DE102006035187A1 - Transponder assembly to capture physical data on bulk aggregates e.g. road asphalt or bitumen finisher - Google Patents

Abstract

Claimed is bulk aggregate building material e.g. sand, gravel, asphalt or liquid concrete into which one or more transponders have been admixed. The transponders contain information that may be captured by radio interrogation. Each transponder has a sensor that monitors physical information e.g. temperature, pressure, mechanical tension. A predetermined number of transponders are admixed to the bulk aggregate in a given ratio. Also claimed is a system to process the bulk aggregates e.g. road asphalt or bitumen finisher based on information trapped by radio interrogation. Further claimed is that transponder interrogation units are attached to various stations in the bulk aggregate processing assembly.

Description

The The invention relates to a building material according to the preamble of the claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a processing system for such a building material.

It There are a variety of construction materials that provide quality control subject to certain characteristics of the building made of it to ensure. These include Concretes, especially for building construction and civil engineering, and e.g. Asphalt materials for road construction. In particular, asphalt materials often become heated to the processing site delivered and must have a certain minimum temperature during installation. Previously known activities quality assurance to take and analyze samples of building materials. This is an elaborate process, often because of the time required to do so not feasible at the construction site is. Furthermore occurs at the conclusion on a material quality by nature a statistical uncertainty on.

RFID systems have been in use in logistics and inventory management for some time. In this case, a transponder - a so-called RFID tag - is installed on goods, in particular on packaging or on pallets, which can be read by a reader installed at the goods receipt or at a point of sale using electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency range. Exemplary is the GB 2 308 947 A called, in which the RFID technology is described. In addition, it is possible to provide RFID tags with sensors that allow detection of environmental conditions in the environment of the RFID tag. With the help of a temperature sensor on a food packaging, for example, a cold chain for frozen food can be monitored.

construction materials become common in loose or viscous state manufactured, stored and installed. Often there is no packaging where a label could be attached. Besides, they are such building materials only briefly absorbed in any containers, so that labeling the container is disproportionately expensive and due the short residence time a clear assignment of the label to the construction material is difficult.

outgoing From the state of the art, the object of the invention is the logistics and quality control of building materials.

These The object is achieved by a building material having the features of the patent claim 1 and further by a processing system for a building material having the features of claim 6 solved.

a Building material, which in a pourable state or in a flowable condition for Installation on a structure is suitable, especially asphalt, concrete asphalt or concrete, become electromagnetic according to the invention contactlessly readable transponder units added. Other building materials, according to the invention with transponder units can be offset, Among others are cement, gravel, clay, loose insulating materials such as. Cellulose flakes or liquid coatings. Such Construction material can be at any time without contact identify. This can be independent from a storage form and in particular independently of the container used or a packaging. The identification can be at distances of several tens of meters. Confusion of similar Building materials or the same building materials of different quality level can reliable be excluded. Dependent on from the number of pieces The transponder units used can also be small amounts Building material can be identified. The identification of the building material can over the manufacturing process, transportation and installation during the throughout the life of the structure. This is how the structure of the finished structure can be structured in retrospect, just notice. This simplifies remedial measures and possibly dismantling. Furthermore Proof can be provided that the building material complies with the regulations has been used. Poor construction material can even after the construction phase due to the possibility of identification be traced back to the respective manufacturer or supplier, even if several suppliers were involved.

A processing system for such a building material comprises at least one of the following components: A manufacturing device comprising a mixing device by which a pourable or flowable starting material transponder units are admixed, a transport vehicle, a container in which the building material is receivable, and one on the Contents of the container acting transponder reader comprises, a processing machine for installation of the building material in a building comprising a reading device for transponders, which acts on the building material to be processed, and a test device for built-in building material, which can be directed to the built-in building material reading device for Transponder includes. Such a processing system - and in particular also considered its components in each case - allow the simple, construction-ready production of the building material according to the invention and its complete tracking of the Production from transport and processing to inspection of the finished structure. The building material can be detected by a logistics system to which the respective reading devices are connected. Proof of proper storage, transport and installation can be provided as the identity and, if applicable, the condition of the building material can be recorded at the respective processing stations.

