Heterogeneous wireless data transmission network

• US 8,027,282 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kraemer, Oliver, Rebmann, Jochen, Wullich, Volker, Boehnke, Ralf, Ruhm, Ingo, Wang, Zhaocheng, Nogueira-Nine, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryman; Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTS, BRIAN S
• Application Number:
  US10/583,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,475 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A heterogeneous wireless network topology suited for low-power, short-range and ubiquitous ad-hoc communication. The network topology integrates different wireless transmission technologies, in particular to a wireless sensor network including different node types and communication technologies. The network is highly heterogeneous and can be operated according to the master-slave principle. The nodes can have different wireless communication means tailored to their individual role in the network and other constraints, thus allowing different communication patterns.

Claims

1. A heterogeneous wireless data transmission network comprising:

a first master node;

a second master node;

a passive slave node including a first passive receiver and a first passive transmitter configured to modulate and reflect external RF signals, said passive slave node being configured to transmit data to the first master node by modulated backscatter (MBS) communication using the first passive transmitter; and

an active slave node including a second passive transmitter configured to modulate and reflect external RF signals and a first active transmitter configured to transmit a modulated signal independently, said active slave node being configured to transmit data to the passive slave node using the first active transmitter, wherein

one of the first and second master nodes is configured to wake up the passive slave node or the active slave node from a sleep state at any time by transmitting a wake-up signal to the passive slave node or the active slave node,

the first passive receiver is configured to receive the wake-up signal and the first passive transmitter is configured to transmit data after the passive slave node is woken up from the sleep state,

the second master node is configured to provide an electromagnetic field to allow MBS communication and does not take part in the MBS communication while providing the electromagnetic field, and

only the first master node is configured to receive the data from the first passive transmitter when the second master node provides the electromagnetic field.

2. The network according to claim 1, wherein the active slave node is configured to wake up the passive slave node or another active slave node from the sleep state at any time by transmitting the wake-up signal to the passive slave node or the another active slave node.

3. The network according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second master nodes further comprises:

a second active transmitter configured to transmit data to a first active receiver of the active slave node.

4. The network according to claim 1, wherein the passive slave node further comprises:

a processing unit configured to process and create dynamic data for transmission by the first passive transmitter.

5. The network according to claim 1, wherein the passive slave node includes a power supply.

6. The network according to claim 5, wherein the active slave node further comprises:

a sensor element configured to detect operational parameters of the active slave node or environmental data.

7. The network according to claim 6, wherein the passive slave node or the active slave node further comprises:

a remotely controllable actuator element configured to execute programmable actions.

8. The network according to claim 7, wherein the passive slave node or the active slave node is configured to transmit data to the first master node by modulating and reflecting an external signal transmitted from the second master node.

9. The network according to claim 8, wherein

the wake-up signal further includes identification information,

the passive slave node or the active slave node is configured to switch from the sleep state to an identification information detection state upon reception of the wake-up signal,

the active slave node or the passive slave node, in the identification information detection state, is configured to switch to a control data reception state for receiving control data when the wake-up signal includes identification information identifying the active slave node or the passive slave node, respectively, and

the active slave node or the passive slave node, in the identification information detection state, is configured to switch to the sleep state if the wake-up signal does not include said identification information identifying the active slave node or the passive slave node, respectively.

10. The network according to claim 9, wherein the identification information includes an identifier of the passive slave node or the active slave node.

11. The network according to claim 9, wherein the identification information identifies a group of passive slave nodes or a group of active slave nodes.

12. The network according to claim 9, wherein the identification information identifies all passive slave nodes or all active slave nodes.

13. The network according to claim 9, wherein the passive slave node or the active slave node power consumption is smaller in the sleep state than in the identification information detection state and is smaller in the identification information detection state than in the data control reception state.

14. The network according to claim 1, wherein the network is configured in a hybrid star or meshed topology.

15. The network according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second master nodes includes a bridge that provides a wireless or wired communication link to at least the other master node.

16. The network according to claim 1, wherein the active slave node comprises a second passive receiver, wherein at least one of the first and second master nodes further comprises:

an active receiver that has a higher power consumption and sensitivity than the first passive receiver in the passive slave node or the second passive receiver in the active slave node, and the first passive receiver in the passive slave node or the second passive receiver in the active slave node has a lower power consumption and sensitivity than the active receiver in the at least one of the first and second master nodes.