Geographically distributed environmental sensor system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A weather station, comprising:
- a plurality of sensors;
a controller for processing measurement information from the sensors; and
a memory for storing processed measurement information, wherein the sensors comprise;
an anemometer for measuring wind speed;
a rain gauge for measuring rainfall;
a compass for determining the orientation of the weather station relative to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field;
a Global Positioning System receiver for determining a spatial location of the weather station;
a barometric pressure sensor for measuring the barometric pressure; and
an air temperature sensor for measuring the ambient air temperature and wherein;
the controller and memory are contained in a control unit;
a first sensor is contained in a first sensor module;
a second sensor is contained in a second sensor module;
the first and second sensor modules have at least corresponding first and second connection interfaces, respectively;
the control unit has at least a third connection interface;
each of the connection interfaces is configured to connect interchangeably to any of the other connection interfaces; and
the second sensor module is positioned between the first sensor module and control unit.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a sensor network that includes a number of sensor units and a base unit. The base station operates in a network discovery mode (in which network topology information is collected) in a data polling mode (in which sensed information is collected from selected sensory units). Each of the sensor units can include a number of features, including an anemometer, a rain gauge, a compass, a GPS receiver, a barometric pressure sensor, an air temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a level, and a radiant temperature sensor.
125 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A weather station, comprising:
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a plurality of sensors; a controller for processing measurement information from the sensors; and a memory for storing processed measurement information, wherein the sensors comprise; an anemometer for measuring wind speed; a rain gauge for measuring rainfall; a compass for determining the orientation of the weather station relative to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field; a Global Positioning System receiver for determining a spatial location of the weather station; a barometric pressure sensor for measuring the barometric pressure; and an air temperature sensor for measuring the ambient air temperature and wherein; the controller and memory are contained in a control unit; a first sensor is contained in a first sensor module; a second sensor is contained in a second sensor module; the first and second sensor modules have at least corresponding first and second connection interfaces, respectively; the control unit has at least a third connection interface; each of the connection interfaces is configured to connect interchangeably to any of the other connection interfaces; and the second sensor module is positioned between the first sensor module and control unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An environmental sensing system, comprising:
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a first environmental sensor module having at least a first connection interface; a second environmental sensor module having at least a second connection interface; and a control unit having at least a third connection interface, wherein each of the first, second, and third connection interfaces is configured to connect interchangeably to any of the other of the first, second environmental, and third connection interfaces and wherein the second sensor module is positioned between the first environmental sensor module and control unit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. An anemometer for measuring wind speed and direction, comprising:
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first and second transducers positioned along a first axis; and third and fourth transducers positioned along a second axis, the first and second axes being at least substantially orthogonal, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth transducers are configured in a transmit mode to transmit a measurement signal and in a receive mode to receive the measurement signal and wherein, based on the measurement signals received by each of the first, second, third, and fourth transducers, a wind speed and direction are determined. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for measuring wind speed and direction, comprising:
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providing first and second transducers positioned along a first axis and third and fourth transducers positioned along a second axis, the first and second axes being at least substantially orthogonal; during a first time interval, transmitting a measurement signal from the first transducer and receiving the measurement signal at the second transducer; and during a subsequent second time interval, transmitting a measurement signal from the second transducer and receiving the measurement signal at the first transducer; during a subsequent third time interval, transmitting a measurement signal from the third transducer and receiving the measurement signal at the fourth transducer; and during a subsequent fourth time interval, transmitting a measurement signal from the fourth transducer and receiving the measurement signal at the third transducer wherein the signal is indicative of a wind speed and/or direction. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A device for collecting and measuring precipitation, comprising:
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(a) an inlet for receiving precipitation; (b) an outlet for removing the received precipitation; (c) a first conduit in communication with the inlet; and (d) a second conduit in communication with the outlet, wherein adjacent ends of the first and second conduits are spaced from one another and wherein at least one of the following is true; (i) the adjacent ends of the first and second conduits are angled relative to a selected horizontal plane; and (ii) the second conduit comprises a longitudinal slot extending downwardly from the adjacent end of the second conduit. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A networked sensor system for collecting sensed information relating to an external environment, comprising:
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a base unit configured to operate in a network discovery mode in which network topology information is collected and a data polling mode in which sensed information is collected from selected sensor units; a plurality of sensor units in signal communication with the base unit, wherein the base unit and plurality of sensor units are in different spatial locations, wherein each of the plurality of sensor units has a stored primary power supply, wherein each of the sensor units is at least partially deactivated in a first operational mode and activated in a second operational mode, and wherein each sensor unit is in the first operational mode until the occurrence of at least one of the following events; (i) a signal is received by the sensor unit from the base unit; and (ii) the arrival of a scheduled time to perform a specified activity, the scheduled time being received from the base unit. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for collecting, using a networked sensor system, sensed information relating to an external environment, comprising:
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providing a plurality of sensor units and a base unit in wireless communication with sensor units, the base unit being configured to operate in a network discovery mode in which network topology information is collected from selected sensor units and in a data polling mode in which sensed information is collected from selected sensor units, wherein the base unit and plurality of sensor units are in different locations and wherein each of the plurality of sensor units has a stored primary power supply; at least partially deactivating each of the sensor units during a first time period; and activating each of the sensor units during a second time period upon the occurrence of at least one of the following events; (i) a signal is received by the sensor unit from the base unit; and (ii) the arrival of a scheduled time to perform a specified activity, the scheduled time being received from the base unit. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification