INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT LOCALIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR SENSOR NETWORKS

• US 20080291042A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Soares, Richard Pereira Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/752,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20080291042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A sensor node for a wireless sensor network is provided. The sensor node comprises a sensor module including one or more sensors, a data processor in operative communication with the sensor module, a radio frequency transceiver in operative communication with the data processor, and an inertial measurement unit in operative communication with the radio frequency transceiver. A power source is coupled to the sensor module, the data processor, the radio frequency transceiver, and the inertial measurement unit. The inertial measurement unit is configured to determine a location of the sensor node during initial deployment of the sensor node in the sensor network.

Claims

1. A sensor node comprising:

a sensor module including one or more sensors;

a data processor in operative communication with the sensor module;

a radio frequency transceiver in operative communication with the data processor;

an inertial measurement unit in operative communication with the radio frequency transceiver; and

a power source coupled to the sensor module, the data processor, the radio frequency transceiver, and the inertial measurement unit;

wherein the inertial measurement unit is configured to determine a location of the sensor node during initial deployment of the sensor node in a sensor network.

2. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein each of the sensor module, the data processor, the radio frequency transceiver, and the inertial measurement unit are coupled to the power source by a power bus.

3. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a vibration sensor, a differential pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a magnetometer, an acoustic sensor, an optical sensor, or combinations thereof.

4. The sensor node of claim 3, wherein the vibration sensor comprises a piezoelectric cable.

5. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the data processor comprises a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, a central processing unit, a programmable logic device, or a computer.

6. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries.

7. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the inertial measurement unit comprises one or more gyroscopes, angular accelerometers, velocity meters, or combinations thereof.

8. A wireless sensor network comprising:

a plurality of sensor nodes, each of the sensor nodes comprising;

a sensor module including one or more sensors;

a data processor in operative communication with the sensor module;

a radio frequency transceiver in operative communication with the data processor; and

a power source coupled to the sensor module, the data processor, and the radio frequency transceiver;

wherein one or more of the sensor nodes further comprises an inertial measurement unit in operative communication with the radio frequency transceiver and coupled to the power source; and

a processing node in operative communication with the plurality of sensor nodes;

wherein the inertial measurement unit is configured to determine a location of a sensor node that includes the inertial measurement unit during initial deployment of the sensor node in the sensor network.

9. The sensor network of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a vibration sensor, a differential pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a magnetometer, an acoustic sensor, an optical sensor, or combinations thereof.

10. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the vibration sensor comprises a piezoelectric cable.

11. The sensor network of claim 8, wherein the radio frequency transceiver is configured to communicate with other sensor nodes and the processing node in the sensor network.

12. The sensor network of claim 8, wherein the inertial measurement unit is configured to communicate positional data to the radio frequency transceiver for transmission to the processing node in the sensor network.

13. The sensor network of claim 8, wherein the processing node comprises a computer and a wireless communication device.

14. The sensor network of claim 8, wherein one or more of the sensor nodes lack an inertial measurement unit.

15. The sensor network of claim 14, wherein the sensor nodes that lack an inertial measurement unit are configured to communicate with one or more sensor nodes that include an inertial measurement unit.

16. A method for deployment of a wireless sensor network, the method comprising:

providing a processing node;

providing a plurality of sensor nodes, each of the sensor nodes comprising;

a sensor module including one or more sensors;

a data processor in operative communication with the sensor module;

a radio frequency transceiver in operative communication with the data processor; and

a power source coupled to the sensor module, the data processor, and the radio frequency transceiver;

wherein one or more of the sensor nodes further comprises an inertial measurement unit in operative communication with the radio frequency transceiver and coupled to the power source;

deploying the plurality of sensor nodes from one or more starting locations;

initializing the inertial measurement unit based on the one or more starting locations;

employing the inertial measurement unit to track movement of the sensor node that carries the inertial measurement unit until the sensor node reaches a resting location;

transmitting tracking data from the sensor node to the processing node; and

determining a position of the resting location of the sensor node.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein one or more of the sensor nodes lack an inertial measurement unit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor nodes that lack an inertial measurement unit are configured to communicate with one or more sensor nodes that include an inertial measurement unit.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting a power-up signal from the processing node to the deployed sensor nodes so that other electronic components of the sensor nodes power-up.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

employing the inertial measurement unit to track movement of a sensor node that has moved from the resting location to a new location; and

determining the position of the new location from tracking data and the resting location.