Method for cluster head selection in networks accessed by mobile devices

• US 20050288904A1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Warrior, Jogesh, Eidson, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Representative embodiments are directed to distributed sensor systems from which measurement data is extracted using mobile devices. Representative embodiments record access attempts by the mobile devices and calculate the probabilities of future access by a mobile device to sensor devices using the recorded information. Collection points are selected in response to the probabilities of future access. Additionally, memory management and data prioritization may occur that is at least partially dependent upon the probabilities of future access.

Claims

1. A method of operating a sensor net, comprising:

detecting access attempts by one or several mobile devices to nodes within said sensor net;

calculating probabilities of future access attempts to said nodes within said sensor net; and

selecting ones of said nodes to perform collection point services for said sensor net using said calculated probabilities of future access attempts.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said selecting is performed by an application server remote from said sensor net.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said selecting is performed by a distributed application implemented within nodes of said sensor net.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said selecting comprises:

selecting a density of nodes to perform collection point services within a portion of said sensor net as a function of probabilities of future access in said portion.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating calculated probabilities through said sensor net.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said probabilities of future access attempts are a function of time.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving wake-up signals from mobile devices that cause nodes of said sensor net to leave a sleep mode to enable communication with said mobile devices.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said selecting comprises:

determining whether a selection of nodes to perform collection point services satisfies a data collection constraint.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prioritizing measurement data for routing to nodes performing collection point services.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prioritizing measurement data for communication to mobile devices.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said prioritizing occurs according to a type of measurement data.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said prioritizing occurs according to a probability of future access of a node that generated said measurement data.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

deleting measurement data from memory of said node of said sensor net when memory capacity of said node is reached.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

processing selected measurement samples stored in said memory to generate derivative measurement data; and

storing said derivative measurement data in said memory, wherein said selected measurement samples are the measurement data selected for said deleting.

15. A sensor device for operating a sensor net, comprising:

means for detecting and recording attempts to access measurement data by mobile devices;

means for calculating a probability of future access by a mobile device to said sensor device using said recording access attempts;

means for receiving information related to probabilities of future access associated with other sensor devices within said sensor net;

means for communicating information related to probabilities of future access to other sensor devices; and

means for performing collection point selection in communication with other sensor devices using said probabilities of future access.

16. The sensor device of claim 15 further comprising:

means for receiving a wake-up signal from a mobile device to cause said sensor device to exit a low power mode of operation.

17. The sensor device of claim 15 further comprising:

means for communicating measurement data to one or several collection points.

18. The sensor device of claim 17 wherein said means for communicating measurement data prioritizes measurement data for communication.

19. The sensor device of claim 18 wherein measurement data is prioritized according to a sensor device that originated said measurement data.

20. The sensor device of claim 18 wherein measurement data is prioritized according to a time of generation of said measurement data.

21. The sensor device of claim 18 further comprising:

means for processing measurement samples.

22. The sensor device of claim 18 further comprising:

means for deleting measurement data from memory of said sensor device.

23. The sensor device of claim 22 wherein said means for deleting prioritizes data for deletion.

24. The sensor device of claim 22 wherein said means for deleting deletes measurement samples before deleting measurement data derived from said deleted measurement samples.

25. The sensor device of claim 24 wherein said derived measurement data is calculated statistically from said deleted measurement samples.

26. A method of operating a sensor device within a sensor net, comprising:

detecting and recording access attempts to said sensor device by one or more mobile devices;

calculating a probability of future access to said device using said recorded access attempts;

communicating probabilities of future access to and from other sensor devices; and

negotiating with said other sensor devices to select sensor devices to perform collection point services using said probabilities of future access.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

managing measurement data stored in memory of said sensor device.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said managing measurement data comprises:

selecting measurement data to be routed to one or several collection points according to a prioritization algorithm.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said managing measurement data comprises:

selecting measurement data for deletion from said memory to free memory resources.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

processing measurement samples to generate processed measurement data.

31. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

receiving a wake-up signal from a mobile device; and

in response thereto, exiting a low power mode of operation to communicate with said mobile device.