Ad-hoc wireless sensor package

• US 9,900,668 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cheatham, III, Jesse R., Dyor, Matthew G., Glaskowsky, Peter N., Hallman, Kimberly D. A., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K. Y., Koenig, Michael F., Lord, Robert W., Lord, Richard T., Mundie, Craig J., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Petroski, Robert C., Tan, Desney S., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quang D
• Application Number:
  US13/727,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 34087003
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: obtaining location data associated with a portion of a region including at least one sensor; wirelessly transmitting one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors; and powering one or more sensing operations of a sensor via the one or more sensor operation activation signals.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with one or more sensors, located within a region to be monitored, in an ad-hoc sensor network comprising:

transmitting, by one or more sensor monitoring devices located in the region, to a portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensors, one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals;

receiving, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and from at least one sensor, one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless signals including identification data associated with the at least one sensor;

determining, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, a location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the identification data of the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored;

determining, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, whether at least one non-sensor object is present in a line-of-sight path between the at least one sensor and the one or more sensor monitoring devices, the determining based at least partly on the determined location of the at least one sensor and based at least partly on at least one safety signal detected by one or more safety sensors located within the portion of the region to be monitored; and

directionally transmitting, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and subsequent to the transmitting the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the at least one sensor for carrying out one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor and configured for powering transmission of sensing data from the at least one sensor to the one or more sensor monitoring devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to a programmed schedule.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to one or more external control signals provided to the one or more sensor monitoring devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the one or more external control signals comprises:

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the one or more external control signals received from at least one external device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the one or more external control signals comprises:

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the one or more external control signals received from one or more switches.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor monitoring devices comprises:

the one or more sensor monitoring devices operatively coupled with one or more processing devices, the one or more processing devices including at least one of a cell phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or a desktop computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the determined location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor in a substantially continuous manner during sensor operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the determined location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor in an at least partially intermittent manner during sensor operation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

powering two or more sensors with a common sensor operation activation signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the powering the two or more sensors with the common sensor operation activation signal comprises:

powering the two or more sensors configured for divergent sensing operations with the common sensor operation activation signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

powering at least one of one or more thermal sensing operations, one or more pressure sensing operations, one or more motion sensing operations, or one or more image sensing operations of the at least one sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

powering audio sensing operations of the at least one sensor.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

powering one or more electromagnetic radiation sensing operations of the at least one sensor.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

charging one or more power storage devices of the at least one sensor via the one or more sensor operation activation signals.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored comprises:

receiving the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensor monitoring devices pluggable into one or more power sources.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting, to the portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensors, the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals comprises:

transmitting one or more radio frequency signals to the portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensors, and

wherein the receiving, from the at least one sensor, the one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored includes at least;

receiving the one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more radio frequency signals transmitted to the portion of the region to be monitored, and

wherein the determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored includes at least;

determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor in response to the transmitted one or more radio frequency signals.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting, to the portion of the region to be monitored with one or more sensors, one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals comprises:

transmitting one or more optical frequency signals to the portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensors and

wherein the receiving, from the at least one sensor, the one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored includes at least;

receiving the one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more optical frequency signals transmitted to the portion of the region to be monitored, and

wherein the determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored includes at least;

determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor in response to the transmitted one or more optical frequency signals.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored comprises:

transmitting one or more signals to the one or more sensors via a device independent of the one or more sensor monitoring devices; and

wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor includes at least;

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless signals to the one or more sensors according to the location data.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored comprises:

transmitting one or more lower-power signals to the one or more sensors with I the one or more sensor monitoring devices; and

wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the al least one sensor includes at least;

directionally transmitting one or more higher-power signals to the one or more sensors.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored comprises:

receiving one or more signals indicative of at least one attribute of the at least one sensor.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor via the one or more power storage devices.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored comprises:

determining an orientation of a directional receiver of the one or more sensor monitoring devices receiving one or more signals from the at least one sensor.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless sensor activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

the one or more wireless sensor activation signals configured to be converted to at least one of electrical or optical signals via at least one transducer of the at least one sensor to power one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

controlling at least one of actuators or a directional antennal array to directionally orient transmission of the wireless sensor operation activation signals toward a location of the one or more sensors.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

determining a direction for transmission of the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals based at least partly on the determination whether the line-of-sight path exists.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

determining whether at least one secondary transmission device is at least one of logically or physically disposed between the at least one sensor and the at least one sensor monitoring device; and

