Method, system and devices for data acquisition

• US 8,674,807 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensire Oy
• Original Assignee: Sensire Oy
• Inventors: Lauronen, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US12/746,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20100308967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/636.1, 340/539.1, 340/572.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.42, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 370/338, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 370/465, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/554.2, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/41.2, 455/432.2, 455/411
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0705 the battery being connected to a power saving arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to acquisition of data from RFID devices (132-136), such as sensor data. Prior art systems of active RFID devices have a problem of high average power consumption, and therefore, the energy source of the RFID devices needs to be replaced or charged frequently. The present invention provides a new solution wherein the RFID device has a power saving mode in which the receiver of the RFID device has a decreased ability to receive/detect RF signals. The RFID device may include a timer which is functional during the power saving mode, and the receiver of the RFID device will turn into active mode at a point of time based on the time value of the timer. Signal strength of an RF channel is indicated with a receiver, and transmission of data is dependent on the indication of the signal strength.

Claims

1. A system for acquisition of data, the system comprising:

a plurality of RFID devices, each RFID device comprising a processor, a receiver circuit, a transmitter circuit, and a timer device;

at least one second device that communicates with said RFID devices, said second device being one of the group consisting of i) a router ii) a master device,

wherein each said RFID device is configured to transfer data, on RF channel, to said second device,

wherein said second device is configured to transfer an acknowledge message, on the RF channel, to each said RFID device responsive to receipt of the transferred data,

wherein each RFID device has an active mode and a power saving mode,

wherein in the power saving mode of the RFID device its capability to receive data on the RF channel is lower than in a monitoring and/or receiving period of the active mode, the timer device of each RFID device switching off an operating voltage of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit in the power saving mode, the timing device remaining active during the power saving mode, and

wherein at least one of the RFID devices and the second device monitor RF signal strength on the RF channel, and the transfer of said data and/or acknowledge message is dependent on the value of the indicated signal strength.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein,

the RFID device comprises an input for receiving a signal from a sensor, and

the transmitter circuit includes information on said signal in the data to be transferred to a second device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second device monitors the RF signal strength on the RF channel and the acknowledge message is dependent on the value of the indicated signal strength.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein,

the RFID device monitors the RF signal strength on the RF channel and the transfer of said data is dependent on the value of the indicated signal strength, and

the RFID device monitors the RF channel to provide the monitoring during two successive time periods within an active mode period.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the RFID device monitors signal strength on the RF channel when the receiver is in the active mode to determine whether communications exceeds a predetermined level.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the RFID device is adapted to transmit the data on the RF channel depending on whether the communications activity on the RF channel exceeds the predetermined level.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the RFID device is adapted to receive an acknowledgement message after the transmission of data, and the RFID device is further adapted to switch into power saving mode after the acknowledgement signal has been received.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the timer circuit measures the length of the time period of power saving mode and turns into an active mode after a predetermined period of time has lapsed.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein a data transfer sequence of the active mode comprises a monitoring period, a data transmission period and a period for receiving an acknowledgement message.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a control center that receives and stores collected data received from the second device.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data transfer from the second device to the control center is initiated from the control center or by a device forwarding the data transfer between the second device and the control center.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein both the RFID data transfer from the RFID device to the second device and the transfer of the collected data from the second device to the control center is initiated from outside said second device.

13. The system according to claim 3, wherein, the sensor is a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, force sensor, a light sensor, an acoustic sensor, an acceleration sensor or a switch.

37. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when the timer device switches off the operating voltage of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit in the power saving mode, power consumption of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit is zero.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein,

the timer device comprises a clock and counter circuits,

when the timer device switches off the operating voltage of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit in the power saving mode, and during the power saving mode the timer device monitors time, and

wherein the timer circuit measures the length of an elapsed time period of power saving mode and turns the RFID device into the active mode after a predetermined period of time has lapsed.

14. An RFID device for wireless transmission of data, wherein the data comprises at least identification information identifying a source of the data, wherein the RFID device comprises

a processor,

a transmitter circuit for transmitting data on RF channel, and

a receiver circuit for receiving on RF channel an acknowledge message,

a timer device operatively connected to control an operating voltage of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit,

wherein the RFID device has an active mode and a power saving mode,

wherein in the power saving mode of the RFID device its capability to receive messages is lower than in a monitoring and/or receiving period of the active mode, the timer device of each RFID device switching off the operating voltage of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit in the power saving mode, the timing device remaining active during the power saving mode,

the RFID device monitors RF signal strength on the RF channel during the active mode, and the transfer of said data by the RFID device is dependent on the value of the indicated signal strength.

15. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein the RFID device comprises an input for receiving a signal from a sensor and the transmitter circuit includes information on said sensor signal in the data to be transmitted.

16. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein the RFID device monitors the RF channel to provide the monitoring during two successive time periods.

17. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein the RFID device monitors communications on the RF channel when the receiver circuit is in the active mode to determine whether the communications exceeds a predetermined level.

18. The RFID device according to claim 17, wherein the RFID device is adapted to transmit the data on the RF channel depending on whether the communications activity on the RF channel exceeds the predetermined level.

19. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein the RFID device is adapted to receive an acknowledgement message after the transmission of data, and the RFID device is further adapted to switch into power saving mode after the acknowledgement signal has been received.

20. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein,

the timer device comprises a clock and counter circuits,

when the timer device switches off the operating voltage of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit in the power saving mode, and during the power saving mode the timer device monitors time and inputs of the RFID device, and

wherein the timer circuit measures the length of an elapsed time period of power saving mode and turns the RFID device into the active mode after a predetermined period of time has lapsed.

21. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein a data transfer sequence of the active mode comprises a monitoring period, a data transmission period and a period for receiving an acknowledgement message.

22. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein the processor has an off state with no processing activities and zero power consumption, wherein the timer devices turns the processor to be in the off state during the power saving mode.

23. The RFID device according to claim 14, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, force sensor, a light sensor, an acoustic sensor, an acceleration sensor or a switch.

24. The RFID device according to claim 14, further comprising a disposable or rechargeable battery for supplying power.

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein a sensor signal is received from a sensor to the RFID device, and said transmitted data includes information relating to the received sensor signal.

27. The method according to claim 16, wherein after turning to active mode, the signal strength of the RF channel is indicated in at least two successive periods prior to transmitting the data.

28. The method according to claim 16, wherein the transmission of data on the RF channel is actuated if the signal strength indicated on the RF channel does not exceed a predetermined level.

29. The method according to claim 16, wherein after receiving the data in the second device, an acknowledgement message is transferred from the second device to the RFID device, and the RFID device is turned into the power saving mode after the acknowledgement message has been received.

30. The method according to claim 16, wherein the length of the time period of power saving mode is measured and compared to a predetermined value of time, and the data transfer sequence is started after the predetermined period of time has lapsed.

31. The method according to claim 16, wherein a data transfer sequence of the active mode comprises a signal strength monitoring period, a data transmission period and a period for receiving an acknowledgement message.

32. The method according to claim 16, wherein in the power saving mode the processor of the RFID device is turned into an off state wherein the processor provides no processing activities and consumes zero power.

33. The method according to claim 16, wherein the signal received from a sensor corresponds to measured temperature, humidity, pressure, force, light, sound intensity, acceleration or an on/off information.

34. The method according to claim 16, wherein the acknowledge message includes control information, and the RFID device is controlled in accordance with the transferred control information.

35. The method according to claim 16, wherein the data transfer from the second device to a control center is initiated from the control center or by a device forwarding the data transfer between the second device and the control center.

36. The method according to claim 16, wherein both the RFID data transfer from the RFID device to the second device and the transfer of the collected data from the second device to the control center is initiated from outside said second device.

25. A method for transferring data from an RFID device to a second device of a data acquisition system, comprising:

for a RFID device comprising a processor, a receiver circuit, a transmitter circuit, and a timer device, selectively operating the RFID device in each of an active mode and a power saving mode wherein in the power saving mode the RFID device has no capability to receive information from an RF channel when compared to the capability in a monitoring and/or receiving period of the active mode,

activating the RFID device from the power saving mode into the active mode,

monitoring signal strength of the RF channel in the active mode,

comparing the indicated signal strength with a predetermined value,

transmitting data from the RFID device on the basis of the result of the comparison, and

using the timer device of the RFID device to set the RFID device into the power saving mode, wherein the timer device of each RFID device switching off an operating voltage of the processor, the receiver circuit, and the transmitter circuit in the power saving mode, the timing device remaining active during the power saving mode.