WIRELESS SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090040044A1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Chiao, Jung-Chih, Hsu, Lun-Chen
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention is a wireless sensor system coupled with sensors to non-invasively monitor external stimuli. By monitoring the outputs of sensors, the output data can be used to activate an alarm or logged for further diagnoses of human conditions.

Claims

1. A wireless sensor system comprising:

a. at least one sensor coupled to a Radio Frequency Identification system comprising a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transmitter includes a wireless module and the transmitter transmits an alarm signal and a sensing signal;

b. the alarm signal transmitted by the transmitter when the output from the sensor is lower than a specific threshold; and

c. the receiver triggers an alarm when the alarm signal is received.

2. The wireless sensor system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter further comprises a circuit coupled to the sensor and the wireless module, wherein the circuit sets a threshold voltage.

3. The wireless sensor system of claim 2, wherein the receiver further comprises a demultiplexer to separate the signals from the transmitter and at least one comparator coupled to the alarm signal.

4. The wireless sensor system of claim 3, wherein the circuit further comprises at least one comparator to set the specific threshold.

5. The wireless sensor system of claim 4, further comprising a storage system to store a sensing signal received from the sensor, wherein the storage system is coupled to the receiver.

6. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, wherein the transmitter further comprises a multiplexer;

and the multiplexer multiplexes the signal from the sensor in the time domain.

7. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, wherein the transmitter further comprises an AND gate.

8. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, wherein the sensor is a gas sensor.

9. The wireless sensor system of claim 8, wherein the gas sensor is a metal-oxide sensor.

10. The wireless sensor system of claim 9, wherein the specific threshold is set to detect a condition.

11. The wireless sensor system of claim 10, wherein the specific threshold is set to detect sudden infant death syndrome.

12. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, further comprising a humidity sensor coupled to the circuit and a negative feedback loop to provide linear voltage output of the circuit versus percentage of relative humidity.

13. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, further comprising a camera and a microphone.

14. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of ports for a plurality of sensors.

15. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, wherein the sensor, the transmitter, and the receiver operate in an active Radio Frequency Identification system.

16. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, wherein the sensor, the transmitter, and the receiver operate in a passive Radio Frequency Tdentification system.

17. The wireless sensor system of claim 5, further comprising a reader collision system.

18. A wireless sensor system comprising:

a. a plurality of sensors coupled to a radio frequency identification system, wherein each sensor includes a transmitter and a receiver;

b. the transmitter includes a wireless module to transmit an alarm signal, a sensing signal, and an identification signal, wherein each transmitter transmits at a distinct frequency;

c. the alarm signal transmitted by the transmitter when the output from the sensor is lower than a specific threshold; and

d. the receiver triggers an alarm when the alarm signal is received.

19. A method for wireless sensing comprising the steps of:

a. detecting external stimuli from at least one sensor coupled to a radio frequency identification system;

b. sending an alarm signal from the radio frequency identification system when a sensor outputs a sensing signal lower than a specific threshold; and

c. storing the detected external stimuli to a server.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the detecting step further comprises:

a. sending a first request signal from a base station to a first transmitter;

b. sending sensory data from the first transmitter if the first request signal matches the identification signal of the transmitter; and

c. listening for the alarm signal by the base station.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the detecting step further comprises:

a. detecting external stimuli with a video camera

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the storing step further comprises:

a. diagnosing a condition.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the diagnosing step further comprises diagnosing sudden infant death syndrome.