Wireless weather station
First Claim
1. A wireless data transmission apparatus for measuring a parameter over an extended time at a data collection location, the parameter having a rate of change, and then transmitting data corresponding to the measurement of the parameter to a remote location using substantially less total power than would be necessary to provide real time continuous transmission, said apparatus comprising:
- a power resource;
a sensor assembly positioned at the data collection location and having power requirements that are supplied by said power resource, said sensing assembly comprising;
a data transducer for measuring the parameter, said data transducer providing a transducer output signal corresponding to the parameter;
a clock controlled microprocessing unit, connected to said transducer and also powered by said power resource, said microprocessing unit controlling said data transducer to provide a data sampling rate and a data sampling interval, said data sampling interval having a predetermined length of time and said data sampling rate having a predetermined sampling frequency, with length of time and sampling frequency corresponding to the rate of change of the parameter, andsaid microprocessor unit providing a plurality of data transmission intervals, with each of said data transmission intervals having a predetermined length of time corresponding to the power requirements of said sensor assembly and the current power status of said power resource such that said microprocessing unit provides a data output signal corresponding to said transducer output signal wherein said data output is provided at the remote location in an apparent real time continuous transmission mode that appears to a user to be real time continuous transmission.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless weather station for measuring a number of weather parameters over an extended time at a data collection location. The weather data can be transmitted to a remote location using substantially less total power than would be necessary to provide real time continuous transmission, yet provide the appearance of real time continuous transmission. A sensor assembly is positioned at the data collection location, powered by a battery that is recharged using a solar panel. A clock controlled microprocessing unit controls the data transducers to provide a data sampling rate and a data transmission interval. The data sampling rate for a parameter corresponds to the rate of change of the parameter. The microprocessor unit provides a plurality of data transmission intervals, with each of the data transmission intervals having a predetermined length of time corresponding to the power requirements of the sensor assembly and the current power status of the battery. In this manner, the data output that is provided to the remote receiving station appears to be real time continuous transmission but is actually delayed by the length of time of the data transmission interval. While the invention is particularly well suited for use with a weather station, it can also be used in any situation where power requirements need to be conserved and data needs to be transmitted to a remote location.
134 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A wireless data transmission apparatus for measuring a parameter over an extended time at a data collection location, the parameter having a rate of change, and then transmitting data corresponding to the measurement of the parameter to a remote location using substantially less total power than would be necessary to provide real time continuous transmission, said apparatus comprising:
-
a power resource; a sensor assembly positioned at the data collection location and having power requirements that are supplied by said power resource, said sensing assembly comprising; a data transducer for measuring the parameter, said data transducer providing a transducer output signal corresponding to the parameter; a clock controlled microprocessing unit, connected to said transducer and also powered by said power resource, said microprocessing unit controlling said data transducer to provide a data sampling rate and a data sampling interval, said data sampling interval having a predetermined length of time and said data sampling rate having a predetermined sampling frequency, with length of time and sampling frequency corresponding to the rate of change of the parameter, and said microprocessor unit providing a plurality of data transmission intervals, with each of said data transmission intervals having a predetermined length of time corresponding to the power requirements of said sensor assembly and the current power status of said power resource such that said microprocessing unit provides a data output signal corresponding to said transducer output signal wherein said data output is provided at the remote location in an apparent real time continuous transmission mode that appears to a user to be real time continuous transmission. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification