Multi-tiered network for gathering detected condition information
First Claim
1. A multi-tiered network for gathering detected condition information, said network comprising:
- a first tier composed of a plurality of first tier nodes, wherein said plurality of first tier nodes comprises a radio frequency identification device (RFID) circuit and a sensor for detecting a condition;
a second tier composed of at least one second tier node operable to receive the detected condition information from at least one of the plurality of first tier nodes in a substantially autonomous manner, said at least one second tier node comprising an RFID circuit, a power source, and circuitry for at least one of storing, processing, and transmitting the detected condition information; and
a third tier composed of a third tier node, wherein the third tier node is configured to receive the detected condition information from at least one second tier node, and wherein the third tier node comprises an RFID receiver and circuitry for at least one of storing and processing the detected condition information.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-tiered network for gathering detected condition information includes a first tier having first tier nodes and a second tier having a second tier node. The second tier node is operable to receive detected condition information from at least one of the first tier nodes in a substantially autonomous manner. In addition, the second tier node is operable to at least one of store, process, and transmit the detected condition information. The network also includes a third tier having a third tier node configured to receive the detected condition information and to at least one of store and process the detected condition information.
5 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A multi-tiered network for gathering detected condition information, said network comprising:
-
a first tier composed of a plurality of first tier nodes, wherein said plurality of first tier nodes comprises a radio frequency identification device (RFID) circuit and a sensor for detecting a condition;
a second tier composed of at least one second tier node operable to receive the detected condition information from at least one of the plurality of first tier nodes in a substantially autonomous manner, said at least one second tier node comprising an RFID circuit, a power source, and circuitry for at least one of storing, processing, and transmitting the detected condition information; and
a third tier composed of a third tier node, wherein the third tier node is configured to receive the detected condition information from at least one second tier node, and wherein the third tier node comprises an RFID receiver and circuitry for at least one of storing and processing the detected condition information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for communicating detected condition information across a multi-tiered network, said network comprising a first tier having first tier nodes and a second tier having a second tier node, wherein the first tier nodes each comprise a sensor and a radio frequency identification device (RFID) circuit, said method comprising:
-
in at least one first tier node, receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;
converting the RF signal into electrical energy;
activating the at least one first tier node to a powered state through use of the electrical energy, wherein, in the powered state, the at least one first tier node transmits the detected condition information; and
in the second tier node, substantially autonomously receiving the detected condition information transmitted from the at least one first tier node; and
at least one of, storing, processing, and transmitting the detected condition information received from the at least one first tier node. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A multi-tiered network for gathering detected condition information, said network comprising:
-
a first tier having first tier nodes, said first tier nodes having a sensor for detecting a condition;
a second tier having at least one second tier node;
means for transmitting RF signals to first tier nodes from the at least one second tier node;
means for transmitting detected condition information from the first tier nodes to the at least one second tier node in response to receipt of the RF signals transmitted from the at least one second tier node;
in the at least one second tier node, means for receiving the detected condition information transmitted from the at least one first tier node, wherein the at least one second tier node is configured to transmit the RF signal in a substantially autonomous manner to thereby gather detected condition information from the first tier nodes without requiring substantial user intervention.
-
Specification