Low Power Consumption Wireless Sensory and Data Transmission System

• US 20110051641A1
• Filed: 08/30/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yang Pan
• Original Assignee: Yang Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Yang
• Application Number:
  US12/550,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20110051641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/50 using a mobile data collecting device, e.g. walk by or drive by
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/88 Providing power supply at the sub-station
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A low power consumption wireless sensory and data transmission system is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of data collection and/or storage devices (nodes) and an information collection apparatus. The devices and the apparatus are connectable through an ad hoc communication network. The devices (nodes) are at “switch-off” status until receiving a radio-frequency energy generated by and transmitted from the apparatus. A radio-frequency receiver converts the received energy into a direct-current voltage. A power supply starts to provide power for the operations of the devices if the direct-current voltage is in exceeding of a threshold value of a switch. Data collected by various sensors and/or readout from the storage of the devices are transmitted through the ad hoc network to the information collection apparatus.

Claims

1. An information collection system comprising:

(a) a plurality of data collection devices comprising a radio-frequency energy receiving unit; and

(b) an information collection apparatus comprising a radio-frequency energy generator,

wherein said device and said apparatus are connectable through an ad hoc communication network and said devices are at “

switch-off”

status until a radio-frequency energy generated by the generator of the apparatus is received by the receiving unit of the devices.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said devices further comprising:

(a) at least one sensor; and

/or

(b) a data storage unit.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said devices further comprising:

(a) a power supply unit;

(b) a data processor; and

(c) a wireless communication transceiver.

4. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein said transceiver is selected from a device conforming to a standard or a combination of standards from the following group:

(a) ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4 and its amendments);

(b) Bluetooth (IEEE 802.11b and its amendments); and

(c) WiFi (IEEE 802.11 and its amendments).

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said radio-frequency receiving unit further comprising:

(a) an antenna for receiving the radio-frequency energy;

(b) a rectifier for converting the received energy into a direct-current component; and

(c) a regulator for converting the direct-current component into a voltage.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprising a communication unit conforming at least to the same communication standard (s) as said device'"'"'s.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprising a means of connecting to an existing communication network.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a mobile station.

9. A method of collecting information through an information collection system comprising a plurality of data collection devices and an information collection apparatus, the method comprising:

(a) receiving by said devices a radio-frequency energy generated by said apparatus;

(b) switching on said devices;

(c) forming an ad hoc communication network comprising said devices and said apparatus; and

(d) transmitting collected and/or stored data from said devices to the apparatus through the ad hoc communication network.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said method further comprising a means of switching off said devices based upon a control signal sent from said apparatus.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said devices further comprising a means of converting the received radio-frequency energy into a direct-current voltage and a means of switching on a power supply unit of said device if said voltage is in exceeding of a threshold of a switch in said devices.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said devices further comprising a means of measuring at least one characteristic of its environment by at least one sensor.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said devices further comprising a means for forming an ad hoc communication network with nearby devices conforming to a standard or a combination of standards from the following group:

(a) ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4 and its amendments);

(b) Bluetooth (IEEE 802.11b and its amendments); and

(c) WiFi (IEEE 802.11 and its amendments).

14. A method of power management of an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of data collection and/or storage devices and an information collection apparatus, the method comprising:

(a) generating a radio-frequency energy by said apparatus;

(b) receiving the generated energy by said devices;

(c) switching on a power supply unit by a switch of said devices; and

(d) providing power from the power supply unit for collecting, processing and transmitting data.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said step of “

switching on”

is triggered by a direct-current voltage in exceeding of a threshold voltage of a switch.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said direct-current voltage is an output of a radio-frequency energy receiver comprising an antenna, a rectifier and a voltage regulator.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said methods further comprising a means of maintaining the switch at the “

switch-on”

status after said radio-frequency energy is switched off.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said means of maintaining the switch at the “

switch-on”

status is achieved by a switch controller that provides a means of sustaining the input voltage of the switch.

19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said method further comprising a step of switching off said devices based upon a signal sent from said apparatus.

20. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said power supply unit is a battery.