WIRELESS DATA ACQUISITION NETWORK AND OPERATING METHODS

• US 20090265140A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SRD Innovations, Inc. (Quattro Exploration & Production Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SRD Innovations, Inc. (Quattro Exploration & Production Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murias, Ronald Gerald, El-Hamamsy, Sayed-Amr
• Granted Patent: US 9,128,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/223 Radioseismic systems

Abstract

A method of collecting data from wireless sensor units arranged in a network. The method may comprise the steps of initiating distribution of control signals to the wireless sensor units, acquiring data with the wireless sensor units by sensing one or more physical parameters, each of the wireless sensor units transmitting the acquired data in response to the control signals; and each of the wireless sensor units transmitting of at least a portion of the acquired data according to a prioritizing algorithm associated with each respective wireless sensor unit.

Claims

1. A method of collecting data from wireless sensor units arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating distribution of control signals to the wireless sensor units;

acquiring data with the wireless sensor units by sensing one or more physical parameters;

each of the wireless sensor units transmitting the acquired data in response to the control signals; and

each of the wireless sensor units transmitting of at least a portion of the acquired data according to a prioritizing algorithm associated with each respective wireless sensor unit.

2. The method of claim 1 in which each prioritizing algorithm comprises a random delay in the transmitting of the acquired data.

3. The method of claim 1 in which each prioritizing algorithm comprises transmitting a first portion of the acquired data before a second portion of the acquired data.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the first portion and the second portion have different resolution.

5. The method of claim 3 in which the acquired data is transmitted as bytes comprising bits, and the first portion and the second portion correspond to different bits.

6. The method of claim 1 in which each prioritizing algorithm comprises transmitting different portions of the acquired data based on one or more of resolution and bit position.

7. The method of claim 1 in which each wireless sensor unit comprises multiple sensors communicating with a wireless transceiver.

8. The method of claim 1 in which at least a plurality of wireless sensor units are members of a chain of wireless sensor units along which acquired data is cascaded during transmitting.

9. The method of claim 8 in which data from the wireless sensor units is transmitted through a backhaul unit

10. The method of claim 8 in which members of a chain of wireless sensor units are divided into at least a first group and a second group and members of the first group transmit while members of the second group receive.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the wireless sensor units transmitting to a control computer through repeater transceivers disposed within communication paths between the wireless sensor units and the control computer.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting control signals through a control signal network.

13. The method of claim 1 in which control signals are distributed via the wireless sensor units.

14. The method of claim 13 in which upon receiving a transmit control signal instructing a transmit of acquired data, wireless sensor units transmit acquired data before distributing the transmit control signal.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing wireless sensor units in a sleep state during at least some time periods when the wireless sensor units are not acquiring data or transmitting acquired data; and

awaking the wireless sensor units from the sleep state with an initiating control signal.

16. The method of claim 15 in which the wireless sensor units comprise ground motion sensors and the initiating control signal is an initiation of a ground vibration.

17. The method of claim 1 in which the wireless sensor units comprise ground motion sensors.

18. The method of claim 1 in which data is transmitted from the wireless sensor units through at least one of a set of repeater transceivers, each repeater transceiver operating on a different protocol from the wireless sensor units.

19. A method of collecting data from wireless sensor units arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating distribution of control signals to the wireless sensor units, the control signals being distributed at least in part through the wireless sensor units;

acquiring data with the wireless sensor units by sensing one or more physical parameters;

each of the wireless sensor units transmitting the acquired data in response to the control signals; and

each of the wireless sensor units transmitting at least a portion of the acquired data before distributing the control signals.

20. A method of collecting data from wireless sensor units arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating distribution of control signals to the wireless sensor units;

acquiring data with the wireless sensor units by sensing one or more physical parameters;

each of the wireless sensor units transmitting the acquired data in response to the control signals;

placing wireless sensor units in a sleep state during at least some time periods when the wireless sensor units are not acquiring data or transmitting acquired data; and

awaking the wireless sensor units from the sleep state with an initiating control signal caused by initiating ground motion.

21. The method of claim 20 where only the wireless portion of the wireless sensor is in the sleep state.

22. The method of claim 20 where only the sensor portion of the wireless sensor is in the sleep state.