Web based smart sensor network tracking and monitoring system

• US 8,665,784 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Kang, Bo, Huo, Jianjian
• Primary Examiner(s): Gidado, Rasheed
• Application Number:
  US12/568,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20100080175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/331, 370/338, 370/329, 370/345, 370/336, 370/254
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/22 using conversion of ac into dc
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A wireless sensor network including a plurality of Smart Sensors coupled to a wide area network such as the Internet via a Wireless Sensor Coordinator. Each wireless sensor network comprises a plurality of Smart Sensors, each operable to measure one or more physical quantities. Each wireless sensor communicates the measured data to a Wireless Sensor Coordinator which then stores the collected data in memory. The Wireless Sensor Coordinator further includes a web server operable to post a web site on a network that is accessible by a common web browser. Upon receiving a request for sensed data via the web site, the Wireless Sensor Coordinator retrieves the appropriate measured and stored data and converts it into HTML format pages which are then posted on the web site for review by the requestor.

Claims

1. A Smart Sensor system comprising:

at least one sensor operable to measure one or more physical quantities wherein each sensor includes a wireless communication stack operable to wirelessly communicate the one or more measured physical quantities, a microprocessor operated by a real-time operating system kernel, and a firmware library including Global Positioning System (GPS) drivers;

a coordinator operable to receive and store the one or more physical quantities measured by the at least one sensor;

at least one router communicatively interposed between the at least one sensor and the coordinator, wherein each of the at least one router manages wireless transmission from at least one sensor to the coordinator of measured physical quantities; and

wherein the coordinator includes a wireless communication stack operable for wireless communication with each of the at least one router and a communication link, the communication link operable to receive requests for information about the measured physical quantities, and responsive to receiving a user request, converting the one or more physical quantities measured by the at least one sensor to a HTML web page and transmitting the HTML web page;

wherein the coordinator includes a web server with a common gateway interface function that can process common gateway interface scripts so as to dynamically access the one or more physical quantities measured by the at least one sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one router, and the coordinator combine to form a wireless sensor network with the coordinator serving as the access point to a wide area network.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein formation of the wireless sensor network is managed by the coordinator.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein each sensor within the wireless sensor network can communicate with each other sensor within the wireless sensor network.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein wireless communication between each sensor and the router is performed by a multi-threaded microprocessor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the coordinator includes a TCP/IP communication stack operable to interface with a network.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical quantities stored in the coordinator is accessible via the coordinator by a web browser.

8. A coordinator for a wireless sensor network, the coordinator comprising:

a wireless communication stack for communicating wirelessly with at least one router, wherein each router is operable for communicating wirelessly with one or more wireless sensors, each wireless sensor operable for measuring one or more physical quantities, including Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements;

a network communication stack operable for communication between a wide area network and the coordinator;

a memory operable to store measurements of physical quantities received from the one or more wireless sensors;

a web server having common gateway interface and operable to convert stored measurements of physical quantities from the one or more wireless sensors into HTML format when accessed by a user;

a microprocessor controlled by a real-time operating system kernel; and

a microprocessor program library used to operate the microprocessor and peripheral resources;

wherein the common gateway interface function can process common gateway interface scripts so as to dynamically access the physical quantities measured by the one or more wireless sensors.

9. The coordinator of claim 8 wherein formation of the wireless sensor network is managed by the coordinator.

10. The coordinator of claim 8 wherein the network communication stack includes TCP/IP protocols.

11. The coordinator of claim 8 wherein physical quantities stored in the memory can be accessed by a web browser via the wide area network.

12. A method for dynamically accessing wireless sensor data, the method comprising:

operating each wireless sensor by means of a microprocessor using a real-time operating system (RTOS) kernel, wherein the RTOS in the wireless sensor accesses a plurality of device drivers, including a Global Positioning System (GPS) driver;

accessing a web site of a wireless sensor network coordinator via a web browser;

requesting via the web browser a physical quantity measured by a wireless sensor, the wireless sensor being part of a wireless sensor network managed by the wireless sensor network coordinator;

at the wireless sensor network coordinator, accessing the requested physical quantity by wirelessly accessing a router which wirelessly receives the value of the requested physical quantity measured by the wireless sensor;

converting the requested physical quantity measured by the wireless sensor to a HTML format physical quantity when access by a user; and

communicating the HTML format physical quantity to the web browser;

wherein converting includes processing a common gateway interface script in a web server embedded in the wireless sensor network coordinator.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the physical quantity measured by the wireless sensor is stored at the wireless sensor network coordinator.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the HTML format physical quantity is communicated to the web browser via a wide area network using TCP/IP protocols.