Systems, methods, and computer readable media for lossless data transmission in a wireless network

• US 9,686,051 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hottinger Bruel & Kjaer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Galbreath, Jacob H., DiStasi, Stephen J., Arms, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILE, FEBEN
• Application Number:
  US14/141,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20150188671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/065 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0655 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1874 Buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1877 for semi-reliable protocols, e.g. for less sensitive applications like streaming video buffer level management for video bitstream control arrangements H04N21/44004
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable media for providing lossless transmission of sensor data in a wireless network are provided. In some aspects, a method for transmitting data in a wireless sensor network includes collecting data at a sensor node, attaching a timestamp to the data, buffering the data and the timestamp to a memory device and retransmitting the collected data where the sensor node fails to receive an acknowledgement message from the base station after the data transmission. In some aspects, a system can include a plurality of wireless sensor nodes having synchronized clocks and a base station. Collected sensor data can be associated with a timestamp via the clock prior to transmitting the data to the base station. The data can be buffered at a memory device and retransmitted therefrom to provide lossless data transmission.

Claims

1. A method for lossless data transmission in a wireless sensor network, the method comprising:

configuring the wireless sensor network, wherein the wireless sensor network has a plurality of wireless sensor nodes, at least one base station, a first bandwidth and a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth being greater than first bandwidth;

receiving a coordinated universal time (UTC) timestamp at each of the wireless sensor nodes from the at least one base station, wherein each of the wireless sensor nodes synchronizes an internal clock to the received UTC timestamp;

sequentially collecting a sensor data sample at each of the wireless sensor nodes, wherein each wireless sensor node has its own sensor data samples being collected;

attaching a timestamp to the collected sensor data samples in each of the wireless sensor nodes;

buffering the timestamped sensor data samples to a memory device, wherein at least one memory device is positioned within each of the wireless sensor nodes and wherein each of the timestamped sensor data samples are buffered in a format where the first of the timestamped sensor data samples buffered is the first of the timestamped sensor data samples to be transmitted;

sequentially transmitting the timestamped sensor data samples to the base station during a predetermined transmission time slot, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting at least one of timestamped sensor data samples and, when the first bandwidth permits, transmitting additional timestamped sensor data samples up to the a maximum allowable bandwidth of the first bandwidth;

determining if an acknowledgement message from the base station is received; and

retransmitting the at least one timestamped sensor data sample where one or more of the sensor nodes fail to receive an acknowledgement message from the base station after the timestamped sensor data sample transmission, wherein the retransmission of the at least one timestamped sensor data sample involves transmitting as many of the timestamped sensor data samples as possible up to a maximum allocated bandwidth of the second bandwidth.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor node is configured to continue retransmitting the timestamped sensor data samples until an acknowledgement message is received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the timestamped sensor data samples are stored as a data packet that are configured to transmit information about the one of the sensor nodes associated with the timestamped sensor data samples, including number of retransmission attempts made by the sensor node, sensor calibration coefficients, power supply level, or transmission power level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory device comprises a volatile or non-volatile memory device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if a total number of retransmission attempts has exceeded a retransmission count threshold before retransmitting the timestamped sensor data samples, and wherein the retransmission count threshold is a pre-determined integer number.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, if the total number of retransmission attempts has exceeded the retransmission count threshold, then the retransmission is discontinued and a subsequently recorded timestamped sensor data sample is transmitted.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the memory device has available free space prior to retransmitting the timestamped sensor data samples.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, if the memory device does not have available free space, then the retransmission is discontinued and a subsequently timestamped sensor data sample is transmitted.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically adjusting a data transmission power of the sensor node according to the wireless sensor network'"'"'s received signal strength indication (RSSI) or data packet error rate.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting from the base station a data packet, which includes the qualified sensor data and the timestamp to an end user.

11. A system for transmitting data in a wireless sensor network, the system comprising:

a first bandwidth associated with the wireless sensor network;

a second bandwidth associated with the wireless sensor network, the second bandwidth being greater than the first bandwidth;

at least one wireless sensor node comprising;

a sensor adapted to collect data;

a time keeping device for generating a timestamp associated with a time at which the data as collected;

at least one memory device for sequentially storing the collected timestamped data;

a transceiver configured to sequentially transmit the stored timestamped data, the transmitting includes transmitting at least one of timestamped data during a predetermined transmission time slot and, when the first bandwidth permits, transmit additional timestamped data up to the a maximum allowable bandwidth of the first bandwidth;

a base station configured to receive the transmitted stored timestamped data transmit an acknowledgement message to the wireless sensor node upon receipt of the stored timestamped data; and

wherein each wireless sensor node is configured to retransmit more than one of the sequentially stored timestamped data when the acknowledgement message is not received, the retransmission of the stored timestamped data involves transmitting as many of the stored timestamped data as possible up to a maximum allocated bandwidth of the second bandwidth.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless sensor node is configured to retransmit the timestamped data until the acknowledgement message is received from the base station.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless sensor node is configured to transmit additional sensor node information including a number of retransmission attempts made by the sensor node, one or more sensor calibration coefficients, a power supply level, or a transmission power level.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory device comprises a volatile or non-volatile memory device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the volatile or non-volatile memory device is integrated within the wireless sensor node.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless sensor node is configured to determine if a total number of retransmission attempts for one sensor timestamped data has exceeded a retransmission count threshold before retransmitting the timestamped data, wherein the retransmission count threshold is pre-determined integer number.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor node is configured to determine whether the memory device has available free space before retransmitting the timestamped data.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein a data transmission power of the wireless sensor node is dynamically adjusted according to a received signal strength indication (RSSI) or data packet error rate of a respective wireless network.