Further, advantageous embodiments of the present invention are in specified in the dependent claims.

Have the transponder unit a readable information store, so can be achieved by using identically constructed transponders a big Identify a variety of building materials distinguishable. In addition, can used a unified system of transponder units and readers become. The information store also allows additional information, such as. the name of the manufacturer, an application of the building material, Handling instructions, hazard warnings, etc. directly together with the building material. An elaborate lookup in working documents or in production protocols may be omitted.

According to one Particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention the transponder units each with an electronic sensor provided for detecting a physical quantity. One corresponding to the measured variable Signal can be read out by the transponder units. Thereby are not just the identity of a building material but also its storage conditions and processing conditions detectable. It can e.g. Warehouse or Transport conditions that make the building material unusable let, be registered. Such conditions can be detected by detecting the sensor signals either better avoided, or it may be recognized as unusable Building material to be discarded. This can e.g. Frost in concrete or too low a processing temperature for asphalt materials.

According to the requirements to the building material are preferably temperature sensors, pressure sensors and / or sensors used to detect a mechanical stress. It can Transponders that contain one or more different sensors be used. It can also different transponders with different sensor equipment be mixed with the building material at the same time. Thus, e.g. a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor may be included on an RFID tag. alternative can each have an RFID tag with a pressure sensor and an RFID tag with it be mixed with a temperature sensor.

If the transponder units the building material in a predetermined number density can be added from the electronically recordable number the transponder draws conclusions about the Pull amount of building material.

Thereby can e.g. a billing will be facilitated. In addition, the least amount fixed on building material, which with high probability at least contains a transponder and thus can be identified.

Preferably are the respective readers of the components of the processing system equipped with a memory in which at given times read out transponder data can be stored. This can be done the identity of the Building material, if necessary together with its ambient conditions, in short time intervals capture and automatically document. The collected data can be at the handover of the building material to a downstream processing station with passed and evaluated. This makes the subsequent processing process optimal Taxes. Furthermore can be a lineup over the transported or processed material with respect to the used vehicle or the processing machine automatically to be generated.

According to one Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is a Information processing system present, to which the respective reading device for processing or visualization of transponder data via a preferably wireless interface is connected. This allows the Optimization of the construction process on major construction sites and in road construction. In particular, the delivery and processing of the requested Materials are better coordinated and centrally controlled. Thus, e.g. the order of vehicles when delivering hot asphalt dependent on be determined by the temperature of the charged asphalt. Farther The transponder data can also be linked with location data and allow the transponder data within a geographic information system (GIS).

According to one In another embodiment, the processing machine is a black paver. This can e.g. the temperature of the delivered material by means of suitable Transponder - e.g. with temperature sensors - check and an additional heating during to control the processing or a job speed so that an optimal result is achieved.

According to a further embodiment, the processing machine is an asphalt rolling vehicle. By means of suitable transponders - eg with pressure sensors - the compaction of the material can be detected and the number of rolling operations can be optimally adjusted.

following The present invention and its advantages will be better understood by reference explained in more detail on the embodiment shown in the figures.

1 shows the schematic structure of a transponder provided with a sensor in RFID technology and its interaction with a reader in each case greatly simplified form and

2 shows the schematic structure of a processing system for a road surface, is used with the offset transponder building material.

According to 1 is a transponder 1 is designed as a passive RFID tag and is equipped with an antenna 5 , a transmitting and receiving electronics 7 a microprocessor 9 and a sensor element 11 fitted.

An associated reading device 3 is with an antenna, a transmitting device for electromagnetic waves for powering the RFID tag, a transmitting and receiving electronics for data of the RFID tag, possibly with a location electronics for locating RFID tags, with a memory for storing captured data and data interfaces to Coupling of other systems provided. Thus, a central data processing system, for example via. a mobile phone network to the reading device 3 access.

The reading out of a transponder 1 through the reading device 3 be briefly described below. The reading device 3 sends electromagnetic waves 12 in the direction of the transponder 1 , These are from the antenna 5 of the transponder 1 receive and serve the transponder 1 as an energy supply. The received energy allows activation of the microprocessor 9 , which then sends a signal from the sensor 11 evaluates, encodes the sensor signal suitable and together with an identification code of the transponder 1 to the transmitting and receiving electronics 7 passes. The transmitting and receiving electronics 7 generated by load modulation of the radiated electromagnetic waves 12 or by backscatter a response signal 14 that through the reading device 3 is evaluated. With the response signal 14 the identification code and the sensor signal are transmitted.

Of course, the transponder 1 also be designed as an active RFID tag, ie an RFID tag that has its own power supply. This activates to a request signal of the transmitting device 3 and responds with its identification tag and the sensor signal.

The transponder 1 can - regardless of whether it is designed as an active or passive RFID tag - be provided with a writable memory whose data on request of the reading device 3 through the microprocessor 9 be read out and transmitted. This memory can by a corresponding signal of the reading device 3 with from the reading device 3 transmitted data will be described. With an active RFID tag, sensor readings can be detected at predetermined time intervals independently of a power supply by the reading device and stored in the memory of the RFID tag for later transmission.

Mechanically robust and up to 750 ° C temperature-resistant RFID tags are now available or from manufacturers announced.

The 2 shows the use of the previously described transponder technology in a processing system for building material. The following embodiment relates to the black ceiling production in road construction.

In a manufacturing plant 20 for asphalt material is used in a mixing plant 21 a starting material 23 a certain amount of transponders 1 admixed. The transponders 1 are of the same type but contain different sensors for temperature and pressure. In the further manufacturing process, the production parameters of temperature and pressure and by recording the distribution and the number of sensors and the degree of mixing or a ratio of material content can be determined. For this purpose, at the mixing and processing stations of the asphalt material each directed to the building material readers 25 . 26 intended. The readers 25 . 26 correspond in structure and function of the reading device described above 3 , The manufacturing process can be combined with the recorded data of the transponder 1 control according to the desired parameters.

Subsequent to the production, the finished recycled and transponder-mixed asphalt material 28 on a transport vehicle 30 loaded. On the transport vehicle 30 is again a reader 31 secured, can be read with the transponder in the load. At the construction site 40 becomes a blackout paver 42 with the asphalt material 28 fed. Optionally, in the processing of the asphalt material 28 in the black ceiling paver 42 transponder 1' be added, if further transponder with possibly other sensors are needed, or if an asphalt material that is not provided with transponders, should be processed. A reader 44 captures the Transponder data of the asphalt material 28 with which the black paver 42 is filled. The asphalt material 28 is in the form of a road surface 48 built-in. An asphalt rolling machine 50 compacts the road surface. The asphalt rolling machine 50 has a suitable location, eg at the lower vehicle frame, a reader 52 for reading the transponder in the asphalt material of the road surface 48 , By means of a surveillance vehicle 54 which also has a reader 56 the transponders will be in the asphalt material of the finished road 60 read.

By means of the transponders mixed with the building material and readers arranged at the production, transport and processing stations, it is possible to ensure comprehensive quantitative detection and quality assurance of the building material throughout the entire processing process and during subsequent operation. The following are individual aspects of the capture and quality assurance with respect to the in 2 illustrated embodiment highlighted.

In the manufacturing plant 20 are used in the preparation of the asphalt material 28 the transponders 1 in a required concentration (sensors / volume unit, eg 1000 sensors / m ³ ) the starting material 23 added. These may be transponders with similar sensors, eg pressure or temperature or mechanical stress, they may be different transponders each with a sensor for pressure, temperature, mechanical stress, etc., or they may be transponders, which include multiple sensors to accommodate multiple measurements simultaneously. Already during the preparation, the quality (temperature, pressure, mixing ratio, etc.) of the building material, as well as the concentration of sensors by the readers 25 or 26 at the mixing plant 21 be recorded and monitored.

When filling the transport vehicle 30 can through the reader 31 exactly what material and in what condition (quality) of this on a particular transport vehicle 30 was loaded. Every transport vehicle 30 has a unique identifier which, for example, can also be matched automatically with the filled building material via an RFID tag attached to the transport vehicle.

The reader 31 on the transport vehicle 30 records the quality and condition of the load during filling and also during transport. As a result, it can be demonstrated, for example, that the temperature of the asphalt material 28 does not fall below a critical value during transport to the construction site. If the temperature data are made available online, the material flow can be optimized by, for example, a transport vehicle 30 , the more cooled asphalt material 28 transported, is preferred. The order of the transport vehicles can be sensibly varied.

When filling the blackface paver 42 that's about the reader 44 If necessary, the transferred material quality and its condition are automatically monitored and, if necessary, reacted to. If the asphalt material has not yet been transposed with transponders by this time, it is possible to use the transponders here 1' to mix under the asphalt material. There is also the possibility of transponders 1' with other sensors, eg for compaction measurement here to mix under the material.

The asphalt rolling machine 50 for the compression of the material 48 also has suitable readers 52 for locating and reading the transponder data so that the compaction of the roadway can be optimally designed, ie as few passes as possible are required. The asphalt rolling machine 50 can store all data for quality assurance.

After completion, it is possible during the operating phase, at any time the current condition of the road 60 to monitor and log. This is done by a surveillance vehicle 54 with a reader 56 over the carriageway section.

One Application area for Transponder with sensors for detecting a mechanical tension are also prestressed concrete parts. In the manufacture of such components can the reliable one Achieving the necessary tension through the transponder attached to the concrete be recorded. In addition, can in the operating phase a decrease in the tension and thus a Renovation needs detected early become.

The described technique for reading the state of the building material can also be used by the users of the building. For example can a car with a reader be equipped to e.g. the temperature or the humidity of the roadway capture.

1

transponder

3

reader

5

antenna

7

Send- and receiving electronics

9

microprocessor

11

sensor element

12

electromagnetic waves

14

answer signal

20

manufacturing plant

21

batching plant

23

starting material

25

reader

26

reader

28

asphalt material with transponders

30

transport vehicle

31

reader

40

Building site

42

Pavers

44

reader

48

road surface

50

Asphalt milling vehicle

52

reader

54

monitoring vehicle

56

reader

60

Ready Street

Claims (10)

Building material, which in a pourable state or in a flowable state for installation on a building ( 48 ), in particular asphalt, concrete asphalt or concrete, characterized in that the building material electromagnetically contactlessly readable transponder units ( 1 . 1' ) are added. Building material according to claim 1, characterized in that the transponder units ( 1 . 1' ) comprise a readable information store. Building material according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transponder units ( 1 . 1' ) each with an electronic sensor ( 11 ) are provided for detecting a physical measured variable and that a signal corresponding to the measured variable ( 14 ) of the transponder units ( 1 . 1' ) is readable. Building material according to claim 3, characterized in that it is in the sensors ( 11 ) around temperature sensors, pressure sensors and / or sensors ( 11 ) for detecting a mechanical stress is. Building material according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transponder units ( 1 . 1' ) are added to the building material in a predetermined number density. Processing system for a building material ( 28 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5, which comprises at least one of the following components: a production device ( 20 ) for such a building material, which is a Zumischeinrichtung ( 21 ) by which a pourable or flowable starting material ( 23 ) Transponder units ( 1 ), a transport vehicle ( 30 ), a container into which the building material ( 28 ) and a reading device acting on the contents of the container ( 31 ) for transponders ( 1 ), a processing machine ( 42 . 50 ) for installation of the building material ( 28 ) in a building containing a reading device ( 44 . 52 ) for transponders ( 1 . 1' ), which depends on the building material to be processed ( 28 ), and a test arrangement ( 54 ) for built-in building material ( 60 ), one on the built-in building material ( 60 ) readable reading device ( 56 ) for transponders ( 1 . 1' ). Processing system according to claim 6, characterized in that the respective reading device ( 25 . 26 . 31 . 44 . 52 . 56 ) is assigned a memory in which read at predetermined times transponder data can be stored. Processing system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that an information processing system is provided, to which the respective reading device ( 25 . 26 . 31 . 44 . 52 . 56 ) is connected for processing or visualization of transponder data via a preferably wireless interface. Processing system according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the processing machine ( 42 ) is a black paver. Processing system according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the processing machine ( 50 ) is an asphalt rolling machine.