Spatial-driven context zones for sensor networks and device infrastructures

• US 7,430,186 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Institute For Information Technology Advancement, International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Institute For Information Technology Advancement, International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pérez-Gutiérrez; Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karikari; Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US11/957,225
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 455/16, 455/502, 455/503, 455/519, 370/328, 370/312, 370/432, 370/338, 370/475, 370/473, 340/539.22, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An apparatus, method and computer readable device for providing spatial information in a sensor network. The sensor network comprises a plurality of sensors and a plurality of actuators, each sensors and actuators have a unique id and a known spatial location within a spatially-bounded zone and a database is provided for storing the location each sensor and actuator. A spatial-processor generates a plurality of context zones based upon the information contained in the location database to provide actuator coverage for the spatially-bounded zone. Each context zone is generated by assigning a subset of the plurality of sensors as a spatial boundary of each context zone and by deploying a subset of the plurality of actuators into one or more context zones. In operation, the spatial-processor determines if an actuator has failed in context zone and redeploys one or more actuators from another intersecting context zone to the context zone containing the non-operational actuator.

Claims

1. A sensor network comprising:

a plurality of sensors and a plurality of actuators, each said plurality of sensors and plurality of actuators associated with a known spatial location within a spatially-bounded region;

a database for storing said spatial location information of each said plurality of sensors and plurality of actuators within said spatially-bounded region;

a spatial-processor means for receiving sensor device readings and associated time stamps, said spatial-processor means implementing a rules engine for calculating one or more context zones based upon said location information contained in the location database and said sensor device readings and associated time stamps provided to said spatial-processor from said plurality of sensors to provide actuator coverage for said spatially-bounded region, said spatial processor assigning sensors as physical boundaries defining each one or more context zones;

said rules engine determining if each said one or more context zones has said actuator coverage by determining whether an actuators is deployed to each said context zone, said context zone having an associated subset of said plurality of sensors as a spatial boundary and a subset of said plurality of actuators; and

a context zone intersect detector for determining if the boundaries of each said plurality of context zones intersect or overlap,

wherein, if one said plurality of actuators in said one or more said plurality of context zones is determined non-operational or unassigned to the zone, said spatial-processor redeploying one or more actuators from another intersecting or overlapping context zone to the context zone containing the non-operational actuator.

2. The sensor network of claim 1, wherein each said plurality of actuators receives zone update information from the spatial-processor detailing the actuator'"'"'s deployment, and generating said plurality of context zones based on the location of a plurality of location aware sensors including an one or more similar devices that are embedded through said spatially-bounded region.