SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SENSOR SYNCHRONIZATION

• US 20150281809A1
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corelis Incorporated (Electronic Warfare Associates Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Warfare Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: FOSTER, Lester Anderson III
• Granted Patent: US 9,516,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2209/845 where the measuring is synchronized between sensing devices
• 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: H04Q 9/04 Arrangements for synchronous operation

Abstract

A sensor system may comprise a sensor, an oscillator, a receiver, a processor, and a data interface. The sensor may be configured to detect an environmental condition and produce a sensor signal in response. The receiver may receive a signal comprising a time reference having a first frequency. The oscillator may be configured to produce a precision time reference signal having a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency. The processor may be configured to generate a time stamp using a combination of the time reference and the precision time reference signal and package data from the sensor signal with the time stamp. The data interface may be configured to transmit the packaged data over a network.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an environmental condition and produce a sensor signal in response;

a receiver configured to receive a signal comprising a time reference having a first frequency;

an oscillator configured to produce a precision time reference signal having a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency;

a processor in communication with the sensor, the oscillator, and the receiver, the processor configured to generate a time stamp using a combination of the time reference and the precision time reference signal and package data from the sensor signal with the time stamp to generate packaged data; and

a data interface in communication with the processor, the data interface configured to transmit the packaged data over a network.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a microphone, a radio receiver, an infrared detector, a magnetometer, and/or a video camera.

3. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in communication with the processor, the GPS receiver configured to determine a location of the sensor package.

4. The sensor system of claim 3, wherein the oscillator is a component of the GPS receiver.

5. The sensor system of claim 3, wherein:

the first frequency is a GPS strobe frequency; and

the GPS receiver is configured to output a determination of the location of the sensor package at the GPS strobe frequency.

6. The sensor system of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to package the location with the data from the sensor signal and the time stamp data to generate the packaged data.

7. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the time stamp generated using the precision time reference signal has a microsecond level accuracy.

8. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the data interface is configured to transmit the packaged data over a Bluetooth, Zigbe, and/or WiFi network.

9. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the time stamp by interpolating the time reference with the precision time reference signal.

10. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the time stamp by:

receiving the time reference from the receiver;

counting cycles of the precision time reference signal generated after the receiving of the time reference from the receiver to generate a cycle count;

receiving the sensor signal from the sensor;

dividing the cycle count at the time of the receiving of the sensor signal by a known time reference cycle total to generate a fraction; and

multiplying the time reference by the fraction to generate the precision time reference signal.

11. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor comprises the receiver; and

the receiver is configured to receive the signal comprising the time reference by the sensor detecting an impulsive signal.

12. The sensor system of claim 11, wherein the impulsive signal is generated by a sensor package comprising a transmitter.

13. The sensor system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second sensor package comprising;

a second sensor configured to detect an environmental condition and produce a sensor signal in response;

a transmitter configured to transmit the signal comprising the time reference having a first frequency;

a second oscillator configured to produce a precision time reference signal having a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency;

a second processor in communication with the second sensor, the second oscillator, and the transmitter, the second processor configured to generate a time stamp using a combination of the time reference and the precision time reference signal and package data from the sensor signal with the time stamp to generate second packaged data; and

a second data interface in communication with the second processor, the second data interface configured to transmit the second packaged data over the network.

14. The sensor system of claim 13, wherein:

the transmitter is configured to transmit the signal comprising the time reference by generating an impulsive signal.

15. The sensor system of claim 14, wherein the transmitter comprises a speaker, a radio transmitter, and/or an infrared light emitting diode (LED).

16. The sensor system of claim 1, further comprising:

a central processing platform comprising;

a central data interface configured to receive the packaged data; and

a central processor in communication with the central data interface.

17. The sensor system of claim 16, wherein the sensor, the receiver, the oscillator, the processor, and the data interface form a first sensor package, the sensor system further comprising a plurality of the first sensor packages.

18. The sensor system of claim 16, further comprising:

a second sensor package comprising;

a second sensor configured to detect an environmental condition and produce a second sensor signal in response;

a transmitter configured to transmit the signal comprising the time reference having the first frequency;

a second oscillator configured to produce a second precision time reference signal having a third frequency that is higher than the second first frequency;

a second processor in communication with the secondary sensor, the second oscillator, and the transmitter, the second processor configured to generate a second time stamp using a combination of the time reference and the second precision time reference signal and package data from the second sensor signal with the second time stamp to second secondary packaged data; and

a second data interface in communication with the second processor, the second data interface configured to transmit the second packaged data over a network.

19. The sensor system of claim 18, wherein:

at least one of the first sensor packages further comprises a first GPS receiver in communication with the processor of the at least one first sensor package, the first GPS receiver configured to receive a first GPS time signal;

the second sensor package further comprises a second GPS receiver in communication with the second processor, the second GPS receiver configured to receive a second GPS time signal;

the processor of the at least one first sensor package is further configured to package the first GPS time signal with the data from the sensor signal and the time stamp to generate the packaged data; and

the second processor is further configured to package the second GPS time signal with the data from the second sensor signal and the second time stamp to generate the second packaged data; and

the central processor is configured to receive the packaged data and the second packaged data.

