Method and apparatus for operating and using wireless vehicular sensor node reporting vehicular sensor data and/or ambient conditions

• US 7,382,238 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2006
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sensys Networks Inc. (Tagmaster AB)
• Original Assignee: Sensys Networks Inc. (Tagmaster AB)
• Inventors: Kavaler, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/422,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 731 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/941
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors

Abstract

Wireless Vehicular Sensor Node (WVSN) gating radio transmission of a message of the vehicle sensor state of a magnetic sensor by a vehicle-present indication. WVSN may further include ambient sensor generating and transmitting an ambient report. Alternatively, WVSN includes magnetic sensor and ambient sensor used to create messages for radio trasnmission. Method and apparatus for wireless receiving multiple ambient reports from multiple WVSN to create road condition report. The received ambient reports and the road condition report are product of this process. The wireless vehicular sensor network including at least two WVSN sending ambient reports.

Claims

1. A circuit apparatus for a wireless vehicular sensor node, comprising:

means for maintaining a clock count to create a task trigger and a task identifier, both provided to a means for controlling the electrical power and a means for operating the node;

an electrical coupling to a power source including at least one battery, providing electrical power to the means for maintaining, the means for controlling said electrical power, and the means for operating said node;

said means for controlling said electrical power uses said task trigger and said task identifier to control electrical power distribution to a magnetic sensor, to a radio transceiver, a means for using said magnetic sensor;

said means for operating said node by receiving said task trigger and said task identifier to perform transmitting with said radio transceiver a message based upon a vehicle sensor state of said magnetic sensor when a vehicle-present is asserted; and

said means for using said magnetic sensor creates said vehicle sensor state of said magnetic sensor and creates said vehicle-present presented to said means for controlling and said means for operating said node to enable said transmitter to transmit said message.

2. The circuit apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for sensing interacting with at least one ambient sensor to create an ambient report;

wherein said means for controlling said electrical power further controls said electrical power distribution to at least one member of the group consisting of;

said at least one ambient sensor and said means for sensing said at least one ambient sensor; and

said means for operating said node further directs said means for sensing said ambient sensor, to perform transmitting said ambient report as said message using said radio transceiver.

3. The circuit apparatus of claim 2,

wherein said ambient sensor includes at least one member of the ambient sensor group consisting of:

a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a water detection sensor, a water depth sensor, and an ice condition sensor;

wherein said ambient report includes at least one member of the ambient report component group consisting of;

a temperature estimate based upon sensing said temperature sensor;

a humidity estimate based upon at least sensing said humidity sensor;

a water detection estimate,

a water depth estimate, and

an ice condition estimate.

4. The circuit apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for using, and said means for operating, and said means for sensing form a processing module receiving power from said means for controlling.

5. The circuit apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one member of the means group is at least partly implemented using at least one member of the group consisting of:

a computer accessing coupled to a memory and directed by a program system including program steps residing in said memory, and

a finite state machine;

wherein said means group consists of;

said means for maintaining, said means for controlling, said means for operating, said means for using, and said means for sensing.

6. The circuit apparatus of claim 5, wherein said program system, comprises program steps at least partly implementing at least two members of said means group.

7. The circuit apparatus of claim 2, wherein said message includes at least one member of the group consisting of:

a long report based upon a raw vehicular sensor waveform created from said vehicle sensor state;

a report based upon at least one waveform characteristic derived from said raw vehicular sensor waveform;

a timed report based upon said vehicle sensor state and said ambient report; and

said ambient report.

8. The circuit apparatus of claim 7, wherein said vehicle-present is determined by a change-in-presence based upon at least of said waveform characteristic.

9. The wireless vehicular sensor node of claim 2, including:

said circuit apparatus electrically coupled to said power source; and

communicatively coupled to said at least one ambient sensor.

10. The circuit apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle-present is asserted when said vehicle sensor state changes by more than a change threshold.

11. A circuit apparatus for a wireless vehicular sensor node, comprising:

means for maintaining a clock count to create a task trigger and a task identifier, both provided to a means for controlling the electrical power and a means for operating the node;

an electrical coupling to a power source including at least one battery, providing electrical power to the means for maintaining, the means for controlling said electrical power, and the means for operating said node;

said means for controlling said electrical power uses said task trigger and said task identifier to control electrical power distribution to a magnetic sensor, to a radio transceiver, a means for using said magnetic sensor, and further controls said electrical power distribution to at least one member of the group consisting of;

at least one ambient sensor and said means for sensing said at least one ambient sensor;

said means for using said magnetic sensor to create a vehicle sensor state;

means for sensing interacting with at least one ambient sensor to create an ambient report; and

said means for operating said node by receiving said task trigger and said task identifier to direct transmitting with said radio transceiver a message based upon at least one member of the group consisting of;

said vehicle sensor state and said ambient report.

12. The circuit apparatus of claim 11,

wherein said ambient sensor includes at least member of the ambient sensor group consisting of:

a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a water detection sensor, a water depth sensor, and an ice condition sensor;

wherein said ambient report includes at least one member of the ambient report component group consisting of;

a temperature estimate based upon sensing said temperature sensor;

a humidity estimate based upon at least sensing said humidity sensor;

a water detection estimate,

a water depth estimate, and

an ice condition estimate; and

wherein said message includes at least one member of the group consisting of;

a long report based upon a raw vehicular sensor waveform created from said vehicle sensor state;

a report based upon at least one waveform characteristic derived from said raw vehicular sensor waveform;

a timed report based upon said vehicle sensor state and said ambient report; and

said ambient report.