Wireless sensor network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics
First Claim
1. An apparatus including a wireless sensor network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics, comprising:
- a plurality of wireless signal transceivers, each of which is disposed within a respective portion of a selected environment, responsive to one or more wireless beacon signals at least in part by selectively transmitting one or more respective wireless response signals, and includesat least one signal transducer to convert said one or more wireless beacon signals at least in part to one or more corresponding incoming electrical signals, and to convert one or more outgoing electrical signals at least in part to said one or more wireless response signals;
processing and control circuitry coupled to said at least one signal transducer and responsive to said one or more incoming electrical signals by selectively processing at least a portion of said one or more incoming electrical signals and at least a selected portion of a plurality of data, providing a plurality of control signals, and providing said one or more outgoing electrical signals;
memory circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a first portion of said plurality of control signals by storing at least a first portion of said plurality of data and providing at least a second portion of said plurality of data; and
data collection circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a second portion of said plurality of control signals and at least one sensor signal corresponding to one or more characteristics of said respective portion of said selected environment by providing said first portion of said plurality of data;
wherein said one or more outgoing electrical signals selectively correspond to at least one of said one or more characteristics; and
wherein said processing and control circuitrycompares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more reference values,when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares favorably with said one or more reference values, updates a data log with said selected portion of said plurality of data, andwhen said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more reference values,compares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more values within said data log, andprovides a notice signal as one of said one or more outgoing electrical signals when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more data log values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless sensor network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics. Multiple wireless signal transceivers, disposed in respective portions of a selected environment, respond to one or more wireless beacon signals by selectively collecting, processing and storing data corresponding to one or more characteristics of such portions of the selected environment, and by selectively transmitting respective wireless response signals containing selected portions of such data. Alternatively, multiple wireless signal transceivers, disposed in respective sub-networks in portions of a selected environment, collect and convey data corresponding to one or more characteristics of such selected environment portions.
59 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus including a wireless sensor network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics, comprising:
a plurality of wireless signal transceivers, each of which is disposed within a respective portion of a selected environment, responsive to one or more wireless beacon signals at least in part by selectively transmitting one or more respective wireless response signals, and includes at least one signal transducer to convert said one or more wireless beacon signals at least in part to one or more corresponding incoming electrical signals, and to convert one or more outgoing electrical signals at least in part to said one or more wireless response signals; processing and control circuitry coupled to said at least one signal transducer and responsive to said one or more incoming electrical signals by selectively processing at least a portion of said one or more incoming electrical signals and at least a selected portion of a plurality of data, providing a plurality of control signals, and providing said one or more outgoing electrical signals; memory circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a first portion of said plurality of control signals by storing at least a first portion of said plurality of data and providing at least a second portion of said plurality of data; and data collection circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a second portion of said plurality of control signals and at least one sensor signal corresponding to one or more characteristics of said respective portion of said selected environment by providing said first portion of said plurality of data; wherein said one or more outgoing electrical signals selectively correspond to at least one of said one or more characteristics; and wherein said processing and control circuitry compares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more reference values, when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares favorably with said one or more reference values, updates a data log with said selected portion of said plurality of data, and when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more reference values, compares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more values within said data log, and provides a notice signal as one of said one or more outgoing electrical signals when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more data log values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus including an ad hoc wireless sensor data network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics, comprising:
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one or more master wireless signal transceivers that communicate via a plurality of wireless signals; and a plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers, each of which is disposed within a respective portion of a selected environment, that communicates with said one or more master wireless signal transceivers via said plurality of wireless signals; wherein; said plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers, in at least partial response to a plurality of respective sensor signals, transmits a plurality of respective ad hoc wireless signals as at least a portion of said plurality of wireless signals and selectively corresponding to at least one of one or more characteristics of said selected environment; said one or more master wireless signal transceivers, responsive to reception of said plurality of respective ad hoc wireless signals, dynamically determine an actual location of at least one of said plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers in a respective spatial relation to at least one of said one or more master wireless signal transceivers; each one of said plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers includes at least one signal transducer to convert one or more of said plurality of wireless signals at least in part to one or more corresponding incoming electrical signals, and to convert one or more outgoing electrical signals at least in part to one or more wireless response signals, processing and control circuitry coupled to said at least one signal transducer and responsive to said one or more incoming electrical signals by selectively processing at least a portion of said one or more incoming electrical signals and at least a selected portion of a plurality of data, providing a plurality of control signals, and providing said one or more outgoing electrical signals, memory circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a first portion of said plurality of control signals by storing at least a first portion of said plurality of data and providing at least a second portion of said plurality of data, and data collection circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a second portion of said plurality of control signals and at least one sensor signal corresponding to one or more characteristics of said respective portion of said selected environment by providing said first portion of said plurality of data; said one or more outgoing electrical signals selectively correspond to at least one of said one or more characteristics; and said processing and control circuitry; compares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more reference values; when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares favorably with said one or more reference values, updates a data log with said selected portion of said plurality of data; and when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more reference values, compares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more values within said data log, and provides a notice signal as one of said one or more outgoing electrical signals when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more data log values.
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17. An apparatus including an ad hoc wireless sensor data network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics, comprising:
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one or more master wireless signal transceivers that communicate via a plurality of wireless signals; and a plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers, each of which is disposed within a respective portion of a selected environment, that communicates with said one or more master wireless signal transceivers via said plurality of wireless signals; wherein; said plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers, in at least partial response to a plurality of respective sensor signals, transmits a plurality of respective ad hoc wireless signals as at least a portion of said plurality of wireless signals and selectively corresponding to at least one of said one or more characteristics; said one or more master wireless signal transceivers, responsive to reception of said plurality of respective ad hoc wireless signals, dynamically determine an actual location of at least one of said plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers in a respective spatial relation to at least another one of said plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers; each one of said plurality of ad hoc wireless signal transceivers includes at least one signal transducer to convert one or more of said plurality of wireless signals at least in part to one or more corresponding incoming electrical signals, and to convert one or more outgoing electrical signals at least in part to one or more wireless response signals, processing and control circuitry coupled to said at least one signal transducer and responsive to said one or more incoming electrical signals by selectively processing at least a portion of said one or more incoming electrical signals and at least a selected portion of a plurality of data, providing a plurality of control signals, and providing said one or more outgoing electrical signals, memory circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a first portion of said plurality of control signals by storing at least a first portion of said plurality of data and providing at least a second portion of said plurality of data, and data collection circuitry coupled to at least said processing and control circuitry and responsive to at least a second portion of said plurality of control signals and at least one sensor signal corresponding to one or more characteristics of said respective portion of said selected environment by providing said first portion of said plurality of data; said one or more outgoing electrical signals selectively correspond to at least one of said one or more characteristics; and said processing and control circuitry; compares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more reference values; when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares favorably with said one or more reference values, updates a data log with said selected portion of said plurality of data; and when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more reference values, compares said selected portion of said plurality of data with one or more values within said data log, and provides a notice signal as one of said one or more outgoing electrical signals when said selected portion of said plurality of data compares unfavorably with said one or more data log values.
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Specification