Method for reducing power consumption in node devices of a condition monitoring system

• US 8,768,265 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Folden, Dwayne Andrew, Stachow, Robert Paul Jr., Rank, Brandon James, Willis, Benjamin Wayne, Kavanaugh, Trevor Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/306,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20130137378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/522, 455/574, 455/67.13, 455/68, 455/69, 455/343.1, 455/343.2
• US Class Current: 455/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/245 taking into account received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/246 where the output power of a terminal is based on a path parameter calculated in said terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/362 Aspects of the step size

Abstract

This disclosure describes examples of condition monitoring systems with node devices that can adjust the power level of a radio. Embodiments of the node device can dynamically vary the power level for the radio in response to communication with other node devices. In one example, the node devices measure the strength of a signal received from the other node devices. The node devices can, in response to this value, vary the power level of the radio to optimize power consumption and extend the battery life for the node device.

Claims

1. A condition monitoring system for monitoring operation of a peripheral asset, said condition monitoring system comprising:

a first node device comprising a radio having a radio power level that is adjustable, a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and one or more executable instructions stored on the memory and configured to be executed by the processor to adjust the radio power level for the radio, the executable instructions comprising instructions for,

receiving a first signal from a second node device via the radio;

measuring a signal strength for the first signal; and

adjusting the radio power level in accordance with a pre-determined criteria relating the signal strength of the first signal to a value for the radio power level that requires the least amount of power necessary for the first node device to communicate with the second node device.

2. The condition monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions for transmitting a second signal to the second node device to stimulate the first signal from the second node device.

3. The condition monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the radio power level causes the second signal from the first node device and the first signal from the second node device to have the same signal strength as measured at, respectively, the second node device and the first node device.

4. The condition monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions for comparing the signal strength to a threshold, wherein the pre-determined criteria defines an incremental value to adjust the value of the radio power level to change the signal strength relative to the threshold.

5. The condition monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the incremental value reduces the signal strength.

6. The condition monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the incremental value increases the signal strength.

7. The condition monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the incremental value comprises a first incremental value and a second incremental value that change the value of the radio power level by different amounts.

8. The condition monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the threshold defines an upper boundary and a lower boundary for the signal strength, wherein the executable instructions at the first node device further comprise instructions for

comparing the signal strength to the upper boundary and the lower boundary of the threshold,

setting the value of the radio power level at the first node device, and

transmitting a second signal to stimulate the first signal from the second node device,

wherein the second node device comprises a radio having a radio power level that is adjustable, a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and one or more executable instructions stored on the memory and configured to be executed by the processor to adjust the radio power level for the radio, the executable instructions comprising instructions for setting the value of the radio power level at the second node device in response to the second signal from the first node device so the signal strength of the first signal received from the second node device at the first node device falls between the upper boundary and the lower boundary.

9. The condition monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the signal strength is a received signal strength indicator.

10. The condition monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the first node device and the second node device couple with, respectively, a first sensor and a second sensor, and wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to monitor performance of the peripheral asset.

11. A method for reducing power consumption in node devices of a condition monitoring system, said method comprising:

at a mesh network comprising a first node device and a second node device, each comprising a radio, a processor, and memory;

receiving a first signal from the second node device via the radio at the first node device;

measuring a signal strength for the first signal at the first node device; and

adjusting the radio power level at the first node device in accordance with a pre-determined criteria relating the signal strength for the first signal to a value for the radio power level at the first node device that requires the least amount of power necessary for the first node device to communicate with the second node device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

comparing the signal strength of the first signal to an upper boundary and an lower boundary of a threshold for the pre-determined criteria,

setting the value of the radio power level at the first node device;

transmitting a second signal to the second node device; and

adjusting the radio power level at the second node device in accordance with a pre-determined criteria relating the signal strength for the second signal to a value for the radio power level at the second node device so the signal strength falls between an upper boundary and a lower boundary defined by the threshold.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting a signal to the second node device, wherein the signal strength of the received signal is the same as the signal strength of the transmitted signal as measured at, respectively, the first node device and the second node device.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the signal strength to a threshold, wherein the pre-determined criteria defines an incremental value to adjust the value of the radio power level to change the signal strength relative to the threshold.

15. A method to prolong battery life in node devices of a condition monitoring system, said method comprising:

at a first node device comprising a radio, a processor, and memory;

transmitting a signal to a second node device;

receiving a signal from the second node device in response to the transmitted signal;

measuring a signal strength for the received signal;

comparing the signal strength to a threshold; and

setting a value of the radio power level so the signal strength for the received signal falls between an upper boundary and a lower boundary defined by the threshold,

wherein the value of the radio power level requires the least amount of power necessary for the first node device to communicate with the second node device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal strength is a received signal strength indicator.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmitted signal and the received signal have the same signal strength as measured at, respectively, the second node device and the first node device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising increasing and decreasing the value of the radio power level by an incremental value.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the incremental value includes a first incremental value for increasing the value of the radio power level and a second incremental value for decreasing the value of the radio power level.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a pre-determined criteria relates the signal strength to the value for the radio power level to reduce power consumption in the first node device.