Wireless sensor unit communication triggering and management

• US 9,723,559 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US15/090,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20160247382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 3405731, 34087039
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/04 by breaking of glass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• 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: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Various embodiments of wireless ambient sensor unit are presented. The sensor unit may include a wireless transceiver configured to transmit sensor data and to receive instructions. The sensor unit may include a sensor configured to measure an ambient condition. The sensor unit may include a controller in communication with the wireless transceiver and the sensor. The controller may be configured to compare data measured about the ambient condition to a stored threshold while the wireless ambient sensor unit is functioning in a low-power mode. The controller may be configured to exit the low-power mode in response to the comparison of the data with the stored threshold. The controller may be configured to cause the data measured about the ambient condition to be transmitted by the wireless transceiver as one or more messages in response to the comparison to the stored threshold.

Claims

1. A wireless ambient sensor unit, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a sensor configured to measure quantitative data about an ambient condition;

a controller in communication with the wireless transceiver and the sensor, the controller configured to;

compare the quantitative data measured about the ambient condition to a stored threshold value while the wireless ambient sensor unit is in a low-power mode;

exit the low-power mode in response to the comparison of the quantitative data with the stored threshold value; and

in response to the exit of the low-power mode, transmit the quantitative data measured about the ambient condition as one or more messages, using the wireless transceiver, the quantitative data being transmitted while the wireless ambient sensor unit is out of the low-power mode and each message includes an address that identifies the wireless ambient sensor unit, a checksum, and an authenticity portion for use in verifying an authenticity of the message.

2. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured for at least a portion of the address to be programmed into the wireless ambient sensor unit during an installation process.

3. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein power is not provided to the wireless transceiver in the low-power mode.

4. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a message, via the wireless transceiver to reprogram at least a portion of the address; and

reprogram at least the portion of the address based on the received message.

5. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use a spread spectrum technique for transmitting the quantitative data measured about the ambient condition.

6. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

exit the low-power mode on a periodic basis;

transmit a status message using the wireless transceiver;

for a predefined period of time following the transmission of the status message, enter a receive mode to wait for a command to be received via the wireless transceiver; and

enter the low power mode following expiration of the predefined period of time.

7. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the ambient condition is one of a level of carbon monoxide or a level of smoke.

8. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a reset switch in communication with the controller, and wherein the controller is further configured to;

in response to actuation of the reset switch, cause the wireless ambient sensor unit to enter a receive mode to receive the address, via the wireless transceiver, to program into the wireless ambient sensor unit.

9. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a tamper sensor in communication with the controller, and wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive a tamper indication from the tamper sensor indicative of tampering with the wireless ambient sensor unit;

in response to the reception of the tamper indication, exit the low-power mode; and

transmit a message including an indication of the tampering via the wireless transceiver.

10. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, further comprising an audio output device, and wherein the controller is in communication with the audio output device.

11. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

measure a signal strength received using the wireless transceiver; and

route transmission of the one or more messages based on the measured signal strength.

12. The wireless ambient sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

prior to the transmission of the one or more messages, listen to a radio frequency channel, using the wireless transceiver, to determine if the radio frequency channel is in use; and

in response to the determination that the radio frequency channel is not is use, transmit the one or more messages via the radio frequency channel.

13. A method for using a wireless ambient sensor unit, the method comprising:

measuring an ambient condition with a sensor of the wireless ambient sensor;

comparing quantitative data measured about the ambient condition to a stored threshold value while the wireless ambient sensor unit is in a low-power mode;

exiting the low-power mode in response to the comparison of the quantitative data with the stored threshold value; and

in response to said exiting the low-power mode, transmitting, with a wireless transceiver of the wireless ambient sensor unit, one or more messages indicative of the quantitative data measured about the ambient condition, the quantitative data being transmitted while the wireless ambient sensor unit is out of the low-power mode and each message including an address that identifies the wireless ambient sensor unit, a checksum, and an authenticity portion for use in verifying an authenticity of the message.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

exiting the low-power mode on a periodic basis;

transmitting a status message using the wireless transceiver;

for a predefined period of time following said transmitting the status message, entering a receive mode to wait for a command to be received via the wireless transceiver; and

entering the low power mode following expiration of the predefined period of time.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the ambient condition is one of a level of carbon monoxide or a level of smoke.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

measuring a signal strength received using the wireless transceiver; and

routing transmission of the one or more messages based on the measured signal strength.

17. A system for sensing an ambient condition, the system comprising:

a wireless ambient sensor unit configured to;

measure the ambient condition with a sensor;

compare quantitative data measured about the ambient condition to a stored threshold value while the wireless ambient sensor unit is in a low-power mode;

exit the low-power mode in response to the comparison of the quantitative data with the stored threshold value; and

in response to the exit of the low-power mode, transmit, with a wireless transceiver, one or more messages indicative of the quantitative data measured about the ambient condition, the quantitative data being transmitted while the wireless ambient sensor unit is out of the low-power mode and each message includes an address that identifies the wireless ambient sensor unit, a checksum, and an authenticity portion for use in verifying an authenticity of the message.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a repeater device configured to;

receive from the wireless ambient sensor unit, the one or more messages indicative of the data about the ambient condition; and

transmit the one or more messages to a base unit.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the repeater device is further configured to:

attach an address of the repeater device to the one or more messages prior to the transmission of the one or more messages to the base unit.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the repeater device is further configured to:

compare the address in the one or more messages received from the wireless ambient sensor unit to a stored database that includes a plurality of sensor addresses; and

ignore the one or more messages based on the address not being included in the plurality of sensor addresses.