Transmission terminal, measurement system, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025231153-A1
Application number	US-202519020199-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2025
Priority date	Jan 16, 2024
Publication date	Jul 17, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a measurement system, and a control method capable of improving transmission efficiency of data needed to evaluate a structure. A transmission terminal according to an embodiment includes a receiver, a communicator, and a signal processor. The receiver receives elastic waves output from a sensor configured to detect the elastic waves generated inside a structure. The communicator wirelessly transmits transmission data saved in a transmission buffer memory configured to save transmission data based on the received elastic waves. The signal processor controls elastic wave measurement processing on the basis of the number of items of data saved in the transmission buffer memory and an elapse time from a clock time at which the elastic waves have been detected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A transmission terminal comprising:
a receiver configured to receive elastic waves output from a sensor configured to detect the elastic waves generated inside a structure; a communicator configured to wirelessly transmit transmission data saved in a transmission buffer memory configured to save transmission data based on the received elastic waves; and a signal processor configured to control elastic wave measurement processing on the basis of the number of items of data saved on the transmission buffer memory and an elapse time from a clock time at which the elastic waves have been detected.

2 . The transmission terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor controls, as the elastic wave measurement processing, any of elastic wave measurement, transmission by the communicator, and saving in transmission data in the transmission buffer memory.

3 . The transmission terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the signal processor stops the elastic wave measurement or the saving in the transmission data in the transmission buffer memory and causes the communicator to perform transmission in a case where the elapse time exceeds a first threshold value and the number of items of data saved in the transmission buffer memory is equal to or greater than a second threshold value.

4 . The transmission terminal according to claim 3 , wherein the signal processor releases the stop of the elastic wave measurement and the saving in the transmission data in the transmission buffer memory in a case where the elapse time exceeds a third threshold value and the number of items of data saved in the transmission buffer memory is less than a fourth threshold value.

5 . The transmission terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor counts the number of vehicles on the basis of the received elastic waves and controls the elastic wave measurement processing in a case where the counted number of vehicles has reached a predetermined number of vehicles.

6 . The transmission terminal according to claim 5 , wherein the signal processor resets the counting of the number of vehicles after controlling the elastic wave measurement processing, counts the number of vehicles at a timing at which the elapse time exceeds a fifth threshold value, and does not count the number of vehicles during a time when the elapse time exceeds the fifth threshold value.

7 . The transmission terminal according to claim 6 , wherein the signal processor does not count the number of vehicles in a case where the number of elastic waves generated during the period when the elapse time exceeds the fifth threshold value are less than a sixth threshold value.

8 . The transmission terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor measures a plurality of vehicles using a seventh threshold value that is greater than a first threshold value and is defined by a vehicle speed and a designated maximum inter-vehicle distance.

9 . A measurement system comprising:
the plurality of transmission terminals according to claim 1 ; and a collecting apparatus configured to collect transmission data transmitted from the plurality of transmission terminals, wherein the plurality of transmission terminals
transmit, to the collecting apparatus, a memory signal indicating that a capacity of the transmission buffer memory is empty in a case where the number of items of data saved in the transmission buffer memory is less than a fourth threshold value, and
start measurement of elastic waves after receiving a synchronization signal transmitted from the collecting apparatus, and
the collecting apparatus generates the synchronization signal in a case where the memory signal is obtained from a predetermined number of transmission terminals from among the plurality of transmission terminals and transmits the generated synchronization signal to the predetermined number of transmission terminals.

10 . The measurement system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
one or more vehicle detection sensors configured to detect passing of vehicles, wherein the collecting apparatus generates the synchronization signal in a case where the memory signal has been obtained from the predetermined number of transmission terminals before a timing at which the one or more vehicle detection sensors detect vehicles.

11 . The measurement system according to claim 9 , wherein the collecting apparatus transmits the synchronization signal to one or more transmission terminals that are transmission sources of the memory signal and transmission terminals from which the memory signal has not been obtained in a case where the memory signal has not been obtained from some of the transmission terminals during a predefined period in a period during which measurement is performed in the plurality of transmission terminals.

12 . The measurement system according to claim 10 ,
wherein the collecting apparatus transmits a forced stop signal to forcibly stop the elastic wave measurement processing of the transmission terminals, from which the memory signal has not been obtained, to the transmission terminals, from which the memory signal has not been obtained, and any of the plurality of transmission terminals stops measurement of elastic waves in a case where the forced stop signal has been received.

13 . The measurement system according to claim 9 ,
wherein the plurality of transmission terminals transmit state information indicating states of the transmission terminals themselves to the collecting apparatus at a predetermined timing or transmit the state information to the collecting apparatus in response to a request for transmitting the state information from the collecting apparatus, and the collecting apparatus transmits the synchronization signal on the basis of the state information transmitted from the plurality of transmission terminals.

14 . The measurement system according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of transmission terminals start measurement in a case where a time difference between a current clock time and a clock time of last detection of elastic waves exceeds an eighth threshold value at a timing at which the synchronization signal is received or in a case where the time difference exceeds the eighth threshold value after the synchronization signal is received.

15 . A control method comprising:
receiving elastic waves output from a sensor configured to detect the elastic waves generated inside a structure; wirelessly transmitting transmission data saved in a transmission buffer memory configured to save transmission data based on the received elastic waves; and controlling elastic wave measurement processing on the basis of the number of items of data saved in the transmission buffer memory and an elapse time from a clock time at which the elastic waves have been detected.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Ueda Yuki
• Usui Takashi
• Takamine Hidefumi

Classifications

• G01N29/04

  Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14) · CPC title

• G01N29/4427 Primary

  with stored values, e.g. threshold values · CPC title

• G01N2291/0232

  Glass, ceramics, concrete or stone · CPC title

• G01N29/2481

  Wireless probes, e.g. with transponders or radio links · CPC title

• G01N29/36

  Detecting the response signal {, e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor} · CPC title