Adaptive sensing network

• US 7,369,047 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aceinna Transducer Systems Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Crossbow Technology Incorporated (Moog Incorporated)
• Inventors: Broad, Alan S., Horton, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/096,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20060226990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A plurality of modules interact to form an adaptive network in which each module transmits and receives data signals indicative of radio-frequency identification signals, and indicative of proximity sensing at the module. A central computer accumulates the data produced or received and relayed by each module for analyzing inventory, pricing and customer responses to transmit through the adaptive network signals representative of information to be displayed at selectively-addresses modules in response to computer analyses of the data accumulated from modules forming an adaptive network.

Claims

1. A network including a plurality of modules, each module comprising:

a transceiver of electromagnetic energy disposed to transmit and receive data signals between other of the plurality of modules;

a sensor of radio-frequency identification signals;

a detector for producing data signals representative of the duration of an object proximate the module;

a processor coupled to the sensor and to the detector and to the transceiver for forming signals indicative of sensed radio-frequency identification signals and data signals for transmission by the transceiver to other of the plurality of modules; and

the network including a controller disposed to receive and transmit signals between the controller and at least one of the plurality of modules.

2. The network of a plurality of modules according to claim 1, in which each transceiver includes different identification codes for each of the plurality of modules;

and

the controller includes a computer disposed to transmit and receive signals including identification codes and data signals between the computer and at least one of the plurality of modules for actuating a display panel on one of the plurality of modules in the network having an identification code included within a signal transmitted by the computer for producing on the display panel of the one module a visual indication of information representative of the signal including a data signal transmitted by the computer and received at the one module.

3. A method for computer-implementing a network of a plurality of modules that each operates to sense proximity of an object and to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals containing proximity-sensed data signals and radio-frequency identification signals, the method comprising:

transmitting from at least one of the plurality of modules data signals including a data signal indicative of the duration of sensed proximity, and radio-frequency identification signals for receipt by other of the plurality of modules to form a network of interactive modules that implements computer collection of the data signals.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which each of the plurality of modules includes a display and a different identification code, the method comprising:

computer-implementing transmission through reception and re-transmission among other of the plurality of modules of signals including data signals to one of the plurality of modules having a selected identification code signals for actuating display by the one module of information indicative of the transmitted data signals.

5. A method according to claim 3, in which at least one of the plurality of modules includes a display, the method comprising:

computer-implementing transmission to the at least one module of signals including said data signal representative of information to be displayed by the at least one module.