TIME SYNCHRONIZATION OF A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT WIRELESS NETWORKS WITH DATA SENSORS

• US 20110002324A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Falck, Thomas, Van Acht, Victor Martinus Gerardus
• Granted Patent: US 8,705,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for time synchronization of a plurality of different wireless networks A, B, each wireless network (A, B) comprising at least one data sensor (A.1, A.2, A.3, A.4, B.1, B.2, B.3, B.4) for measuring data and a gateway (A.0, B.0) to which the measured data is sent, wherein a common time master (TM) is used which broadcasts time synchronization messages to all networks (A, B) involved. This way, a possibility of time synchronization of a plurality of different wireless networks (A, B) in an easy, efficient and reliable manner is achieved.

Claims

1. A method for time synchronization of a plurality of different wireless networks, each wireless network comprising at least one data sensor for measuring data and a gateway to which the measured data is sent, wherein a common time master is used which broadcasts time synchronization messages to all networks involved.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein for at least one wireless network a plurality of data sensors is used.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the different wireless networks are operated on different radio channels.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the time synchronization messages are sent on different radio channels, wherein preferably only such radio channels are used on which the wireless networks involved are operated.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the time synchronization messages are consecutively sent to the different wireless networks.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the time synchronization messages are sent periodically.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the time intervals in which the synchronization messages are sent are specific for each individual wireless network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the wireless networks is a low-power network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless networks are body sensor networks with a plurality body-worn data sensors.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein two body sensor networks are used which belong to different persons.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the common time master, further to broadcasting time synchronization messages to all networks, broadcasts additional information to at least one, preferably all wireless networks involved.

12. Ensemble of a plurality of different wireless networks, each wireless network comprising at least one data sensor for measuring data and a gateway for receiving the measured data from the data sensor, wherein a common time master is provided which is adapted for broadcasting time synchronization messages to all networks involved.

13. Ensemble according to claim 12, wherein the different wireless networks are adapted for being operated on different radio channels.

14. Ensemble according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the wireless networks is a low-power network.

15. Ensemble according to claim 12, wherein the wireless networks are body sensor networks with a plurality body-worn data sensors.