System and method for selecting a communication network in a sensor network
First Claim
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1. A sensor network for selecting one of a wireless connection and a wired connection, the sensor network comprising:
- a server;
a sensor data concentrator connected to the server;
a first network based on a wireless communication protocol;
a second network based on a power line communication protocol connected to the sensor data concentrator and to the server;
the sensor data concentrator having a first control module including a first memory storing at least one power line stack based on the power line communication protocol, and at least one wireless stack based on the wireless communication protocol, wherein the at least one power line stack includes a first media access (MAC) layer and the at least one wireless stack includes a second MAC layer, wherein the first MAC layer and the second MAC layer both conform to the wireless communication protocol; and
at least one sensor node in communication with the sensor data concentrator over both the first network and the second network, and with the server over the second network, the at least one sensor node including at least one sensor and a second control module in communication with the at least one sensor, the second control module including control logic for selecting either the first network or the second network to communicate with the sensor data concentrator over the first and the second network, and with the server over the second network, wherein selection of the first or the second network by the first and the second control modules is based on at least one operating parameter of the sensor network, wherein the first network is a default connection that is used unless the control module transmits secure data.
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Abstract
A sensor network is disclosed, and includes a first network based on a wireless communication protocol, a second network based on a power line communication protocol, and at least one sensor node in communication with one of the first network and the second network. The sensor node includes at least one sensor and a control module in communication with the at least one sensor. The control module includes control logic for selecting one of the first network and the second network based on at least one operating parameter of the sensor network.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A sensor network for selecting one of a wireless connection and a wired connection, the sensor network comprising:
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a server; a sensor data concentrator connected to the server; a first network based on a wireless communication protocol; a second network based on a power line communication protocol connected to the sensor data concentrator and to the server; the sensor data concentrator having a first control module including a first memory storing at least one power line stack based on the power line communication protocol, and at least one wireless stack based on the wireless communication protocol, wherein the at least one power line stack includes a first media access (MAC) layer and the at least one wireless stack includes a second MAC layer, wherein the first MAC layer and the second MAC layer both conform to the wireless communication protocol; and at least one sensor node in communication with the sensor data concentrator over both the first network and the second network, and with the server over the second network, the at least one sensor node including at least one sensor and a second control module in communication with the at least one sensor, the second control module including control logic for selecting either the first network or the second network to communicate with the sensor data concentrator over the first and the second network, and with the server over the second network, wherein selection of the first or the second network by the first and the second control modules is based on at least one operating parameter of the sensor network, wherein the first network is a default connection that is used unless the control module transmits secure data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of selecting one of a first network and a second network within a sensor network of an aircraft, the first network being a wireless protocol network connected between a sensor node and a sensor data concentrator, and the second network being a power line communication protocol network connected between the sensor node and the sensor data concentrator and between the sensor node and a server, the method comprising:
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detecting, by a first control module in the sensor data concentrator, at least one operating parameter of the sensor network, wherein the first network is a default connection that is used unless the control module transmits secure data, in which the first control module includes a memory storing at least one power line stack based on a power line communication protocol and at least one wireless stack based on a wireless communication protocol, and the at least one power line stack includes a first media access (MAC) layer and the at least one wireless stack includes a second MAC layer, and wherein the first MAC layer and the second MAC layer both conform to the wireless communication protocol; and selecting, by the first control module, either the first network or the second network based on the at least one operating parameter of the sensor network, wherein the sensor node communicates with the sensor data concentrator over the first network based on the wireless communication protocol, the sensor node communicates with the sensor data concentrator and with the server over the second network based on the power line communication protocol, and the first control module is part of at least one sensor node in communication with the first network and the second network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification