Distributed wireless sensing system

• US 9,712,895 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Singapore University Of Technology And Design
• Original Assignee: Singapore University Of Technology And Design
• Inventors: Yeo, Kian Peen, Nanayakkara, Suranga Chandima
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorsey, Renee
• Application Number:
  US14/760,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A device comprising: at least one input sensor, at least one output transducer, a wireless communication module, and a processor configured to receive a local control parameter from the input sensor or a remote control parameter from a remote module communicating with the processor via the wireless communication module, and selecting one a of a plurality of operational configurations de-pending on the local and remote control parameters, each of the plurality of operational configurations including a predetermined threshold for a sensing parameter received from the input sensor, and an output response if the sensing parameter breaches the threshold.

Claims

1. A distributed wireless sensing device comprising:

at least one input sensor,

at least one output transducer configured to indicate receipt of a trigger by the sensing device,

a wireless communication module configured to send and receive data, and

a processor configured to receive a local control parameter from the at least one input sensor or a remote control parameter from a remote module communicating with the processor via the wireless communication module, and

wherein the processor is further configured to allow selection of one of a plurality of operational configurations, wherein the selection of one of a plurality of operational configurations allows selection of whether, upon receipt of a trigger by the sensing device, to

(i) indicate the receipt of the trigger with the at least one output transducer;

(ii) send data via the wireless communication module;

or

(iii) perform both (i) and (ii); and

wherein

the at least one input sensor includes a microphone, an accelerometer, a button and/or a rotary encoder and/or the at least one output transducer includes a speaker, vibrating motor, a multi coloured light, a single LED, a OLED display and/or an E-lnk display and/or the device further comprises a near field communication module for pairing; and

wherein the distributed wireless device further comprises

two disks rotatable about a housing an engaged with the rotary encoder to sense the turning of the device, wherein the device is configured to monitor triggers from a first direction when mounted to a surface with a first of the two disks, and configured to monitor triggers from a second direction when mounted to a surface with a second of the two disks.

2. The device in claim 1 wherein the trigger is caused by sensor input received by the at least one input sensor or by data received through the wireless communication module.

3. The device in claim 1, wherein the local control parameter is determined by turning, pressing and/or shaking the device.

4. The device in claim 3, wherein turning the device is configured to adjust sensitivity of the at least one input sensor or to select an operational configuration, pressing the device is configured to enable entering a command and shaking the device is configured to reset the device or cancel an event.

5. The device in claim 1, wherein the plurality of operational configurations include a configuration mode, an input mode and an output mode.

6. A distributed wireless sensing system comprising:

a plurality of sensing nodes, wherein each sensing node comprises a distributed wireless sensing device according to claim 1,

a wireless remote module, and

a base station or master node configured for wirelessly communicating with each node and the remote module,

wherein the remote module is configured for coordination and/or processing of events and data collected by each node.

7. The system in claim 6, wherein the wireless remote module is an app on a mobile telephone.

8. The system in claim 6, wherein the wireless remote module is a receiver dongle.

9. The system in claim 8, wherein the receiver dongle includes a wireless module, an illumination device, a vibration device and a display, the display configured to identify a sensing node which has triggered an event.

10. The system in claim 9, wherein the receiver dongle and a sensing node are configured to pair with each other when in close proximity.

11. The system in claim 6, comprising configuration modes which include a selection from the group consisting of:

remote monitoring of object, and an alert relates to movement of the object or a sound originating in the object;

remote event triggering on an object, where an alert is user triggered and a selected node outputs lights and/or sound cues;

immediate response management of events, where a noise event at a node immediately triggers an output sound at the same node;

collaboration between nodes, where the location of a sound origin can be determined based on the measurements at multiple nodes;

collective output, where multiple nodes can output in a coordinated fashion to create multi-channel sound effects or to generate a lighting effect or display;

sequential effect, where an input from one node(s) triggers an output on another node(s) or vice versa;

controlling the remote module, where an input to a node may select an action on the remote module;

and any combination thereof.

14. The device in claim 2, wherein the local control parameter is determined by turning, pressing and/or shaking the device.

15. The system in claim 7, wherein the configuration modes include a selection from the group consisting of:

remote monitoring of object, and the alert relates to movement of the object or a sound originating in the object;

remote event triggering on an object, where the alert is user triggered and a selected node outputs lights and/or sound cues;

immediate response management of events, where a noise event at a node immediately triggers an output sound at the same node;

collaboration between nodes, where the location of a sound origin can be determined based on the measurements at multiple nodes;

collective output, where multiple nodes can output in a coordinated fashion to create multi-channel sound effects or to generate a lighting effect or display;

sequential effect, where an input from one node(s) triggers an output on another node(s) or vice versa;

controlling the remote module, where an input to a node may select an action on the remote module;

and any combination thereof.

12. A distributed wireless sensing device comprising:

a rotary selector configured to adjust sensitivity of a sensor,

a pressure sensor or switch configured to enable entering a command,

a movement sensor configured to reset the device or cancel an event, and

a processor configured to select one of a plurality of operational configurations, wherein the selection of one of a plurality of operational configurations allows selection of whether, upon receipt of a trigger by the sensing device, to

(i) indicate the receipt of the trigger with at least one output transducer;

(ii) send data via a wireless communication module;

or

(iii) perform both (i) and (ii);

wherein

the sensor includes a microphone, an accelerometer, a button and/or a rotary encoder and/or the at least one output transducer includes a speaker, vibrating motor, a multi coloured light, a single LED, a OLED display and/or an E-lnk display and/or the device further comprises a near field communication module for pairing; and

wherein the distributed wireless device further comprises

two disks rotatable about a housing an engaged with the rotary encoder to sense the turning of the device, wherein the device is configured to monitor triggers from a first direction when mounted to a surface with a first of the two disks, and configured to monitor triggers from a second direction when mounted to a surface with a second of the two disks.

13. The device in claim 12, wherein the trigger is caused by sensor input received by the sensor or by data received through the wireless communication module.

16. A distributed wireless sensing system comprising:

a plurality of sensing nodes, wherein each sensing node comprises a distributed wireless sensing device comprising

at least one input sensor,

at least one output transducer configured to indicate receipt of a trigger by the sensing device,

a wireless communication module configured to send and receive data, and

a processor configured to receive a local control parameter from the at least one input sensor or a remote control parameter from a remote module communicating with the processor via the wireless communication module, and

wherein the processor is further configured to allow selection of one of a plurality of operational configurations, wherein the selection of one of a plurality of operational configurations allows selection of whether, upon receipt of a trigger by the sensing device, to

(i) indicate the receipt of the trigger with the at least one output transducer;

(ii) send data via the wireless communication module;

or

(iii) perform both (i) and (ii);

a wireless remote module, and

a base station or master node configured for wirelessly communicating with each node and the remote module,

wherein the wireless remote module is configured for coordination and/or processing of events and data collected by each node; and

wherein the wireless remote module is a receiver dongle, which includes a wireless module, an illumination device, a vibration device and a display, and wherein the display is configured to identify a sensing node which has triggered an event.