SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING WIRELESS DEVICES WITHOUT SENDING TIMESTAMP DATA
First Claim
1. A method for synchronizing a plurality of wireless devices without exchanging timestamp information, wherein each wireless device has a clock, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, at the plurality of wireless devices, a series of data acquisition requests having a predefined time interval between the data acquisition requests, wherein each data acquisition request includes an index;
recording timestamps for each received request according to the clock of each wireless device;
determining a clock value to start data acquisition for each timestamp at each wireless device based on the timestamps, the respective index, and the predefined time interval; and
selecting a minimum clock value for each wireless device from the respective clock values as an instant to start data acquisition for the respective wireless device.
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Abstract
A sensor network includes a plurality of sensors and a base station for sending a series of data acquisition requests to the sensors. Each data acquisition request has an index. Each sensor has a synchronization calculation module and an internal clock. The sensors are adapted and configured to receive the series of data acquisition requests and record a timestamp of receipt for each data acquisition request. The sensors also store a predefined time interval related to the plurality of data acquisition requests so that the sensor can calculate a time to start collecting data based upon the series of data acquisition requests, the timestamps, the indices, and the predefined time interval. In an alternative embodiment, the base station only sends a general request for data acquisition and a synchronization sensor module receives the general request and, in turn, sends the series of data acquisition requests to the sensors.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for synchronizing a plurality of wireless devices without exchanging timestamp information, wherein each wireless device has a clock, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at the plurality of wireless devices, a series of data acquisition requests having a predefined time interval between the data acquisition requests, wherein each data acquisition request includes an index; recording timestamps for each received request according to the clock of each wireless device; determining a clock value to start data acquisition for each timestamp at each wireless device based on the timestamps, the respective index, and the predefined time interval; and selecting a minimum clock value for each wireless device from the respective clock values as an instant to start data acquisition for the respective wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for synchronizing a plurality of sensors without timestamp information, wherein each sensor has a clock, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at the plurality of sensors, a series of data acquisition requests having a predefined time interval Δ
between the data acquisition requests, wherein each data acquisition request includes an index “
j”
;recording timestamps tj(k) for each received request according to the clock of each sensor, wherein “
k”
denotes the number of sensors; andcalculating a clock value ta(k) for starting data acquisition at each sensor for each timestamp tj(k) based upon the predefined time interval Δ
, the index “
j” and
the timestamps (k). - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sensor network comprising:
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a plurality of sensors, each sensor having an internal clock, wherein the sensors are adapted and configured to;
receive a series of data acquisition requests, wherein each data acquisition request has an index;
record a timestamp of receipt for each data acquisition request;store a predefined time interval related to the plurality of data acquisition requests; and
calculate a time to start collecting data based upon the series of data acquisition requests, the timestamps, the indices, and the predefined time interval. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification