Relaying communications in a wireless sensor system

• US 10,573,166 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Nwugo, Ojiako K
• Application Number:
  US15/841,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20180110006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 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 system comprising:

multiple wireless devices, each wireless device configured to;

measure signal strength of wireless signals received from a wireless base unit and from one or more wireless repeater units; and

transmit the signal strength measurements of the wireless base unit and the one or more wireless repeater units to the wireless base unit;

each of the one or more wireless repeater units configured to;

measure the signal strength of wireless signals received from the wireless base unit and from the wireless devices; and

transmit the signal strength measurements of the wireless base unit and the wireless devices to the wireless base unit;

the wireless base unit configured to;

receive the transmitted signal strength measurements; and

select routing paths for communications to each of the multiple wireless devices based on an evaluation of the signal strength measurements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless base unit is configured to:

based on the selection of the routing paths, send instructions to one of the wireless repeater units to add an identifier (ID) of a wireless device to a database included in the wireless repeater unit to configure the one of the wireless repeater units to route communication traffic for the wireless device through the one of the wireless repeater units.

3. The system of claim 2,

the wireless base unit configured to:

transmit a communication packet to the wireless device using the selected routing path via the one or the one or more wireless repeaters;

the one of the one or more wireless repeaters configured to;

receive the communication packet from the wireless base unit; and

transmit the communication packet to the wireless device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one of the one or more repeaters is configured to:

enable a receiver to receive an acknowledgment from the wireless device that the wireless device received the transmitted communication packet;

determine a random amount of delay; and

if the acknowledgement is not received after the determined amount of delay, retransmit the communication packet to the wireless device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the one of the one or more wireless repeaters listens to a radio frequency channel before beginning the transmission of the communication packet on the radio frequency channel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless base unit is configured to:

based on the selection of the routing paths, send instructions to one of the wireless repeater units to remove an identifier (ID) of a wireless device from a database included in the one of the wireless repeater units, so that communication traffic for the wireless device is not routed through the one of the wireless repeater units.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is operable to wirelessly communicate at a frequency in a 900 MHz frequency band.

8. An electronic device configured as a wireless base unit, the electronic device comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

a controller, coupled to the wireless transceiver, the controller configured to;

receive, from multiple wireless devices, measured signal strength of wireless signals received by the multiple wireless devices from the wireless base unit and from one or more wireless repeater units;

receive, from at least one of the wireless repeater units, the measured signal strength of wireless signals received by the at least one of the wireless repeater units from the wireless base unit and from the multiple wireless devices; and

select routing paths to each of the multiple wireless devices for communications based on an evaluation of the received signal strength measurements.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the wireless base unit is configured to:

based on the selection of the routing paths, send instructions to one of the wireless repeater units to add an identifier (ID) of a wireless device to a database included in the wireless repeater unit to configure the one of the wireless repeater units to route communication traffic for the wireless device through the one of the wireless repeater units.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the wireless base unit is configured to:

transmit a communication packet to the wireless device using the selected routing path via the one or the one or more wireless repeaters;

enable the wireless transceiver to receive an acknowledgment for the transmitted communication packet;

determine a random amount of delay; and

if the acknowledgement is not received after the determined amount of delay, retransmit the communication packet.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the wireless base unit listens to a radio frequency channel before beginning the transmission of the communication packet on the radio frequency channel.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the wireless base unit is configured to:

based on the selection of the routing paths, send instructions to one of the wireless repeater units to remove an identifier (ID) of a wireless device from a database included in the one of the wireless repeater units so that communication traffic for the wireless device is not routed through the one of the wireless repeater units.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the wireless base unit is operable to wirelessly communicate at a frequency in a 900 MHz frequency band.

14. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

a controller, coupled to the wireless transceiver, the controller configured to;

measure signal strength of wireless signals received by the wireless device from a wireless base unit and from one or more wireless repeater units; and

transmit the signal strength measurements of the wireless base unit and the one or more wireless repeater units to the wireless base unit, the transmission being effective to cause the wireless base unit to select routing paths for communications to each of multiple wireless devices including the wireless device, based at least in part on an evaluation of the transmitted signal strength measurements.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to:

transmit a communication packet to the wireless base unit;

enable the wireless transceiver to receive an acknowledgment that the transmitted communication packet was received;

determine a random amount of delay; and

if the acknowledgement is not received after the determined amount of delay, retransmit the communication packet to the wireless base unit.

16. The wireless device of claim 15, wherein the acknowledgement is transmitted by the wireless base unit or a wireless repeater unit.

17. The wireless device of claim 15, wherein the wireless device listens to a radio frequency channel before beginning the transmission of the packet on the radio frequency channel.

18. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the wireless device is operable to wirelessly communicate at a frequency in a 900 MHz frequency band.

19. The wireless device of claim 14, the wireless device comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors including:

a temperature sensor;

a smoke sensor;

a humidity sensor;

a water sensor;

a carbon monoxide sensor;

a security sensor;

a door motion sensor;

a window breakage sensor;

a window motion sensor;

a moisture sensor;

a water flow sensor;

a natural gas sensor;

or

a propane sensor.

20. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to transmit a communication packet including sensor data and an address comprising a first code and a second code.