Resistive force sensing device and method with an advanced communication interface

Abstract

Several methods and a system of a resistive force sensing device and method with an advanced communication interface are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment provides a force measuring device. The force measuring device includes a resistive sensor having a fixed surface and a movable surface. A spring assembly is positioned between the fixed surface and the movable surface. The spring assembly alters in height in response to a force applied perpendicular to the movable surface and causes a change in a resistance of the resistive sensor. A circuit generates a measurement of the force based on an algorithm that considers a change in the resistance of the resistive sensor. A universal serial bus (USB) interface of the circuit provides digital output of the measurement to a computing device.

1 . A force measuring device comprising:
 a fixed surface and a movable surface;   a member positioned between the fixed surface and the movable surface, the member caused to deflect in response to a force applied to the movable surface and to cause a change in a electrical property of the force measuring device;   a circuit to measure the force based on an algorithm that considers the change in the electrical property of the force measuring device; and   a data processing module of the force measuring device to communicate a measurement through an advanced communication interface.   
     
     
         2 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , wherein the advanced communication interface is at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth interface, a Zigbee interface, a WiFi interface, a WiMax interface, a Wibree interface, a RS-232 interface, a RS-422 interface, a RS-485 interface, an Ethernet interface and a Power over Ethernet interface. 
     
     
         3 . The force measuring device of  claim 2 , wherein the force measuring device receives power from an external device through a power module of the data processing module. 
     
     
         4 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor formed from a fixed surface and a movable surface substantially parallel to the fixed surface,
 wherein a spring assembly is positioned between the fixed surface and the movable surface, and 
 wherein the spring assembly is caused to deflect in response to a force applied perpendicular to the movable surface to cause a change in a gap between the fixed surface and the movable surface. 
   
     
     
         5 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , wherein an algorithm is applied to convert a change in the electrical property to at least one of a voltage response and a frequency response to automatically generate the measurement, wherein the electrical property is at least one of a capacitance, a resistance, and an inductance. 
     
     
         6 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a battery for the force measuring device to store power in the force measuring device, wherein the battery is at least one of a rechargeable battery, a lead acid battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a lithium-ion battery, a wind power chargeable battery, and a solar power battery; and   a software application of a data processing system communicatively coupled to the force measuring device to display the measurement to a user of the data processing system, wherein the measurement is communicated through a wired or wireless network to the data processing system communicatively coupled with the network.   
     
     
         7 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , wherein a contact zone cavity is formed in a ring-like fashion around a periphery of the movable surface, and wherein the force measuring device is a pancake sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , wherein the force measuring device is an S-Beam load cell that provides the measurement when under at least one of a tension and a compression mode. 
     
     
         9 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , wherein the force measuring device is at least one of cantilever beam and a shear beam sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , wherein the force measuring device is a reaction torque sensor having a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. 
     
     
         11 . The force measuring device of  claim 1 , wherein the force measuring device is part of an inventory management system of at least one of a transportation operator, a manufacturer, a distributor, and a retailer through an internet based software application that provides the measurement as an inventory level, wherein the inventory level is at least one of a dry bulk goods inventory level, a discrete parts inventory level, and a volume based inventory level. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 forming a force measuring device through a fixed surface and a movable surface;   positioning a member between the fixed surface and the movable surface, the member caused to deflect in response to a force applied to the movable surface to cause a change in an electrical property of the force measuring device;   generating a measurement of the force through a circuit based on an algorithm that considers a change in the electrical property of the force measuring device; and   communicating the measurement through an advanced communication interface through a data processing module of the force measuring device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the advanced communication interface is at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth interface, a Zigbee interface, a WiFi interface, a WiMax interface, a Wibree interface, a RS-232 interface, a RS-422 interface, a RS-485 interface, an Ethernet interface and a Power over Ethernet interface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the force measuring device receives power from an external device through a power module of the data processing module. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 storing power in a battery of the force measuring device, wherein the battery is at least one of a rechargeable battery, a lead acid battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a lithium-ion battery, a wind power chargeable battery, and a solar power battery;   displaying the measurement to a user of a software application of a data processing system communicatively coupled to the force measuring device; and   wirelessly communicating between the force measurement device and the data processing system through a network.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising forming a contact zone cavity in a ring-like fashion around a periphery of the movable surface, and wherein the force measuring device is a pancake sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing the measurement under at least one of a tension and a compression mode when the force measuring device is an S-Beam load cell. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the force measuring device is a cantilever beam sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the force measuring device is a reaction torque sensor having a USB interface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the force measuring device is part of a inventory management system of at least one of a transportation operator, a manufacturer, a distributor, and a retailer through an internet based software application that provides the measurement as an inventory level, wherein the inventory level is at least one of a dry bulk goods inventory level, a discrete parts inventory level, and a volume based inventory level. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a force measuring device having a fixed surface and a movable surface, a member positioned between the fixed surface and the movable surface;   a network to communicate the measurement through an advanced communication interface through a data processing module of the force measuring device; and   a data processing system communicatively coupled with the force measuring device through an advanced communication interface of the force measuring device to display a measurement of the force applied to the force measuring device, wherein the measurement is received from a circuit of the force measurement device that applies an algorithm that considers a change in the electrical property of the force measuring device.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the advanced communication interface is at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth interface, a Zigbee interface, a WiFi interface, a WiMax interface, a Wibree interface, a RS-232 interface, a RS-422 interface, a RS-485 interface, an Ethernet interface and a Power over Ethernet interface. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the force measuring device provides power to external devices through a power module of the data processing module. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein an algorithm is applied to convert a change in the electrical property to at least one of a voltage response and a frequency response to automatically generate the measurement. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a battery of the force measuring device to store power in the force measuring device, wherein the battery is at least one of a rechargeable battery, a lead acid battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a lithium-ion battery, a wind power chargeable battery, and a solar power battery; and   a software application of a data processing system communicatively coupled to the force measuring device to display the measurement to a user of the data processing system, wherein the measurement is wirelessly communicated through a network to the data processing system communicatively coupled with the network.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein a contact zone cavity is formed in a ring-like fashion around a periphery of a movable surface, and wherein the force measuring device is a pancake sensor. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the force measuring device is an S-Beam load cell that provides the measurement when under at least one of a tension and a compression mode. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the force measuring device is a cantilever beam sensor. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the force measuring device is a reaction torque sensor having a USB interface. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the force measuring device is part of an inventory management system of at least one of a transportation operator, a manufacturer, a distributor, and a retailer through an internet based software application that provides the measurement as an inventory level, wherein the inventory level is at least one of a dry bulk goods inventory level, a discrete parts inventory level, and a volume based inventory level.