System and method for autonomous interaction among neighboring sensors in a network of sensors

• US 7,518,499 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Werenka, Leon K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/248,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20070080799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.15, 340/539.21, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

Sensors in a network each have a geographical location and they each periodically broadcast this information to all the sensors in the network. Each receiving sensors then builds a list of sensors (neighbor list) that are closest to that sensor by computing the distance between itself and the other sensors. This list can then be used along with a decision algorithm to decide whether that sensor should act or perform a command when it receives a message from other sensors. In one embodiment, a sensor can use the neighbor list to command a specific other sensor(s) to perform a specific function.

Claims

1. A sensor in a network of sensors comprising:

memory for storing geographical location information therein, said location information pertaining to other sensors;

an input that provides a first measurement of a first phenomenon;

a communication device for sending to said network of sensors a geographical location of said sensor;

wherein said communication device is further operable for sending data comprising data pertaining to said first measurement of said first phenomenon, and wherein said communication device is further operable for receiving a message from at least one other sensor in said network of sensors, said received message comprising information pertaining to a second measurement of a second phenomenon input to said at least one other sensor; and

a processor that takes action based on said received message, wherein said action comprises making a third measurement on or related to said second phenomenon.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said sent data comprises, at least in part, data pertaining to the identity of said sending sensor.

3. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said sent data comprises, at least in part, data pertaining to the physical location of said sending sensor.

4. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said data pertaining to said first measurement of said first phenomenon is sent to a first to a first one of said sensors in said network but not to a second one of said sensors in said network.

5. The sensor of claim 4, wherein said first one of said sensors is selected based on geographical location information stored in said sending sensor.

6. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said action is in accordance with other data previously stored in said sensor.

7. The sensor of claim 6 wherein said previously stored other data comprises, at least in part, the geographical location of said one other sensor.

8. The sensor of claim 7 wherein said previously stored other data comprises, at least in part, the relative distance between said sensor and said one other sensor.

9. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said first phenomenon and said second phenomenon are the same phenomenon.

10. The sensor of claim 5 wherein said data sent to said first one of said other sensors includes instructions to said first one of said other sensors for performing at least one specific task.

11. A method of sensor operation in a network of sensors, said operation comprising:

determining a phenomenon at one of said sensors, and performing a particular task at another one of said sensors based on data sent from said one of said sensors, said data dependent upon said determined phenomenon and said task being controlled, at least in part, based on a relative geographical location data between said one of said sensors and said another one of said sensors, and, at least in part, by said sent data;

wherein said task comprises said another one of said sensors making an observation on or related to said determined phenomenon.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said particular task is controlled by program logic at said another one of said sensors.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said another one of said sensors is a particular sensor identified as being in a specific geographical area relating to said sending sensor.

14. A method of sensor operation in a network of sensors, said operation comprising:

determining a phenomenon at one of said sensors, and performing a particular task at another one of said sensors based on data sent from said one of said sensors, said data dependent upon said determined phenomenon and said task being controlled, at least in part, based on a relative geographical location data between said one of said sensors and said another one of said sensors, and, at least in part, by said sent data;

wherein said particular task is controlled by said data sending sensor.

15. A method of sensor operation in a network of sensors, said operation comprising:

determining a phenomenon at one of said sensors, and performing a particular task at another one of said sensors based on data sent from said one of said sensors, said data dependent upon said measured phenomenon and said task being controlled, at least in part, based on a relative geographical location data between said one of said sensors and said another one of said sensors, and at least in part, by said sent data;

wherein said another of said sensors is a particular sensor which identifies itself based on the fact that said particular sensor is in a specific geographical area relative to said sending sensor.

16. A sensor comprising:

means for measuring physical attributes at the geographical location of said sensor;

means for transmitting at least one of said measured physical attributes to at least one other sensor in a geographical area related to said geographical location of said sensor;

means for determining the geographical location of said sensor;

means for including in said transmitting of said measured attribute said determined geographical location; and

means for receiving from other sensors transmitted measured attributes; and

means for initiating an action based upon the relative geographical locations between said receiving sensors and a sending sensor and based on the content of said transmitted physical attributes.