KR100656382B1 - Integrated Sensor Network Device using Ceramic Antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the structure of a sensor network node device in a ubiquitous computing environment, employing a ceramic antenna and integrally configured a sensor unit and a communication unit. If the sensor network node platform is implemented using the ceramic antenna according to the method proposed by the present invention, it is possible not only to provide the same function as the existing platform but also to reduce the size of the platform considerably. And since the antenna protrudes out in the shape of a stick, it is possible to solve the inconveniences of management, storage, and deployment problems at the same time.

Ubiquitous Computing, Sensor Networks, Antennas

Description

Integrated Sensor Network Node with Ceramic Antenna

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a conventional sensor network node platform and each platform to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a photograph of a conventional sensor network node platform and an actual platform to which the present invention is applied.

The present invention relates to a platform structure of a sensor network node that is the basis of ubiquitous computing, and more particularly, to a sensor network node platform incorporating a sensor unit and a communication unit using a ceramic antenna.

Ubiquitous computing was first advocated by Mark Weiser of the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) at Xerox, in a paper published in the September 1991 issue of Scientific American. "Future computers will spread and spread into our lives in ways we are not aware of. They will have hundreds of computers in one room, and they will be interconnected by both cable and wireless networks." The announcement began to attract attention and is now a major area of research and investment by computer-related companies such as IBM. Ubiquitous's dictionary meaning is Latin, meaning 'exists everywhere' and 'omnipresent'. In ubiquitous computing, computers are ubiquitous in various objects, physical environments, and spaces in the real world, but users create an environment so that their appearance does not appear as computers, and all objects and objects are intelligent and connected to electronic space to provide information. It is a concept of creating a space for exchanging and exchanging information.

One possible implementation is a sensor network that attaches electronic tags to all objects (Ubiquitous), recognizes objects and environments, and builds and utilizes real-time information through a network. It is to expand informatization from present people's center to things and ultimately develop into ubiquitous network by integrating with BcN. Therefore, the sensor network initially acquires environmental information by sensing function at the stage of identifying the object through the electronic tag, and establishes an ad hoc network through communication between tags and controls other tags with less function. It is expected to develop to.

As such, the concept of ubiquitous computing continues to evolve, but the basis is a configuration in which various processing units are networked to exchange information with each other. The terminal of ubiquitous computing may be other conventional information devices (computers, mobile phones, PDAs) or home appliances such as refrigerators and TVs. However, a terminal more suitable for ubiquitous computing may include a sensor and a communication unit for recognizing various situations of the surroundings and data, and research and development of a sensor network node having various sensors and communication modules have been attempted.

To date, the antenna adopted for the sensor network node is a dipole aerial antenna. Dipole antennas have been adopted as basic antennas for sensor network nodes because of their relatively simple structure and excellent performance. However, due to the size and shape of the antennas, they cause great inconvenience to developers. In other words, a dipole antenna may provide a stable function in terms of performance, but it is limited to use only at the laboratory level. In other words, if the sensor network is applied in real life, the conventional sensor network node platforms using the conventional dipole antenna are inconsistent with the goal of miniaturization of the sensor network, and the antenna length is longer than the main body. When the sensor network is placed in various environments and the sensor network is placed in various environments, the size of the antenna causes a lot of constraints and inconveniences, and the shape of the protruding antenna is inappropriate in terms of management, maintenance, and storage.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the basic platform of the conventional sensor network node has a limitation in miniaturization, such that the sensor unit and the communication unit are separately configured, and thus, there are considerable restrictions in terms of mobility.

 An object of the present invention is to provide a smaller and lighter sensor network node platform.

Another object of the present invention is to solve the problems and inconveniences caused by the application of the protruding dipole antenna.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sensor network node platform having a sensor unit and a communication unit integrally formed on one substrate.

As a basic platform of a sensor network node of a ubiquitous computing environment according to the present invention for achieving the above technical problem, a sensor unit for sensing and data of the surrounding situation, and a communication unit for wireless transmission and reception of the sensor data with the outside, transmission and reception A sensor network node platform is provided that includes an antenna for emitting and detecting radio frequencies, wherein the sensor unit and the communication unit are integrally configured. Preferably, the antenna is a ceramic antenna.

Hereinafter, a sensor network node structure and a model of an actual platform to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating an existing platform of a sensor network node and a platform according to the present invention. As shown in the conventional sensor network node platform shown in the left side of Figure 1, the conventional sensor network node platform is configured by separating the sensor board and the processor board.

The existing platform employs a short dipole aerial antenna to support wireless communication between sensor network nodes. The shape of the dipole antenna is a long rod that protrudes as shown in the drawing, which is not suitable for the purpose of the sensor network. Therefore, when mass produced and used in practice, the cumbersome shape of the dipole antenna causes many problems and inconveniences.

