Adaptive sensing network

• US 20060226990A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aceinna Transducer Systems Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Crossbow Technology Incorporated (Moog Incorporated)
• Inventors: Broad, Alan S., Horton, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A plurality of modules interact to form an adaptive network in which each module transmits and receives data signals indicative of radio-frequency identification signals, and indicative of proximity sensing at the module. A central computer accumulates the data produced or received and relayed by each module for analyzing inventory, pricing and customer responses to transmit through the adaptive network signals representative of information to be displayed at selectively-addresses modules in response to computer analyses of the data accumulated from modules forming an adaptive network.

Claims

1. A communication module comprising:

a transceiver of electromagnetic energy disposed to transmit and receive data signals;

a sensor of radio-frequency identification signals; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and to the transceiver for forming data signals indicative of sensed radio-frequency identification signals for transmission by the transceiver.

2. A communication module as in claim 1 comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to the processor and disposed to sense the presence of an individual near the module for producing therefrom a data signal indicative of duration of the presence for transmission from the transceiver.

3. A communication module as in claim 1 comprising:

a display panel coupled to the processor and disposed to produce a visual indication of information representative of data signals received by the transceiver.

4. A network of a plurality of modules according to claim 1, each including a transceiver disposed to receive and transmit data signals between other of the plurality of modules;

and

a computer disposed to receive data signals from at least one of the plurality of modules.

5. A network of a plurality of modules according to claim 3, each including a transceiver disposed to receive and transmit data signals between other of the plurality of modules, and including different identification codes for each of the plurality of modules;

and

a computer disposed to transmit and receive data signals including identification codes between the computer and at least one of the plurality of modules for actuating the display panel of one of the plurality of modules having an identification code included within a data signal transmitted by the computer for producing on the display panel of the one module a visual indication of information representative of the data signal transmitted by the computer.

6. A network according to claim 4 in which the computer is disposed to transmit command signals to at least one of the plurality of modules.

7. A network according to claim 6 in which each of the plurality of modules includes a different identification code;

and

the computer transmits a command signal including a selected identification code.

8. A network according to claim 6 in which the computer transmits a command signal to at least one of the plurality of modules to sense radio-frequency identification signals.

9. A network according to claim 6 in which a command signal transmitted by the computer includes an identification code corresponding to at least one of the plurality of modules for actuating a response from the one module.

10. A network according to claim 9 in which the command signal actuates the one module to sense radio-frequency identification signals.

11. A method for computer-implementing a network of a plurality of modules that each transmit and receive electromagnetic signals containing data, comprising:

transmitting from at least one of the plurality of modules signals containing data from receipt by other of the plurality of modules to form a network of interactive modules that implements computer collection of the data.

12. A method according to claim 11 in which each of the plurality of modules is disposed to sense radio-frequency identification signals, the method comprising:

transmitting from at least one of the plurality of modules signals containing data indicative of radio-frequency identification signals sensed by the at least one module.

13. A method according to claim 11 in which each of the plurality of modules operates as a proximity sensor, the method comprising:

transmitting from at least one of the plurality of modules a signal indicative of duration of sensed proximity.

14. A method according to claim 11 in which each of the plurality of modules includes a display and a different identification code, the method comprising:

computer-implementing transmission of signals to one of the plurality of modules having a selected identification code signals for actuating display by the one module of information indicative of the transmitted signals.

15. A method according to claim 13 comprising:

analyzing the duration of sensed proximity for computer-implementing transmission to the at least one module signals representative of information to be displayed thereby in response to analysis of the duration of sensed proximity.

16. A method according to claim 12, comprising:

computer-implementing transmission to at least one of the plurality of modules a signal representative of command to sense radio-frequency identification signals.