Optical wireless sensor network

• US 8,044,812 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Harres, Daniel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/352,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20100176939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 340/619, 340/588, 340/539.1, 340/589, 398/118, 398/128, 398/135, 398/140, 398/159
• US Class Current: 340/619
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication

Abstract

A wireless sensor network including a receiver including a photodetector, and a sensor node that includes a sensor configured to sense a property, a transmitter configured to emit outgoing optical energy, the outgoing optical energy being indicative of the property, and a photodetector configured to harvest incoming optical energy and convert the incoming optical energy into electrical energy useful by the transmitter, wherein the photodetector of the receiver is positioned to receive the outgoing optical energy.

Claims

1. A wireless sensor network comprising:

a receiver including a photodetector; and

an array of sensor nodes positioned on a target subject, wherein each sensor node includes

a sensor configured to sense a property of said target subject,

a transmitter configured to emit outgoing optical energy, said outgoing optical energy being indicative of said property, and

a photodetector configured to harvest incoming optical energy and convert said incoming optical energy into electrical energy useful to said transmitter,

wherein said photodetector of said receiver is positioned to receive said outgoing optical energy and said transmitter is configured to emit said outgoing optical energy simultaneously with said photodetector of said sensor node receiving said incoming optical energy.

2. The wireless sensor network of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a temperature sensor.

3. The wireless sensor network of claim 1 wherein said outgoing optical energy includes at least one of a visible light, an infrared light and an ultraviolet light.

4. The wireless sensor network of claim 1 wherein said transmitter includes at least one light emitting diode.

5. The wireless sensor network of claim 1 wherein said sensor node further includes a power converter for regulating said electrical energy generated by said photodetector of said sensor node.

6. The wireless sensor network of claim 1 wherein said sensor node further includes a controller configured to generate and communicate command signals to said transmitter in response to signals received from said sensor.

7. The wireless sensor network of claim 1 wherein said receiver further includes a transmitter.

8. The wireless sensor network of claim 7 wherein said transmitter of said receiver includes at least one light emitting diode.

9. The wireless sensor network of claim 7 wherein said transmitter of said receiver provides said incoming optical energy.

10. The wireless sensor network of claim 7 wherein said transmitter of said sensor node is configured to emit said outgoing optical energy in response to a signal received from said transmitter of said receiver, said signal being detectable by said photodetector of said sensor node.

11. A wireless sensor network comprising:

a receiver including a photodetector and a transmitter, said transmitter being configured to transmit a beacon; and

a plurality of sensor nodes positioned on a target subject, each sensor node of said plurality of sensor nodes including;

a sensor configured to sense a property at a point on said target subject,

a transmitter configured to emit outgoing optical energy, said outgoing optical energy being indicative of said property, and

a photodetector positioned to receive said beacon and to harvest incoming optical energy, wherein said incoming optical energy is converted into electrical energy useful to said transmitter of said sensor node,

wherein said transmitters of said plurality of sensor nodes are configured to emit said outgoing optical energy in response to signals communicated by said beacon, and wherein said photodetector of said receiver is positioned to receive said outgoing optical energy.

12. The wireless sensor network of claim 11 wherein said sensor is a temperature sensor.

13. The wireless sensor network of claim 11 wherein said outgoing optical energy includes at least one of a visible light, an infrared light and an ultraviolet light.

14. The wireless sensor network of claim 11 wherein said transmitter of said sensor node includes at least one light emitting diode.

15. The wireless sensor network of claim 11 wherein said transmitter of said receiver includes at least one light emitting diode.

16. The wireless sensor network of claim 11 wherein each sensor node of said plurality of sensor nodes further includes a power converter for regulating said electrical energy generated by said photodetector of said sensor node.

17. The wireless sensor network of claim 11 wherein each sensor node of said plurality of sensor nodes further includes a controller configured to generate and communicate command signals to said transmitter in response to signals received from said sensor.

18. A wireless sensor network comprising:

a receiver including

a first optical transmitter configured to transmit a series of sequences,

a first photodetector; and

an array of sensor nodes on a target subject, wherein each sensor node includes

a sensor configured to sense a property of said target subject,

a second optical transmitter configured to transmit outgoing optical energy related to said property,

a second photodetector configured to harvest incoming optical energy and convert said incoming optical energy into electrical energy useful by said transmitter, and

a controller configured to analyze said incoming optical energy and direct said second optical transmitter to transmit said outgoing optical energy when said sequence corresponds to the sensor node;

wherein said first photodetector is configured to receive said outgoing optical energy from each of said sensor nodes; and

wherein each of said sequences corresponds to a different one of said sensor nodes.

19. The wireless sensor network of claim 18 wherein said outgoing optical energy includes at least one of a visible light, an infrared light and an ultraviolet light.