Remote wireless sensing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047842-B2
Application number	US-201916369189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A sensor module assembly includes a sensor housing that houses a sensing element configured to sense a characteristic of a process and generate a sensor signal indicative of the characteristic. The sensor module assembly includes a wireless device housing that houses communication circuitry configured to receive the sensor signal and a wireless transmitter configured to send the sensor signal wirelessly to a remote device. The sensor module assembly also includes a communication cable that communicatively couples the sensing element in the sensor housing to the communication circuitry in the wireless device housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless sensor module assembly comprising:
a gas sensor comprising:
a sensor housing mountable within an area to protect;
a gas sensing element disposed in the sensor housing configured to sense a gas and generate a gas sensor signal indicative of the sensed gas;

a wireless device comprising:
a wireless device housing mountable in a user accessible location, the wireless device housing being spaced from the sensor housing;
communication circuitry configured to receive the gas sensor signal; and
a wireless transmitter disposed within the wireless device housing and configured to transmit wireless information to a remote device based on the gas sensor signal in accordance with a wireless process industry standard protocol; and

a communication cable that physically and communicatively couples the gas sensing element to the communication circuitry of the wireless device.

2. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the communication cable comprises sheathing and insulation.

3. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the communication cable comprises a powerline configured to supply power to the sensor or wireless device.

4. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second gas sensor comprising:
a second gas sensing element that is coupled to the communication circuitry by a second communication cable.

5. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device comprises a user interlace mechanism.

6. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 5 , wherein the user interface mechanism comprises a display that displays a current value sensed by the sensor.

7. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 5 , wherein the user interface mechanism comprises a user actuatable mechanism that, when actuated, calibrates the gas sensor.

8. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device comprises a cable interface that receives and removably couples to the communication cable.

9. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 8 , wherein the cable interface is a tool-less interface.

10. The wireless sensor module: assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas sensor is disposed in an inaccessible area of a process environment and the wireless device is disposed in an accessible area of the process environment.

11. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter transmits data over a 2.4 GHz ISM band.

12. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the communication cable is:
a shielded communication cable that couples the gas sensing element to the wireless transmitter, such that the gas sensor signal is received by the wireless transmitter; and
wherein the shielded communication cable comprises a first end that couples to the gas sensing element and a second end that removably couples to a bus of the wireless device housing.

13. The wireless sensor module assembly of claim 12 , wherein the bus of the wireless device housing comprises a plurality of ports, each port configured to receive one of a plurality of shielded communication cables that communicatively couple to a plurality of gas sensors.

Assignees

• Rosemount Inc

Inventors

• Gindele Greg E
• Mcleskey Sean P
• Weinberger Robert M

Classifications

• H04Q2209/30

  using a wired architecture · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• G01N33/0062 Primary

  concerning the measuring method or the display, e.g. intermittent measurement or digital display · CPC title

• H04Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• G01N33/004

  CO or CO2 · CPC title