System, communications node, and determining method

• US 9,888,298 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takahisa, Otomo, Toshiya, Yamauchi, Hiromasa, Yamashita, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/152,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20160255423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 34087016
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/845 where the measuring is synchronized between sensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system includes communications nodes, respectively having a sensor; and a communications apparatus that simultaneously requests the communications nodes to transmit sensor data. A first communications node among the communications nodes, when determining that among a first state where the communications apparatus includes the first communications node when requesting transmission and a second state where the communications apparatus excludes the first communications node when requesting transmission, the first communications node is in the second state: determines whether a predetermined difference is present between a predetermined value and the sensor data of the first communications node, and transmits a notification signal that notifies the communications apparatus of the predetermined difference, when determining that the predetermined difference is present.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of communications nodes, respectively having a sensor; and

a communications apparatus configured to simultaneously request the plurality of communications nodes to transmit sensor data, wherein

the communications apparatus transmits to the plurality of communications nodes, a suspension request signal that requests a portion of the plurality of communications nodes to refrain from performing transmission and reception operations, and,

a first communications node among the plurality of the communications nodes;

receives the suspension request signal;

determines according to whether the first communications node is included among the portion of the plurality of communications nodes not to perform the transmission and reception operations consequent to the received suspension request signal, whether the first communications node is in a first state where the communications apparatus includes the first communications node when requesting transmission or a second state where the communications apparatus excludes the first communications node when requesting transmission;

receives from a second communications node among the plurality of communications nodes when the first communications node determines to be in the first state, a data signal that notifies the communications apparatus of the sensor data of the second communications node;

stores to a storage device, the sensor data included in the received data signal, when determining to be in the first state;

wirelessly transmits when determining to be in the first state, the data signal in which a third communications node that is among the plurality of communications nodes and directly communicates with the first communications node is set as an intended recipient;

refrains from performing the transmission and reception operations, when determining to be in the second state; and

determines whether a predetermined difference is present between the sensor data stored in the storage device or a predetermined value and the sensor data of the first communications node, when determining to be in the second state; and

transmits a notification signal that notifies the communications apparatus of the predetermined difference, when determining that the predetermined difference is present.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the suspension request signal has information that indicates a period during which the transmission and reception operations are not to be performed,

the first communications node refrains from performing the transmission and reception operations during the period indicated by the information included in the suspension request signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first communications node stores the sensor data included in the received data signal to the storage device, when the second communications node that measured the sensor data in the received data signal communicates directly with the first communications node.

4. A first communications node included among a plurality of communications nodes that respectively have a sensor, the first communications node comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive from a communications apparatus that simultaneously requests the plurality of communications nodes to transmit sensor data, a suspension request signal that requests a portion of the plurality of communications nodes to refrain from performing transmission and reception operations;

a control circuit configured to;

determine according to whether the first communications node is included among the portion of the plurality of communications nodes not to perform the transmission and reception operations consequent to the suspension request signal received by the receiving circuit, whether the first communications node is in a first state where the communications apparatus includes the first communications node when requesting transmission or a second state where the communications apparatus excludes the first communications node when requesting transmission; and

determine, when determining the first communications node to be in the second state, whether a predetermined difference is present between a predetermined value and sensor data of the first communications node; and

a transmitting circuit configured to wirelessly transmit a notification signal that notifies the communications apparatus of the predetermined difference when the control circuit determines that the predetermined difference is present, wherein

the receiving circuit, when the control circuit determines the first communications node to be in the first state, receives from a second communications node among the plurality of communications nodes, a data signal that notifies the communications apparatus of sensor data of the second communications node,

the control circuit, when determining the first communications node to be in the first state, stores the sensor data included in the received data signal to a storage device,

the control circuit, when determining the first communications node to be in the first state, wirelessly transmits the data signal in which a third communications node that is among the plurality of communications nodes and communicates directly with the first communications node is set as an intended recipient, and

the control circuit, when determining the first communications node to be in the second state, determines whether the predetermined difference is present between the sensor data stored in the storage device and the sensor data of the first communications node.

5. The first communications node according to claim 4, further comprising:

a power control circuit configured to supply power to the transmitting circuit when transmitting the notification signal and to suspend power to the transmitting circuit when not transmitting the notification signal, when the first communications node is in the second state.

6. A determining method of a first communications node included among a plurality of communications nodes respectively having a sensor, the method comprising:

receiving from a communications apparatus that simultaneously requests the plurality of communications nodes to transmit sensor data, a suspension request signal that requests a portion of the plurality of communications nodes to refrain from performing transmission and reception operations;

determining according to whether the first communications node is included among the portion of the plurality of communications nodes not to perform the transmission and reception operations consequent to the received suspension request signal, whether the first communications node is in a first state where the communications apparatus includes the first communications node when requesting transmission or a second state where the communications apparatus excludes the first communications node when requesting transmission;

receiving from a second communications node among the plurality of communications nodes when the first communications node is determined to be in the first state, a data signal that notifies the communications apparatus of sensor data of the second communications node;

storing to a storage device, the sensor data included in the received data signal, when the first communications node is determined to be in the first state;

wirelessly transmitting when the first communications node is determined to be in the first state, the data signal in which a third communications node that is among the plurality of communications nodes and directly communicates with the first communications node is set as an intended recipient;

refraining from performing the transmission and reception operations, when the first communications node is determined to be in the second state;

determining whether a predetermined difference is present between the sensor data stored in the storage device and the sensor data of the first communications node, when the first communications node is determined to be in the second state; and

transmitting a notification signal that notifies the communications apparatus of the predetermined difference, when the predetermined difference is present.