Wireless data acquisition network and operating methods
First Claim
1. A wireless network, comprising:
- wireless sensor units organized in groups of wireless sensor units, each wireless sensor unit comprising plural sensors and at least a wireless transceiver connected to communicate by wires or wirelessly with the plural sensors;
each group of wireless sensor units including a terminal wireless sensor unit and intermediate wireless sensor units, each intermediate wireless sensor unit being configured to relay data through the intermediate wireless sensor units towards the terminal wireless sensor unit;
the terminal wireless sensor unit in each group of wireless sensor units being adapted to communicate wirelessly with at least one backhaul unit of plural backhaul units on a first set of frequencies;
the backhaul units being adapted to communicate with a central computer on a second set of frequencies different from the first set of frequencies; and
each group of wireless sensor units operating on a different channel than adjacent groups of wireless sensor units.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless network is provided, that may comprise wireless sensor units organized in chains of wireless sensor units. Each wireless sensor unit may comprise plural sensors and at least a wireless transceiver connected to communicate by wires or wirelessly with the plural sensors. Each chain of wireless sensor units may include a terminal wireless sensor unit and intermediate wireless sensor units, each intermediate wireless sensor unit being configured to relay data along the chain of intermediate wireless sensor units towards the terminal wireless sensor unit. The terminal wireless sensor unit in each chain of wireless sensor units is adapted to communicate wirelessly with at least one backhaul unit of plural backhaul units; and the backhaul units are adapted to communicate with a central computer.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A wireless network, comprising:
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wireless sensor units organized in groups of wireless sensor units, each wireless sensor unit comprising plural sensors and at least a wireless transceiver connected to communicate by wires or wirelessly with the plural sensors; each group of wireless sensor units including a terminal wireless sensor unit and intermediate wireless sensor units, each intermediate wireless sensor unit being configured to relay data through the intermediate wireless sensor units towards the terminal wireless sensor unit; the terminal wireless sensor unit in each group of wireless sensor units being adapted to communicate wirelessly with at least one backhaul unit of plural backhaul units on a first set of frequencies; the backhaul units being adapted to communicate with a central computer on a second set of frequencies different from the first set of frequencies; and each group of wireless sensor units operating on a different channel than adjacent groups of wireless sensor units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of collecting data from wireless sensor units arranged in a network, the wireless sensor units being organized in groups of wireless sensor units, each group of wireless sensor units including a terminal wireless sensor unit and intermediate wireless sensor units, the method comprising the steps of:
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initiating distribution of control signals to the wireless sensor units; acquiring data with the wireless sensor units by sensing one or more physical parameters; each of the wireless sensor units transmitting the acquired data in response to the control signals through at least one of the plural groups of wireless sensor units towards a corresponding one of the terminal wireless sensor units, each group of wireless sensor units operating on a different channel from adjacent groups of wireless sensor units; each of the terminal wireless sensor units forwarding the acquired data from the wireless sensor units in the corresponding group to at least one of plural backhaul units, each backhaul unit of the plural backhaul units operating on a different channel from adjacent backhaul units; and each of the backhaul units collecting and forwarding the acquired data from the terminal wireless sensor units towards a central computer, in which, for each group of wireless sensor units and backhaul unit that the group of wireless units communicates with, the group of wireless sensor units communicates with the corresponding backhaul unit on a first set of frequencies and the corresponding backhaul unit communicates with the central computer on a second set of frequencies different from the first set of frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification