Digital Sensor Unique ID Color Codes

Updated April 2023

Introduction

This document describes the color coding scheme for Networked Robotics' digital sensors. Each temperature or humidity probe contains an electronically embedded internally-stored unique ID for regulatory and maintenance purposes.

Our temperature sensors utilize electronic unique IDs that are encoded in the silicon of the Dallas/Maxim temperature sensing chip. The unique IDs are unique worldwide even among different sensor manufacturers for any sensor manufacturer using this brand of temperature sensing chip in their design. The electronic IDs are printed visibly in the epoxy "window" of the probe but they can also be read electronically. This is done via our calibration programmer and a computer - usually a laptop computer in the laboratory. Probe unique IDs can not be changed or deleted. They exist in every digital temperature sensor of the TPL3-series that has been made by Networked Robotics since 2004.

Our color codes that are shown below match the last digit of the Maxim (now merged with Analog Devices) internal unique ID. These unique IDs are coded in numeric hexadecimal so there are 16 possible last-digit values. Calibration data can also be stored/programmed internally inside temperature probes with the use of Networked Robotics' calibration programmer product.

On our humidity sensors, electronically embedded unique IDs are assigned by us rather than the humidity-sensing chip manufacturer, however the same color-coding scheme applies.

Probes are color-banded at both the "head" or sensor-end, and at the "tail" or connector end.

Purpose of Color-coding by Unique Electronic ID

Color coding has several purposes. Networked Robotics NTMS4i network hardware has four possible connections. Color coding helps distinguish, when looking at our network hardware, which device is connected to which of the data collection ports on our hardware. It helps the maintenance of connections.

The color coding scheme can also be used to implement recalibration methodologies in large scale facilities. Yellow probes require recalibration in October, green in November etc.

Individual colors can be specified at order-time by request to Networked Robotics however by default orders are intentionally shipped with diverse colors.

Last Digit of the Electronic ID

The below specifies the last digit of the Networked Robotics electronically embedded unique ID and the associated mesh color banding of the probe. These colors are displayed when using Networked Robotics Calibration Programmer and associated software to read the electronically embedded unique IDs