Conventional sensor network node platforms have many problems that need to be complemented in terms of storage or visual aspects. In other words, when storing sensor network nodes before or after use, the sensor unit and the communication unit are separated and connected through mutual interface cables, and the protruding dipole antennas are also installed in a direction perpendicular to the shape of the platform. It is large and can be stored by bending the antenna or taking a series of other measures. Therefore, the storage cost or transportation cost is high, and due to the deterioration of the antenna performance due to the storage or transport, the performance of the sensor network terminal is eventually reduced.

Most of all, in order to meet the purpose of ubiquitous computing, each sensor network node should be able to acquire various information and deliver each information without any inconvenience in possession while being installed invisibly to the general public. However, the conventional sensor-communication detachable platform employing a dipole antenna has a structure against this basic requirement.

In order to solve this series of problems, the preferred embodiment of the present invention replaces the dipole antenna with an Inverted F-Type ceramic antenna as shown in the structure on the right side of FIG. The dielectric ceramic antenna is a microstrip antenna in which a thick film of silver electrode is printed on a rectangular ceramic substrate, and a radiation electrode and a ground electrode are formed. The dielectric ceramic antenna is smaller in size than the Teflon glass substrate and is extremely stable in temperature. In particular, ceramic antennas have recently been mass-produced with higher speed and better performance.

Although most ceramic antennas have performance disadvantages compared to traditional dipole antennas, they can be used as current ceramic antennas when applied to sensor network nodes for ubiquitous computing. That is, since the sensor network is intended for communication between nodes at close range, the degradation in performance of the ceramic antenna compared to the dipole antenna is within the tolerance range.

When the ceramic antenna is adopted according to the present invention, the size of the sensor network node can be significantly reduced compared to the existing platform employing the dipole antenna. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ceramic antenna is applied according to the present invention so that the sensor network can satisfy the item of miniaturization, and the interface board is divided between the processor board and the sensor board of the existing sensor network node platforms. Breaking away from the combined structure, it adopts a single platform type that can simultaneously provide sensor function, processor function and communication function on the same board or the same module.

2 is a photograph for contrasting a conventional sensor network node platform with a sensor network node platform according to the present invention. As can be seen in Figure 2, the conventional sensor network node solves the problem of the linear antenna by replacing the dipole antenna with a ceramic antenna, the sensor board and the processor board, and also using the space secured by adopting a small ceramic antenna The unit and the communication unit are integrated to implement on one board. That is, by using a ceramic antenna, the platform to which the present invention is applied as compared to the existing platform can lead to a reduction of about 1/2 in size.

In the above-described preferred embodiment of the present invention, an inverted F-type ceramic antenna is applied as the ceramic antenna, but those skilled in the art may understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. something to do. Therefore, it is apparent that the patents to which such modifications and changes are attached belong to the claims proposed by the present invention.

As described above, if the present invention is applied according to the present invention, it can greatly contribute to achieving the goal of miniaturization in the sensor network node. The present invention provides an excellent effect compared to the existing technology in terms of the size of the platform, and can secure the possibility of securing additional space on the platform.

This reduction in size makes the platform even lower. This is more effective when applied to the mass production process. In other words, the sensor board and the processor board are divided into two similar boards, and each board is connected to each other through a connector to provide a function of the fully functional sensor network node platform. As a result, the same functions of the existing platform can be integrated / manufactured into one platform, which can bring about a great advantage in terms of product cost.

Furthermore, if a ceramic antenna is used to support wireless communication between sensor networks, the platform can be packaged and modularized production can be performed. This will greatly secure the industrial competitiveness in the relevant field.

   In particular, when the present invention is applied to the sensor network node platform, the management, maintenance, deployment, etc. of the sensor network can be freed, so that application in related fields can be made easier. Moreover, when the present invention is applied to industrialization, many limitations in the application using the existing sensor network platform can be largely solved.

This is in line with the very small part, the ultimate goal of ubiquitous computing. In addition, the problems in storage, management, and placement that occurred in the conventional protruding stick-shaped dipole antenna can be solved. That is, by applying the present invention, the above-mentioned problems are supported by the same function and performance. In addition, the size of the platform can be significantly reduced, so that various applications can be achieved.

Claims (5)

delete delete As a platform manufacturing method of network node for surrounding situation detection, Providing a ceramic antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves, Integrating the sensor unit for sensing the surrounding situation and data and the communication unit for wireless communication on a single board Method for producing a sensor network node platform comprising a. The method of claim 3, The ceramic antenna is an inverted F-type ceramic antenna. It is the basic platform of sensor network nodes for detecting ambient conditions. Sensor unit for sensing the surrounding situation and data it, A communication unit integrally coupled to the sensor unit and one substrate to wirelessly transmit and receive the data with the outside; A sensor network node platform comprising a ceramic antenna for emitting and detecting transmit and receive radio frequencies.

Images