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor via the at least one secondary transmission device based at least partly on the determination whether the at least one secondary transmission device is disposed between the at least one sensor at the at least one sensor monitoring device.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

determining whether at least one alternative transmission route exists between the at least one sensor and the at least one sensor monitoring device; and

directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor based at least partly on the determination whether the at least one alternative transmission route exists between the at least one sensor at the at least one sensor monitoring device.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the directionally transmitting the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor comprises:

transmitting the one or more wireless operation activation signals only if the line-of-sight path exists between the at least one sensor and the at least one sensor monitoring device.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to alter a signal power level of the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals based at least partly on the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored.

30. A system for communicating with one or more sensors, located within a region to be monitored, in an ad-hoc sensor network comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium bearing one or more instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

transmit, by one or more sensor monitoring devices located in the region, to a portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensors, one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals;

receive, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and from at least one sensor, one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless signals including identification data associated with the at least one sensor;

determine, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, a location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the identification data of the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored;

determine, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, whether at least one non-sensor object is present in a line-of-sight path between the at least one sensor and the one or more sensor monitoring devices, the determining based at least partly on the determined location of the at least one sensor and based at least partly on at least one safety signal detected by one or more safety sensors located within the portion of the region to be monitored; and

directionally transmit, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and subsequent to the transmitting the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the at least one sensor for carrying out one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor and configured for powering transmission of sensing data from the at least one sensor to the one or more sensor monitoring devices.

31. A system for communicating with one or more sensors, located within a region to be monitored, in an ad-hoc sensor network comprising:

circuitry for transmitting, by one or more sensor monitoring devices located in the region, to a portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensors, one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals;

circuitry for receiving, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and from at least one sensor, one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless signals including identification data associated with the at least one sensor;

circuitry for determining, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, a location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the identification data of the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored;

circuitry for determining, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, whether at least one non-sensor object is present in a line-of-sight path between the at least one sensor and the one or more sensor monitoring devices, the determining based at least partly on the determined location of the at least one sensor and based at least partly on at least one safety signal detected by one or more safety sensors located within the portion of the region to be monitored; and

circuitry for directionally transmitting, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and subsequent to the transmitting the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the at least one sensor for carrying out one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor and configured for powering transmission of sensing data from the at least one sensor to the one or more sensor monitoring devices.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying computer-readable instructions for execution of a process on a computing device of one or more sensor monitoring devices to communicate with one or more sensors located within a region to be monitored, the process comprising:

transmitting, by one or more sensor monitoring devices located in the region, to a portion of the region to be monitored with the one or more sensors, one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals;

receiving, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and from at least one sensor, one or more wireless signals transmitted responsive to the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, the one or more wireless signals indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless signals including identification data associated with the at least one sensor;

determining, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, a location of the at least one sensor based at least partly on the identification data of the one or more wireless signals received from the at least one sensor, the location indicative of the presence of the at least one sensor within the portion of the region to be monitored;

determining, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices, whether at least one non-sensor object is present in a line-of-sight path between the at least one sensor and the one or more sensor monitoring devices, the determining based at least partly on the determined location of the at least one sensor and based at least partly on at least one safety signal detected by one or more safety sensors located within the portion of the region to be monitored; and

directionally transmitting, by the one or more sensor monitoring devices and subsequent to the transmitting the one or more wireless sensor acquisition signals, one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals to the at least one sensor according to the location of the at least one sensor and the determination whether the at least one non-sensor object is present within the portion of the region to be monitored, the one or more wireless sensor operation activation signals configured for powering the at least one sensor for carrying out one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor and configured for powering transmission of sensing data from the at least one sensor to the one or more sensor monitoring devices.