Modular sensor node and communications system

• US 8,700,924 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Electronic Machines Corp.
• Original Assignee: International Electronic Machines Corp.
• Inventors: Mian, Zahid F., Spoor, Ryk E., McKenney, Bruce P., Hayes, Peter R., Leet, Randy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Application Number:
  US12/469,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 370/311, 370/338, 370/347
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0655 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A sensor node for use in a sensor system includes a core component a sensor component and a power component. The core component includes processing and transmission/receiving components. Additionally, the core component includes interfaces for selectively connecting sensor and power components of any one of a plurality of types. In this manner, the core component enables the corresponding power and sensor components to be matched according to a particular application to generate the desired sensor node.

Claims

1. A sensor node comprising:

a core component configured to enable modular manufacture of the sensor node, the core component including;

a power interface configured to selectively physically connect the core component to any one of a plurality of types of power components when assembling the sensor node, wherein the plurality of types of power components include at least one direct current power component and at least one alternating current power component;

a sensor interface configured to selectively physically connect the core component to any one of a plurality of types of sensor components when assembling the sensor node;

a microprocessor configured to process sensor data; and

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate data;

a sensor component connected to the sensor interface, the sensor component including at least one sensor for acquiring the sensor data; and

a power component connected to the power interface, wherein the power component is configured to supply at least one of;

direct current power or alternating current power to the sensor node.

2. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the power component supplies all of the power for the sensor node without access to any external power sources and wherein the power is less than two milliwatts.

3. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor acquires at least 4,000 data samples per second, and wherein the transceiver transmits the at least 4,000 data samples per second.

4. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the core component further includes a memory interface configured to selectively connect a storage component.

5. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the sensor component includes at least one switch configured to enable programmatic shutdown of the at least one sensor component by the microprocessor.

6. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the sensor component includes a plurality of sensors, each sensor configured to sense changes for a unique parameter.

7. The sensor node of claim 1, wherein the sensor node is configured to communicate with a processing node using Time Division Multiple Access, and wherein the sensor node is configured to synchronize an internal clock with an internal clock of the processing node using an arrival time of a packet received from the processing node and a timestamp included in the packet.

8. A sensor system comprising:

a sensor node including;

a core component including;

a power interface configured to selectively connect the core component to any one of a plurality of types of power components when assembling the sensor node;

a sensor interface configured to selectively connect the core component to any one of a plurality of types of sensor components when assembling the sensor node;

a microprocessor configured to process sensor data; and

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate data;

a sensor component connected to the sensor interface, the sensor component including at least one sensor for acquiring the sensor data; and

a power component connected to the power interface, wherein the power component is configured to supply power to the sensor node; and

a processing node configured to receive sensor data from the sensor node and process the sensor data, wherein the sensor node communicates with the processing node using Time Division Multiple Access, and wherein the sensor node synchronizes an internal clock with an internal clock of the processing node using an arrival time of a packet received from the processing node and a timestamp included in the packet.

9. The sensor system of claim 8, the processing node including:

a microprocessor configured to process the sensor data;

a transceiver interface configured to selectively connect a transceiver component, wherein the transceiver component enables wireless communication with the sensor node; and

a communications interface configured to enable communications between the processing node and at least one computing device distinct from the sensor node.

10. The sensor system of claim 9, wherein the communications interface is further configured to supply power to the processing node and enable wired data transmission between the processing node and the at least one computing device.

11. The sensor system of claim 8, wherein the processing node includes a power component configured to supply all of the power for the processing node without access to any external power sources.

12. The sensor system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of types of power components include at least one direct current power component and at least one alternating current power component capable of powering the core component.

13. A system comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each of the plurality of nodes including;

a core component including;

a power interface configured to selectively connect the core component to any one of a plurality of types of power components when assembling the sensor node;

a sensor interface configured to selectively connect the core component to any one of a plurality of types of sensor components when assembling the sensor node;

a microprocessor configured to process sensor data; and

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate data

a sensor component connected to the sensor interface, the sensor component including at least one sensor for acquiring the sensor data; and

a power component connected to the power interface, wherein the power component is configured to supply power to the sensor node; and

a central node, wherein the plurality of nodes communicate with the central node using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communications network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of nodes synchronizes an internal clock with an internal clock of the central node using an arrival time of a first packet received from the central node and a timestamp included in the first packet during entry into the TDMA communications network, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes subsequently maintains synchronization between the internal clock of the node and the internal clock of the central node using an arrival time for a subsequent packet and a time slot assigned for the subsequent packet in the TDMA communications network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first packet comprises an acknowledgement message sent by the central node to any one of the plurality of nodes.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of nodes implements a phase-locked loop to periodically adjust its internal clock to maintain synchronization using the arrival time for the subsequent packet and the time slot assigned for the subsequent packet in the TDMA communications network.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein a new node enters the system using a non-intrusive contention-based entry sequence.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the non-intrusive contention-based entry sequence includes identifying a plurality of slots in the TDMA communications network, determining whether at least one slot in the plurality of slots is potentially available, and sending a message for processing by the central node during the at least one slot.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a relay node in communication with the central node; and

a collection device in communication with the relay node, wherein the relay node receives data from the central node and forwards the data for processing by the collection device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a second plurality of nodes distinct from the plurality of nodes, wherein the second plurality of nodes communicate with the relay node using a second Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communications network distinct from the TDMA communications network.