Relaying Communications in a Wireless Sensor System

• US 20180262987A1
• Filed: 05/13/2018
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 10,861,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/04 by breaking of glass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• 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 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Various embodiments of wireless ambient sensor unit are presented. The sensor unit may include a wireless transceiver configured to transmit sensor data and to receive instructions. The sensor unit may include a sensor configured to measure an ambient condition. The sensor unit may include a controller in communication with the wireless transceiver and the sensor. The controller may be configured to compare data measured about the ambient condition to a stored threshold while the wireless ambient sensor unit is functioning in a low-power mode. The controller may be configured to exit the low-power mode in response to the comparison of the data with the stored threshold. The controller may be configured to cause the data measured about the ambient condition to be transmitted by the wireless transceiver as one or more messages in response to the comparison to the stored threshold.

Claims

1. An audio-enabled wireless device configured for bidirectional wireless communication in a wireless mesh network, the wireless device comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

an audio output element;

a reset element; and

a controller operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver, the audio output element and the reset element, and configured to;

measure signal strengths of wireless signals received from one or more wireless repeater units and a base unit; and

report the measured signal strengths to the base unit, the report being effective to cause the base unit to determine routing path information for the wireless mesh network; and

receive the routing path information for the wireless mesh network, the routing path information usable by the audio-enabled wireless device to relay communication packets in the wireless mesh network.

2. The audio-enabled wireless device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

based on the received routing path information, transmit, using the wireless transceiver, one or more communication packets.

3. The audio-enabled wireless device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to:

prior to the transmission of the one or more communication packets, listen to a radio frequency channel to determine the radio frequency channel is not in use by another device;

determine a delay value;

wait the determined delay value before the transmission of the one or more communication packets; and

transmit, via the radio frequency channel, the one or more communication packets.

4. The audio-enabled wireless device of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more communication packets includes a preamble potion, an identification code portion, a data payload portion, and an integrity portion and wherein one or more portions of the communication packet are encrypted.

5. The audio-enabled wireless device of claim 1, wherein the audio-enabled wireless device includes an Ethernet network connection, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate, using the Ethernet connection, via the Internet.

6. The audio-enabled wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured for spread-spectrum communication.

7. The audio-enabled wireless device of claim 6, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate in one or more frequency bands above a 900 MHz band.

8. The audio-enabled wireless device of claim 1, wherein the reset element is a reset switch and wherein the reset switch is configured to activate a reset function.

9. A method of determining routing path information in a wireless mesh network, the method comprising:

measuring signal strengths of wireless signals received by one or more audio-enabled wireless devices from a base unit and from one or more wireless repeater units, the one or more audio-enabled wireless devices each including a wireless transceiver, an audio output element, and a reset element;

measuring the signal strengths of wireless signals received by one or more wireless repeater units from the base unit and from the one or more audio-enabled wireless devices;

transmitting the signal strength measurements from each of the one or more audio-enabled wireless devices and each of the one or more wireless repeater units to the base unit; and

selecting routing paths for communications in the wireless mesh network based on an evaluation by the base unit of the signal strength measurements.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the audio-enabled wireless devices, each of the one or more wireless repeater units, and the base unit are configured to transmit one or more communication packets using the routing paths, the method further comprising:

prior to transmitting a communication packet, listening to a radio frequency channel to determine the radio frequency channel is not in use by another device; and

transmitting, via the radio frequency channel, the communication packet.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

prior to the transmitting, determining a delay value; and

waiting the determined delay value before the transmitting the communication packet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the delay value is a random delay value.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured for spread-spectrum communication and wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate in one or more frequency bands above a 900 MHz band.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the audio-enabled wireless devices, each of the one or more wireless repeater units, and the base unit are configured to transmit one or more communication packets using the routing paths, the method further comprising:

listening to a radio frequency channel to determine if the radio frequency channel is in use; and

switch to a different radio frequency channel when the radio frequency channel is in use.

15. A wireless mesh network system, comprising:

multiple audio-enabled wireless devices, each audio-enabled wireless device comprising a wireless transceiver, a reset element, and an audio output element, each of the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices configured to;

measure signal strengths of wireless signals received from one or more wireless repeater units and a base unit; and

report the measured signal strengths to the base unit;

the one or more wireless repeater units, each of the one or more wireless repeater units comprising a wireless transceiver, configured to;

measure signal strengths of wireless signals received from the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices and the base unit; and

report the measured signal strengths to the base unit; and

the base unit for the wireless mesh network system comprising an Ethernet network connection and a wireless transceiver, configured to;

receive the signal strengths measurements from the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices and the one or more wireless repeater units;

based on the received signal strength measurements, determine routing paths for communications in the wireless mesh network system; and

transmit routing path information to one or more of the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices and to one or more of the one or more wireless repeaters.

16. The wireless mesh network system of claim 15, wherein the base unit is configured to:

communicate, using the Ethernet network connection, via the Internet; and

transmit one or more commands to the multiple wireless devices and the one or more wireless repeaters.

17. The wireless mesh network system of claim 15, wherein the base unit, each of the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices, and each of the one or more wireless repeaters are configured for spread-spectrum communication, and wherein the base unit, each of the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices, and each of the one or more wireless repeaters are configured to communicate in one or more frequency bands above a 900 MHz band.

18. The wireless mesh network system of claim 15, wherein the base unit, each of the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices, and each of the one or more wireless repeaters are configured to:

prior to a transmission of one or more communication packets, listen to a radio frequency channel to determine the radio frequency channel is not in use by another device; and

transmit, via the radio frequency channel, the one or more communication packets.

19. The wireless mesh network system of claim 15, wherein the base unit, each of the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices, and each of the one or more wireless repeaters are configured to:

listen to a radio frequency channel to determine if the radio frequency channel is in use; and

switch to a different radio frequency channel when the radio frequency channel is in use.

20. The wireless mesh network system of claim 15, wherein the base unit, each of the multiple audio-enabled wireless devices, and each of the one or more wireless repeaters are configured to:

prior to a transmission of one or more communication packets, determine a delay value; and

wait the determined delay value before the transmission of the one or more communication packets.