Orientation-based wireless sensing apparatus
First Claim
1. An orientation-based wireless sensing apparatus, comprising:
- a body mounted on a component desired to be monitored for its orientation relative to the direction of gravity;
an accelerometer mounted to the body;
a microprocessor connected to the accelerometer;
a transmitter connected to the microprocessor;
a power source connected to the accelerometer, the microprocessor and the transmitter; and
an antenna connected to the transmitter.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An orientation-based wireless sensor includes a transmitter unit having a body housing a microprocessor, a transmitter, and an accelerometer for detecting the orientation of the transmitter unit relative to one-, two- or three-axis of the direction of the pull of earth'"'"'s gravity. The transmitter body is mounted on a feature of a vehicle that it is desirable to monitor. The transmitter will transmit orientation data at predetermined time intervals to a receiver on the vehicle, which will in turn process the information, adding additional information, such as GPS location, and wirelessly send the data to a database that is available to a customer over the Internet.
7 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An orientation-based wireless sensing apparatus, comprising:
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a body mounted on a component desired to be monitored for its orientation relative to the direction of gravity; an accelerometer mounted to the body; a microprocessor connected to the accelerometer; a transmitter connected to the microprocessor; a power source connected to the accelerometer, the microprocessor and the transmitter; and an antenna connected to the transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle having at least one operable feature to be monitored, the operable feature including a component that moves between first and second positions, the vehicle comprising:
an orientation-based wireless sensing apparatus mounted on the vehicle and positioned to monitor the operable feature and transmit an orientation of the component relative to the direction of gravity, including; a receiver unit configured to receive transmitted data packets from at least one transmitter unit on the vehicle and to wirelessly transmit data packets from the vehicle; and a transmitter unit mounted on the component and including; a body attached to the component; an accelerometer mounted to the body; a microprocessor connected to the accelerometer; a transmitter connected to the microprocessor; a power source connected to the accelerometer, the microprocessor and the transmitter; and an antenna connected to the transmitter; said microprocessor operable to receive orientation data relative to the component from the accelerometer, process the data, and transmit the processed data as a data packet through the transmitter to the receiver unit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A vehicle having a plurality of operable features that it is desired to monitor, each operable feature including a component that moves between first and second positions, the vehicle comprising:
an orientation-based wireless sensing apparatus mounted on the vehicle and operable to monitor the operable features and transmit an orientation of each component relative to the first and second positions, including; a receiver unit configured to receive transmitted data packets from a plurality of transmitter units on the vehicle and to wirelessly transmit data packets from the vehicle; and a plurality of transmitter, each transmitter unit mounted on one of the components of one of the operable features, each transmitter unit including; a body attached to the component; an accelerometer mounted to the body; a microprocessor connected to the accelerometer; a transmitter connected to the microprocessor; a power source connected to the accelerometer, the microprocessor and the transmitter; and an antenna connected to the transmitter; said microprocessor operable to receive orientation data relative to the component from the accelerometer, process the data, and transmit the processed data as a data packet through the transmitter to the receiver unit; each transmitter unit having a unique identification code associated therewith, and each microprocessor of each transmitter unit programmed to transmit the identification code as part of the data packet transmitted to the receiver unit; and said receiver unit including a database of the identification codes of each of the transmitter units on the vehicle, and operable to monitor and process only those data packets received from designated transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (15)
Specification