20. The sensor system of claim 18, wherein the transmitter comprises a speaker, a radio transmitter, and/or an infrared light emitting diode (LED).

21. The sensor system of claim 18, wherein:

the central data interface is configured to receive the second packaged data; and

the central processor is configured to correlate the packaged data and the second packaged data based on the time stamp and the second time stamp.

22. The sensor system of claim 21, wherein the time stamp and the second time stamp are synchronized to compensate for a difference in transmission times for transmissions between the sensor package and the central processing platform and transmissions between the second sensor package and the central processing platform.

23. The sensor system of claim 21, wherein the central processor is further configured to analyze the correlated packaged data and second packaged data.

24. A method comprising:

detecting, with a sensor, an environmental condition and producing a sensor signal in response;

receiving, with a receiver configured to receive a signal comprising a time reference having a first frequency;

producing, with an oscillator, a precision time reference signal having a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency;

generating, with a processor in communication with the sensor, the oscillator, and the receiver, a time stamp using a combination of the time reference and the precision time reference signal and packaging data from the sensor signal with the time stamp to generate packaged data; and

transmitting, with a data interface in communication with the processor, the packaged data over a network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the sensor comprises a microphone, a radio receiver, an infrared detector, a magnetometer, and/or a video camera.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the receiver comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in communication with the processor, the GPS receiver configured to determine a location of the sensor package.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the oscillator is a component of the GPS receiver.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the first frequency is a GPS strobe frequency, the method further comprising:

outputting, with the GPS receiver, a determination of the location of the sensor package at the GPS strobe frequency.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising packaging, with the processor, the location with the data from the sensor signal and the time stamp data to generate the packaged data.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the time stamp generated using the precision time reference signal has a microsecond level accuracy.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the data interface is configured to transmit the packaged data over a Bluetooth, Zigbe, and/or WiFi network.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising generating, with the processor, the time stamp by interpolating the time reference with the precision time reference signal.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising generating, with the processor, the time stamp by:

receiving the time reference from the receiver;

counting cycles of the precision time reference signal generated after the receiving of the time reference from the receiver to generate a cycle count;

receiving the sensor signal from the sensor;

dividing the cycle count at the time of the receiving of the sensor signal by a known time reference cycle total to generate a fraction; and

multiplying the time reference by the fraction to generate the precision time reference signal.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the sensor comprises the receiver, the method further comprising:

receiving, with the receiver, the signal comprising the time reference by the sensor detecting an impulsive signal.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the impulsive signal is generated by a sensor package comprising a transmitter.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

detecting, with a second sensor, an environmental condition and producing a sensor signal in response;

transmitting, with a transmitter, the signal comprising the time reference having a first frequency;

producing, with a second oscillator, a precision time reference signal having a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency;

generating, with a second processor in communication with the second sensor, the second oscillator, and the transmitter, a time stamp using a combination of the time reference and the precision time reference signal and packaging data from the sensor signal with the time stamp to generate second packaged data; and

transmitting, with a second data interface in communication with the second processor, the second packaged data over the network.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

transmitting, with the transmitter, the signal comprising the time reference by generating an impulsive signal.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the transmitter comprises a speaker, a radio transmitter, and/or an infrared light emitting diode (LED).

39. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving, with a central data interface, the packaged data.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

detecting, with a second sensor, an environmental condition and producing a second sensor signal in response;

transmitting, with a transmitter, the signal comprising the time reference having the first frequency;

producing, with a second oscillator, a second precision time reference signal having a third frequency that is higher than the second first frequency;

generating, with a second processor in communication with the secondary sensor, the second oscillator, and the transmitter, a second time stamp using a combination of the time reference and the second precision time reference signal and packaging data from the second sensor signal with the second time stamp to second secondary packaged data; and

transmitting, with a second data interface in communication with the second processor, the second packaged data over a network.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving, with a first GPS receiver in communication with the processor, a first GPS time signal;

receiving, with a second GPS receiver in communication with the second processor, a second GPS time signal;

packaging, with the processor, the first GPS time signal with the data from the sensor signal and the time stamp to generate the packaged data; and

packaging, with the second processor, the second GPS time signal with the data from the second sensor signal and the second time stamp to generate the second packaged data; and

receiving, with the central data interface, the packaged data and the second packaged data.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the transmitter comprises a speaker, a radio transmitter, and/or an infrared light emitting diode (LED).

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving, with the central data interface, the second packaged data; and

correlating, with a central processor in communication with the central data interface, the packaged data and the second packaged data based on the time stamp and the second time stamp.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the time stamp and the second time stamp are synchronized to compensate for a difference in transmission times for transmissions between the sensor package and the central processing platform and transmissions between the second sensor package and the central processing platform.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the central processor is further configured to analyze the correlated packaged data and second packaged data.