Reconfigurable network enabled plug and play multifunctional processing and sensing node

• US 8,823,520 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ly, Sidney, Salour, Ali, Choi, Jai J., Howard, Bruce S., Hazlehurst, Laurance N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US13/162,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20120319838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/540, 340/870.01, 340/450.2, 340/584, 340/527, 340/3.32, 340/670, 340/506, 340/505, 340/10.1, 340/500, 340/546, 340/407.1, 340/545.5, 702/188, 702 33- 80, 702/127, 709217-226, 709/230, 709/203, 709/201, 715/702, 715/763, 715/863, 345/156
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/845 where the measuring is synchronized between sensing devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

In one embodiment, a data acquisition device comprises a plurality of sensors to detect an environmental condition, a configurable processor coupled to the plurality of sensors, wherein the configurable processor is configured to receive one or more signals from the plurality of sensors and process the one or more signals to generate environmental data representative of the environmental condition, and a first input/output module to transmit the data to a remote device. Other embodiments may be disclosed.

Claims

1. A data acquisition device, comprising:

a plurality of sensors to detect environmental conditions;

a configurable processor coupled to the plurality of sensors, wherein the configurable processor is configured to;

receive one or more signals from the plurality of sensors;

process the one or more signals to generate environmental data representative of the environmental conditions;

implement a device profile for web services (DPWS) interface;

generate a graphical representation, wherein the graphical representation includes a first portion that displays a listing of devices, functions, and sensors of the plurality of sensors and wherein the graphical representation includes a second portion, wherein the second portion is configured to display a representation of a particular sensor of the plurality of sensors, display a portion of the environmental data associated with the particular sensor, and establish an interaction of the portion of the environmental data associated with the particular sensor with one or more devices from the listing, one or more functions from the listing, or combinations thereof; and

make the graphical representation available for access by one or more remote devices via the DPWS interface.

2. The data acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a light sensor, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a position sensor.

3. The data acquisition device of claim 1, further comprising a coprocessor coupled to the configurable processor, wherein the coprocessor is configured to be selectively coupled to one or more external sensor devices to receive second environmental data.

4. The data acquisition device of claim 3, further comprising an input/output module coupled to the coprocessor to receive the second environmental data from one or more external computing devices.

5. The data acquisition device of claim 1, further comprising an input/output module to send the graphical representation to a remote device of the one or more remote devices, wherein the input/output module comprises a first communication interface to couple the data acquisition device to a wired network or a second communication interface to couple the data acquisition device to a wireless network.

6. The data acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the configurable processor is further configured to:

analyze the environmental data; and

generate an alarm signal when a value of the environmental data associated with a sensor of the plurality of sensors satisfies a threshold.

7. The data acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the configurable processor is further configured to:

generate one or more command signals in response to the environmental data; and

transmit the one or more command signals to a transducer.

8. The data acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the configurable processor is configured to enable the graphical representation to be modified by enabling an item in the listing displayed in the first portion of the graphical representation to be dragged and dropped into the second portion of the graphical representation.

9. The data acquisition device of claim 1, wherein the configurable processor is further configured to:

receive an input from a first remote device of the one or more remote devices via the graphical representation, wherein the input provides at least one instruction regarding operations of the particular sensor; and

in response to the input, configure the particular sensor in accordance with the at least one instruction.

10. The data acquisition device of claim 9, wherein the configurable processor is further configured to implement peer-to-peer communication with the first remote device.

11. A method to monitor environmental conditions, comprising:

detecting, via a plurality of environmental sensors mounted on an electronic device, environmental conditions;

receiving, at a configurable processor coupled to the plurality of sensors, one or more signals from the plurality of sensors;

processing, via the configurable processor, the one or more signals to generate environmental data representative of the environmental conditions;

implementing, via the configurable processor, a device profile for web services (DPWS) interface;

generating, in the DPWS interface, a graphical representation, wherein the graphical representation includes a first portion that displays a listing of devices, functions, and sensors of the plurality of sensors and wherein the graphical representation includes a second portion, wherein the second portion is configured to display a representation of a particular sensor of the plurality of sensors, display a portion of the environmental data associated with the particular sensor, and establish an interaction of the portion of the environmental data associated with the particular sensor with one or more devices from the listing, one or more functions from the listing, or combinations thereof; and

making the environmental data available for access by one or more remote devices via the DPWS interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of environmental sensors comprises at least one of a light sensor, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a position sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic device further comprises a coprocessor coupled to the configurable processor, wherein the coprocessor may is be selectively coupled to one or more external sensor devices to receive second environmental data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one input/output module is coupled to the coprocessor to receive the second environmental data from one or more external computing devices.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling the electronic device to a wired network, coupling the electronic device to a wireless network, or both.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

analyzing the environmental data; and

generating an alarm signal when a value of the environmental data associated with a sensor of the plurality of sensors satisfies a threshold.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating one or more command signals in response to the environmental data; and

transmitting the one or more command signals to a transducer.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising modifying the graphical representation in response to user input that drags an item from the listing to the second portion and drops the item in the second portion.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an input from a first remote device of the one or more remote devices via the graphical representation, wherein the input provides at least one instruction regarding operations of the particular sensor; and

in response to the input, configuring the particular sensor in accordance with the at least one instruction.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the configurable processor is further configured to implement peer-to-peer communication with the first remote device.