Wireless sensor apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method for use by a sensor platform having at least one sensor and a wireless transceiver, comprising:
- detecting wireless communications amongst a first plurality of sensor platforms and identifying a first communications schedule by which the first plurality of sensor platforms so communicate;
detecting wireless communications amongst a second plurality of sensor platforms and identifying a second communications schedule by which the second plurality of sensor platforms so communicate;
determining a communication schedule that comprises a reduced time requirement for communications as compared to a combination of the first communications schedule and the second communications schedule but that is at least partially coincident with the first communications schedule and the second communications schedule such that the sensor platform can communicate from time to time with the first plurality of sensor platforms and the second plurality of sensor platforms.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Wireless sensor platforms (10), when deployed, can ascertain whether they can meaningfully participate in communications with more than one cluster (22, 23) of such devices. When true, such multi-cluster platforms can serve as bridge nodes to facilitate the passing of data collected from one cluster to or through another cluster. In a preferred embodiment, the platforms serving as bridge modes (24 and 25) utilize a communication schedule that imposes no greater work load than the load the platform would otherwise have served as an ordinary node, and preferably the workload is considerably reduced. This aids in ensuring that the portable power reserves of the bridge nodes will support bridge operations for at least as long as the clusters are otherwise functioning.
65 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for use by a sensor platform having at least one sensor and a wireless transceiver, comprising:
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detecting wireless communications amongst a first plurality of sensor platforms and identifying a first communications schedule by which the first plurality of sensor platforms so communicate;
detecting wireless communications amongst a second plurality of sensor platforms and identifying a second communications schedule by which the second plurality of sensor platforms so communicate;
determining a communication schedule that comprises a reduced time requirement for communications as compared to a combination of the first communications schedule and the second communications schedule but that is at least partially coincident with the first communications schedule and the second communications schedule such that the sensor platform can communicate from time to time with the first plurality of sensor platforms and the second plurality of sensor platforms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A wireless sensor platform, comprising:
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a wireless transceiver;
a control unit operably coupled to the wireless transceiver and having at least a first mode of operation, a second mode of operation, and a third mode of operation, wherein;
the first mode of operation comprises detecting wireless communications of a plurality of clusters, wherein each such cluster comprises a plurality of wireless sensor platforms, and determining a communications schedule as corresponds to each of the clusters;
the second mode of operation comprises interacting with other wireless sensor platforms that are also able to interact wirelessly with a plurality of such clusters;
the third mode of operation comprises inter-operating with at least one of the plurality of clusters on a less frequent basis than is otherwise compliant with the communications schedule that corresponds to the at least one of the plurality of clusters. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of obtaining sensed data from a plurality of wireless sensor platforms that are spatially dispersed, comprising:
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forming a plurality of clusters comprised of wireless sensor platforms that share at least one predetermined cluster-membership criteria, wherein the wireless sensor platforms that comprise each such cluster communicate amongst themselves pursuant to a corresponding schedule;
identifying any wireless sensor platforms that have wireless inter-operability with more than one of the clusters to provide candidate bridge platforms;
scheduling at least some of the candidate bridge platforms to serve as bridge platforms by inter-operating with at least two of the clusters, wherein each of the bridge platforms inter-operates with multiple clusters at substantially no greater duty cycle than a wireless sensor platform performing in ordinary fashion will inter-operate with other wireless sensor platforms that belong to its cluster. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification