Secure method and apparatus for retrieving network node identifier in wireless networks

• US 7,307,521 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Bhaskar, Funk, Karsten
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/077,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/514, 340/628, 340/505, 340/933, 340/941, 340/539.13, 340/448, 340/447, 340/426.35, 731/464, 731/465
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0073 Control unit therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A sensor node arrangement in a wireless network, includes a sensor to sense information, an RF transceiver to communicate the information to at least one element of the wireless network, and a coil to establish a secondary communications channel with a handheld device via inductive coupling, the secondary communications channel used, for example, to receive, during installation of the sensor node arrangement, a node identifier of the sensor node arrangement.

Claims

1. A sensor node arrangement in a wireless network, comprising:

a sensor to sense information;

an RF transceiver to communicate the information to at least one element of the wireless network; and

a coil to establish a secondary communications channel with a handheld device via inductive coupling.

2. The sensor node arrangement of claim 1, wherein the secondary communications channel is configured to communicate a node identifier of the sensor node arrangement.

3. The sensor node arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:

a microprocessor having a printed circuit board, wherein the coil is arranged on the printed circuit board.

4. The sensor node arrangement of claim 3, wherein the microprocessor includes an analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog converter, which is connected to the coil.

5. The sensor node arrangement of claim 3, wherein the coil is configured as a copper line on the printed circuit board.

6. A handheld device for communicating on a secondary communications channel established with a coil of a sensor node arrangement in a wireless network, comprising:

a coil to receive, via inductive coupling, a communication transmitted on the secondary communications channel established with the coil of the sensor node arrangement.

7. The handheld device of claim 6, wherein the coil is configured to receive a node identifier of the sensor node arrangement.

8. The handheld device of claim 6, wherein the handheld device includes a location-based service arrangement.

9. The handheld device of claim 8, wherein the location-based service arrangement includes a GPS.

16. The handheld device of claim 6, wherein the communication transmitted on the secondary communications channel is encrypted.

17. The handheld device of claim 6, wherein the communication transmitted on the secondary communications channel includes initialization data required for initializing the wireless network.

10. A sensor node network, comprising:

a network hub; and

a sensor node arrangement including a sensor to sense information, an RF transceiver to communicate the information to the network hub, and a coil to establish a secondary communications channel with a handheld device via inductive coupling.

11. A method of installing a sensor node arrangement in a wireless network, comprising:

providing the sensor node arrangement with a coil to establish a secondary communications channel with a handheld device via inductive coupling;

mounting the sensor node arrangement;

bringing the handheld device in close proximity to the sensor node arrangement to allow the inductive coupling to occur; and

initiating a communication on the secondary communications channel established between a coil of the sensor node arrangement and a coil of the handheld device via the inductive coupling.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transferring data from the sensor node arrangement to the handheld device;

uploading the data from the handheld device to a database; and

one of creating and updating the wireless network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the data includes a node identifier of the sensor node arrangement.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

recording a physical location of the sensor node arrangement; and

uploading the physical location of the sensor node arrangement to the database.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the physical location is recorded using a located-based service.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting data from the sensor node arrangement to the handheld device via inductive coupling;

uploading the data from the handheld device to a network hub; and

storing the uploaded data in a database.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

initializing the wireless network using the uploaded data.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

distributing the uploaded data to at least one element of the wireless network.