceptable if the power line is modulated to include data and clock information.
  • the third wire would carry both the data and clock information.
  • a fifth wire could be used for an enable signal or as a sensor select line. Obviously, fewer wires means less harness mass and weight.
  • the pressure transducer can be placed in a square/rectangular or cylindrical housing 22, 24, respectively.
  • the transducer is mounted to a line or container using a mounting means such as an in-line boss 26 or a tube stub 28 as shown in Figs. 3a and 3b, respectively.
  • the signal and power for the pressure transducer can be linked to a receiver element such as the spacecraft or launch vehicle computer 30 via, respectively, a two-wire or one-wire harness; as discussed above 3-5 wires may also be used.
  • a two-wire or one-wire harness as discussed above 3-5 wires may also be used.
  • fiber optic cable shown in Fig. 5, can also be used for carrying data to and from the transducer.
  • Use of two-wire or one-wire harnesses or fiber optic cable significantly reduces the mass of the harness and electronics necessary to transport the signal to the spacecraft telemetry system.
  • the transducer includes and is powered by a power source such as a small battery (32 in Figs. 1 and 6).
  • the battery can be set up to be activated only when the data is needed, i.e., only when the pressure transducer is interrogated for data. This pulse inquiry mode will give the transducer a life exceeding the normal spacecraft requirement.
  • the pressure transducer of the invention can further comprise wireless means for transmitting data therefrom such as, by way of example, a radio frequency (RF) transmitter 34 or a light source 36.
  • the light source can comprise, by way of example, a light emitting diode utilizing infrared (IR) or a laser.
  • IR infrared
  • a light source such as the IR emitting diode that periodically broadcasts a coded message that is received by a decoder box 38 (Fig. 5) located in the receiver element without requiring any harness.
  • a decoder box 38 FIG. 5
  • multiple transducers with unique addresses can transmit to a single decoder box.
  • each transducer can transmit over a single fiber optic cable which is connected to the same type of decoder box. Either of these embodiments will further reduce the system harness mass from that resulting from the use of the multi-wire approach presently required by the conventionally powered serial data bus embodiment of the invention.

Abstract

A pressure sensor (12), signal and power conditioning electronics and an addressable, digital serial data bus interface are placed in a pressure transducer and mounted to a line or container in a spacecraft via an in-line boss. Communication with the spacecraft's computer may be had via wire, RF, IR, laser or fiber optic cable thus significantly reducing the wiring harness required.

Description

MINIATURE ADDRESSABLE PRESSURE TRANSDUCER
CROSS-RFFFRFNCF TO RFT .ATFF) APPT .TCATTON
This application claims the benefit of prior filed copending U.S. provisional application serial no. 60/161,394, filed October 25, 1999 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
STATFMFNT OF GOVFRNMFNTAT . TNTFR .ST This invention was made with Government support under NASA Grant No. NAG 5- 4698. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
RA K GROT TND OF THF. INVENTION The invention relates to spacecraft sensors and, more specifically, to a pressure transducer with integrated electronics that permits distributed data collection of pressure data in a spacecraft through a serial bus, thus, significantly simplifying the spacecraft's electrical wiring.
High mass fraction and miniature spacecraft need the smallest, lightest possible transducer to measure pressure. Pressure sensing electronics exist in several existing pressure transducers, but are in bulky separate housings that require long individual harnesses and additional mounting hardware. This adds significantly to the spacecraft's or launch vehicle's harness mass and weight.
ST TMM AR Y OF THF. INVENTION The invention solves the above problems by repackaging pressure sensing electronics and pressure sensor in an in-line boss and including an interface with a serial data bus. This results in a smaller transducer and, also, in a significant reduction in the mass of the harness and electronics necessary to transport the signal to a spacecraft telemetry system. In a further embodiment of the invention, the transducer is powered with a small battery and only when data is needed. This pulse inquiry mode gives the transducer a life exceeding the normal spacecraft requirement.
The battery powered embodiment can also be made to drive an RF transmitter or a light source, e.g., a laser or an infrared (IR) emitting diode, that periodically, e.g., once a second, broadcasts a coded message that is received by a decoder box without requiring any harness whatsoever. Multiple transducers with unique addresses can feed a single decoder box. Alternatively, each transducer can feed a single fiber optic cable which is connected to a similar type of decoder box. Either of these embodiments will further reduce the system harness mass from that resulting from the use of the multi-wire approach presently required by the conventionally powered serial data bus embodiment of the invention.
R TFF DFSCRTPTTON OF TH F)R A WTNOS Fig. 1 illustrates the miniature, addressable pressure transducer of the invention. Fig. 2 illustrates different housings for the transducer shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, consisting of Figs. 3a and 3b, illustrates respectively, the in-line boss and tube stub methods for mounting the transducer shown in Fig. 1 to a line or container.
Fig. 4, consisting of Figs. 4a and 4b, illustrates, respectively, a two-wire and one-wire harness approach for multiple transducers of the invention in a spacecraft. Fig. 5 illustrates multiple methods for linking the transducer of the invention to a receiver element through a decoder box.
Fig. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the transducer of the invention.
ΠFTATT ,F.D DF.SCRTPTTON As shown in Fig. 1 , the invention comprises a pressure transducer 10. The transducer comprises a pressure sensor 12, mounted via a mounting means to a line or container; signal and power conditioning electronics 14 connected to the pressure sensor; and an interface (IF) 16 for communicating with a spacecraft's or launch vehicle's computer (30 in Figs. 4a and 4b), the IF comprising an addressable, digital serial data bus. The sensor 12, electronics 14 and IF 16 are all located in the pressure transducer which is significantly reduced in size as a result.
As also shown in Fig. 1, data is transmitted into and out of the transducer over power and power return (ground) wires 20 (two solid lines) leaving the transducer. The dotted lines coming out of the pressure transducer indicate optional, additional links 18 for data and clock.
While four wires may be optimum for serial bus configurations in spacecraft, any number of wires between one and five may be feasible and preferable. One wire only could be used where the transducers use the spacecraft chassis as a common return or ground (see Fig. 4b). Two wires only may be acceptable if the power line is modulated to include data and clock information. In a three wire embodiment, the third wire would carry both the data and clock information. A fifth wire could be used for an enable signal or as a sensor select line. Obviously, fewer wires means less harness mass and weight.
As shown in Fig. 2, the pressure transducer can be placed in a square/rectangular or cylindrical housing 22, 24, respectively. The transducer is mounted to a line or container using a mounting means such as an in-line boss 26 or a tube stub 28 as shown in Figs. 3a and 3b, respectively.
As shown in Figs. 4a and 4b, the signal and power for the pressure transducer can be linked to a receiver element such as the spacecraft or launch vehicle computer 30 via, respectively, a two-wire or one-wire harness; as discussed above 3-5 wires may also be used. Instead of wire, fiber optic cable, shown in Fig. 5, can also be used for carrying data to and from the transducer. Use of two-wire or one-wire harnesses or fiber optic cable significantly reduces the mass of the harness and electronics necessary to transport the signal to the spacecraft telemetry system.
In another embodiment of the invention, the transducer includes and is powered by a power source such as a small battery (32 in Figs. 1 and 6). The battery can be set up to be activated only when the data is needed, i.e., only when the pressure transducer is interrogated for data. This pulse inquiry mode will give the transducer a life exceeding the normal spacecraft requirement. As shown in Fig. 6, the pressure transducer of the invention can further comprise wireless means for transmitting data therefrom such as, by way of example, a radio frequency (RF) transmitter 34 or a light source 36. The light source can comprise, by way of example, a light emitting diode utilizing infrared (IR) or a laser. The battery powered embodiment of the invention, as shown in Fig. 6, can be made to drive a light source such as the IR emitting diode that periodically broadcasts a coded message that is received by a decoder box 38 (Fig. 5) located in the receiver element without requiring any harness. As shown in Fig. 5, multiple transducers with unique addresses can transmit to a single decoder box. Alternatively, each transducer can transmit over a single fiber optic cable which is connected to the same type of decoder box. Either of these embodiments will further reduce the system harness mass from that resulting from the use of the multi-wire approach presently required by the conventionally powered serial data bus embodiment of the invention.

Claims

We claim: 1. A pressure transducer for use in a spacecraft or launch vehicle, the pressure transducer comprising: a means for mounting the pressure transducer to a line or container; a pressure sensor mounted via the mounting means to the line or container; signal and power conditioning electronics connected to the pressure sensor; and an interface for communicating with the spacecraft's or launch vehicle's computer comprising an addressable, digital serial data bus.
2. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 1 , the mounting means comprising a tube stub.
3. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 1 , the mounting means comprising an in-line boss.
4. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 3, further comprising a power source, wherein the power source powers the pressure transducer only when the pressure transducer is interrogated for data.
5. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 3, further comprising means for transmitting data from the pressure transducer.
6. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 5, the transmitting means comprising a radio frequency transmitter.
7. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 5, the transmitting means comprising a light source.
8. The pressure transducer as recited in claims 5, 6 or 7, further comprising a receiver element for receiving and decoding the transmitted data.
9. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 8, wherein a plurality of pressure transducers, each pressure transducer having a unique address, transmits data to a single receiver element.
10. The pressure transducer as recited in claims 3 or 7, further comprising a fiber optic cable for carrying data to or from the pressure transducer.
11. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 7, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.
12. The pressure transducer as recited in claim 7, wherein the light source is a laser diode.
13. A method for measuring pressure in a line or container in a spacecraft or launch vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: mounting a pressure sensor to the line or container; connecting signal and power conditioning electronics to the pressure sensor; and interfacing the pressure sensor and signal and power conditioning electronics with the spacecraft's or launch vehicle's computer via an addressable, digital serial data bus.
14. The method for measuring pressure as recited in claim 13, the pressure sensor being mounted on the line or container using an in-line boss.
15. The method for measuring pressure as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting data from the pressure sensor and signal and power conditioning electronics via a radio frequency transmitter.
16. The method for measuring pressure as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting data from the pressure sensor and signal and power conditioning electronics via a light source.
17. The method for measuring pressure as recited in claims 15 or 16, further comprising the step of receiving and decoding the transmitted data using a receiver element.
18. The method for measuring pressure as recited in claim 17, wherein a plurality of pressure sensors, each pressure sensor having a unique address, transmits data to a single receiver element.
19. The method for measuring pressure as recited in claim 16, further comprising the step of carrying data to or from the pressure sensor and signal and power conditioning electronics using a fiber optic cable.
20. The method for measuring pressure as recited in claim 19, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.
PCT/US2000/029300 1999-10-25 2000-10-24 Miniature addressable pressure transducer WO2001031306A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU12281/01A AU1228101A (en) 1999-10-25 2000-10-23 Miniature addressable pressure transducer

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US16139499P 1999-10-25 1999-10-25
US60/161,394 1999-10-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001031306A1 true WO2001031306A1 (en) 2001-05-03

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WO (1) WO2001031306A1 (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5596150A (en) * 1995-03-08 1997-01-21 The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration Capacitance probe for fluid flow and volume measurements
US5701904A (en) * 1996-01-11 1997-12-30 Krug International Telemedicine instrumentation pack
US5950543A (en) * 1997-10-10 1999-09-14 Et3.Com Inc. Evacuated tube transport
US6061004A (en) * 1995-11-26 2000-05-09 Immersion Corporation Providing force feedback using an interface device including an indexing function

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5596150A (en) * 1995-03-08 1997-01-21 The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration Capacitance probe for fluid flow and volume measurements
US6061004A (en) * 1995-11-26 2000-05-09 Immersion Corporation Providing force feedback using an interface device including an indexing function
US5701904A (en) * 1996-01-11 1997-12-30 Krug International Telemedicine instrumentation pack
US5950543A (en) * 1997-10-10 1999-09-14 Et3.Com Inc. Evacuated tube transport

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Publication number Publication date
AU1228101A (en) 2001-05-08

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