Monitoring and influencing the behavior and status of wireless sensor networks
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring behavior and status of a wireless network, said system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of operational nodes, wherein at least some of said operational nodes are wirelessly connected for communication, wherein said operational nodes use repeated communication frames for said communication, and wherein each of said communication frames comprises;
(i) an idle period; and
(ii) an active period, wherein said operational nodes communicate with each other through one or more operational messages sent and received in said active period; and
(b) one or more monitoring nodes, wherein at least one of said monitoring nodes is communicatively connected to at least one of said operational nodes,wherein one or more of said operational nodes transmits a state message to be received by said monitoring nodes, wherein said state message comprises state information of said operational node transmitting said state message, wherein said state message is transmitted in said idle period of said communication frame,wherein at least one of said monitoring nodes receives at least one of said state messages transmitted by said operational nodes, and wherein said state messages are for monitoring said operational nodes.
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Abstract
Monitoring the status and behavior in a wireless network is provided. In a wireless network of operational nodes, one or more monitoring nodes are embedded in the network to monitor the status and behavior of the network without unintentionally disturbing the network. The monitoring nodes receive state information from the operational nodes. The operational nodes can be nodes in a wireless sensor network or a broadcast-only distributed wireless network. State information is sent in small state messages during the idle period of the communication frame of the operational node to be received by monitoring nodes. Transmission of state messages in the idle period for monitoring purposes does not disturb communication between operational nodes and can be energy efficient. The monitoring nodes can also intercept communications between operational nodes. Providing feedback to and influencing operational nodes are also provided.
21 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring behavior and status of a wireless network, said system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of operational nodes, wherein at least some of said operational nodes are wirelessly connected for communication, wherein said operational nodes use repeated communication frames for said communication, and wherein each of said communication frames comprises; (i) an idle period; and (ii) an active period, wherein said operational nodes communicate with each other through one or more operational messages sent and received in said active period; and (b) one or more monitoring nodes, wherein at least one of said monitoring nodes is communicatively connected to at least one of said operational nodes, wherein one or more of said operational nodes transmits a state message to be received by said monitoring nodes, wherein said state message comprises state information of said operational node transmitting said state message, wherein said state message is transmitted in said idle period of said communication frame, wherein at least one of said monitoring nodes receives at least one of said state messages transmitted by said operational nodes, and wherein said state messages are for monitoring said operational nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a wireless network comprising a plurality of operational nodes, a method of monitoring behavior and status of said operational nodes, said method comprising:
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(a) providing one or more monitoring nodes, wherein at least one of said monitoring nodes is communicatively connected to at least one of said operational nodes for receiving state information of said connected operational nodes; (b) providing a state transmit function for allowing each of said operational nodes to transmit a state message to be received by one or more of said monitoring nodes, wherein said state message comprises said state information of said operational node transmitting said state message; and (c) providing a state receive function for allowing one or more of said monitoring nodes to receive said state message transmitted by said operational nodes, wherein said state messages are for monitoring said operational nodes, wherein at least some of said operational nodes are wirelessly connected for communication with each other, wherein said operational nodes use repeated communication frames for said communication, wherein each of said communication frames comprise an active period and an idle period, wherein said operational nodes communicate with each other through one or more operational messages sent and received in said active period, and wherein said state message is transmitted in said idle period. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification