Wireless sensor system

• US 8,023,443 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Zakrzewski, Radoslaw Romuald
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andreasen; David S
• Application Number:
  US12/156,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Providing wireless communication between an access point and a wireless device includes the wireless device operating in a first reduced power mode for a first period of time, where the wireless device does not receive communications while operating in the first reduced power mode and includes the wireless device operating in a full power mode for a second period of time, where the wireless device transitions back into the first reduced power mode in response to there being no communication from the access point to the wireless device during the second period of time. The wireless device may be a wireless sensor. In response to the access point directing the wireless sensor to collect data at a particular collection time, the wireless sensor may enter the first reduced power mode for a time prior to the collection time.

Claims

1. A method of providing wireless communication between an access point and a wireless device, comprising:

the wireless device operating in a first reduced power mode for a first period of time, wherein the wireless device does not receive communications while operating in the first reduced power mode; and

the wireless device operating in a full power mode for a second period of time, wherein the wireless device transitions back into the first reduced power mode in response to there being no communication from the access point to the wireless device during the second period of time, and wherein the wireless device only transmits messages in response to commands received from the access point, a particular command requesting transmission of a particular message according to an action directed by the access point.

2. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a wireless sensor.

3. A method, according to claim 2, wherein in response to the access point directing the wireless sensor to collect data at a particular collection time, the wireless sensor enters the first reduced power mode for a time prior to the collection time.

4. A method, according to claim 2, wherein the wireless sensor stores collected data in a memory thereof.

5. A method, according to claim 4, wherein the access point requests the wireless sensor to transmit the data from the memory.

6. A method, according to claim 1, wherein an occurrence of operation of the wireless device in the full power mode is scheduled internally by the wireless device and is not scheduled by the access point, and wherein, during the internally-scheduled occurrence of operation of the wireless device in the full power mode, the wireless device receives a command from the access point that directs the wireless device to collect data at a particular collection time.

7. A method, according to claim 1, further comprising:

the wireless device providing time stamp information to the access point; and

the access point sending a clock adjustment command to the wireless device based on the time stamp information.

8. A method, according to claim 7, wherein the time stamp information includes a time the access point sends a command to the wireless device, a time the wireless device receives the command, a time the wireless device responds to the command, and a time the access point receives a response to the command.

9. A method, according to claim 8, wherein the timestamp information is provided to the access point as part of a message sent from the wireless device that also includes data responsive to the particular command from the access point.

10. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device enters a second reduced power mode in response to there being no communication from the access point during the full power mode for a predetermined number of cycles, the second reduced power mode including longer times between full power mode cycles than said first reduced power mode.

11. A method, according to claim 10, further comprising:

the access point sending a command to the wireless device to cause the wireless device to transition into one of the reduced power modes.

12. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device retransmits previously-transmitted data only in response to a retransmission command from the access point.

13. Computer software, provided in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, that facilitates wireless communication between an access point and a wireless device, the software comprising:

executable code that causes the wireless device to operate in a first reduced power mode for a first period of time, wherein the wireless device does not receive communications while operating in the first reduced power mode;

executable code that causes the wireless device to operate in a full power mode for a second period of time, wherein the wireless device transitions back into the first reduced power mode in response to there being no communication from the access point to the wireless device during the second period of time; and

executable code that causes the wireless device to transmit messages only in response to commands received from the access point, a particular command requesting transmission of a particular message according to an action directed by the access point.

14. Computer software, according to claim 13, wherein the wireless device is a wireless sensor, and wherein, in response to the access point directing the wireless sensor to collect data at a particular collection time, executable code causes the wireless sensor to enter the first reduced power mode for a time prior to the collection time.

15. Computer software, according to claim 14 further comprising:

executable code that causes the wireless sensor to store collected data in a memory thereof.

16. Computer software, according to claim 15, further comprising:

executable code that causes the access point to request the wireless sensor to transmit the data from the memory.

17. Computer software, according to claim 16, further comprising:

executable code that causes the wireless sensor to enter a second reduced power mode in response to there being no communication from the access point during the full power mode for a predetermined number of cycles, the second reduced power mode including longer times between full power mode cycles than said first reduced power mode.

18. Computer software, according to claim 17, further comprising:

executable code that causes the access point to send a command to the wireless device to cause the wireless device to transition into one of the reduced power modes.

19. Computer software, according to claim 13, further comprising:

executable code that provides time stamp information to the access point; and

executable code that receives a clock adjustment command from the access point, wherein the clock adjustment command is provided based on the time stamp information.

20. Computer software, according to claim 19, wherein the time stamp information includes a time the access point sends a command to the wireless device, a time the wireless device receives the command, a time the wireless device responds to the command, and a time the access point receives a response to the command.

21. Computer software, according to claim 19, wherein the timestamp information is provided to the access point as part of a message sent from the wireless device that also includes data responsive to the particular command from the access point.

22. Computer software, according to claim 13, further comprising:

executable code that causes the wireless device to retransmit previously-transmitted data only in response to a retransmission command from the access point.

23. Computer software, according to claim 13, wherein an occurrence of operation of the wireless device in the full power mode is scheduled internally by the wireless device and is not scheduled by the access point, and wherein, during the internally-scheduled occurrence of operation of the wireless device in the full power mode, the wireless device receives a command from the access point that directs the wireless device to collect data at a particular collection time.

24. A wireless sensor, comprising:

sensing components;

a processor coupled to the sensing components;

a transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the wireless sensor operates in a first reduced power mode for a first period of time in which the wireless sensor does not receive communications while operating in the first reduced power mode, the wireless sensor operates in a full power mode for a second period of time, wherein the wireless device transitions back into the first reduced power mode in response to there being no received wireless communication during the second period of time, and wherein the wireless sensor only transmits messages in response to received commands, a particular command requesting transmission of a particular message according to an action indicated by the particular command.

25. A wireless sensor, according to claim 24, further comprising:

a memory, coupled to the processor and the sensor components, wherein data collected by the wireless sensor is stored in the memory.

26. A wireless sensor, according to claim 25, wherein the wireless sensor enters a second reduced power mode in response to there being no received wireless communication during the full power mode for a predetermined number of cycles, the second reduced power mode including longer times between full power mode cycles than said first reduced power mode.

27. A wireless sensor, according to claim 24, wherein an occurrence of operation of the wireless sensor in the full power mode is scheduled internally by the wireless sensor and, during the internally-scheduled occurrence of operation of the wireless sensor in the full power mode, the wireless sensor receives a transmission that directs the wireless sensor to collect data at a particular collection time, wherein, in response to the transmission, the wireless sensor enters the first reduced power mode for the time prior to the particular collection time and collects data at the particular collection time.