Identifying substantially related objects in a wireless sensor network

• US 20060103534A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hottinger Bruel & Kjaer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MicroStrain, Inc. (Spectris PLC)
• Inventors: Arms, Steven Willard, Townsend, Christopher, Churchill, David Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 7,639,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/12 for forcibly arresting or disabling vehicles, e.g. spiked mats
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions

Abstract

Substantially related objects are identified by providing a first wireless sensing device having a first sensor and providing a second wireless sensing device having a second sensor. Next, comparing data derived from the second sensor with data derived from the first sensor to determine whether data from the first sensor is substantially related to data from the second sensor. The first wireless sensing device is identified as substantially related to the second wireless sensing device if data derived from the first sensor is substantially related to data derived from the second sensor.

Claims

1. A method of detecting substantially related objects, comprising the steps of

a) providing a first wireless sensing device having a first sensor;

b) providing a second wireless sensing device having a second sensor;

c) comparing data derived from said first sensor with data derived from said second sensor to determine whether data derived from said first sensor is substantially related to data derived from said second sensor;

d) identifying said first wireless sensing device as substantially related to said second wireless sensing device if said data derived from said first sensor is substantially related to said data derived from said second sensor.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein in (c) said data derived from said first sensor is from a first time frame and said data derived from said second sensor is from a second time frame, wherein said second time frame corresponds to said first time frame.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said second time frame is the same as said first time frame.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method is for detecting members of a subgroup, wherein (d) comprises identifying said first wireless sensing device as a member of a subgroup if said data derived from said first sensor is substantially related to said data derived from said second sensor.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method is for detecting nearest neighbors, further comprising at least one more wireless sensing device having a sensor, wherein (d) comprises identifying said first wireless sensing device as a nearest neighbor to said second wireless sensing device if said data derived from said first sensor is closest to said data derived from said second sensor.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method is for detecting order of objects, wherein (d) comprises identifying order of said first wireless sensing device with respect to said second wireless sensing device based on a property of data derived from said first sensor and from said second sensor.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said second wireless sensing device includes a base station.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said base station includes a base station transmitter, and wherein said first wireless sensing device includes a first wireless sensing device receiver.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said first wireless sensing device further comprises a first processor, further comprising the step of transmitting data derived from said second sensor with said base station transmitter and receiving said data derived from said second sensor in said first wireless sensing device receiver, wherein (c) includes comparing said data derived from said first sensor with data derived from said second sensor in said first processor.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said base station includes a base station receiver and wherein said first wireless sensing device includes a first wireless sensing device transmitter.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said base station further comprises a base station processor, further comprising the step of transmitting data derived from said first sensor with said first wireless sensing device transmitter and receiving said data derived from said first sensor in said base station receiver, wherein (c) includes comparing said data derived from said first sensor with said data derived from said second sensor in said base station processor.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said base station includes a transmitter and a receiver.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said base station further includes a processor, further comprising the step of said base station transmitting a signal to said first wireless device to begin logging data while said base station is logging data.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising transmitting data derived from said second sensor to said first wireless device for said comparing in (c).

15. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing an input to at least said second wireless sensor during a time frame, wherein (c) includes identifying whether said first sensor also received said input.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said second object comprises a base station, wherein said providing an input step involves providing a movement to said base station.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said input includes an acceleration of said base station.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein (d) further comprises the step of identifying a plurality of wireless sensing devices as members of said subgroup wherein sensor data from each member is substantially related to sensor data of another member of said subgroup.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein said plurality of wireless sensing devices are located on a common platform.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein (d) comprises identifying a plurality of wireless sensing devices whose data demonstrates that they started moving at about the same time.

21. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein (d) comprises identifying a plurality of wireless sensing devices whose data demonstrates that they started moving from about the same location at about the same time.

22. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of said wireless sensing devices on a platform and providing a movement to said platform.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein said platform is part of a vehicle.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein said wireless sensing devices include merchandise, and wherein said platform is part of a forklift truck.

25. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing a third wireless sensing device, comparing data from said third wireless sensing device with data from at least one of said first sensor and said second sensor during a time frame, and identifying said third wireless sensing device as a member of a subgroup if data from said third sensor is substantially related to data from said at least one of said first sensor and said second sensor during said time frame.

26. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first wireless sensing device further includes a transmitter and a memory device, wherein said memory device includes an identity code.

27. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first wireless sensing device is connected to at least one from the group, merchandise, a vehicle, a component, a document, and a living thing.

28. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein said vehicle includes a motor vehicle, a trailer or a railroad car.

29. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein said vehicle includes earth moving equipment.

30. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein said document includes a smart staple, wherein said first wireless sensing device is located in said smart staple.

31. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein said first wireless sensing device is located in a bracelet or a necklace for wearing by said living thing.

32. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein in (b) said second sensor is sensitive to at least one from the group including an acceleration, a velocity, a displacement, a location, altitude, depth, a vibration, light, an RF signal, an electromagnetic signal, a voltage, a magnetic field, sound, a temperature, a strain, a force, a torque, a pressure, and a chemical.

33. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein in (b) said second sensor is sensitive to a change in at least one from the group including an acceleration, a velocity, a displacement, a location, altitude, depth, a vibration, light, an RF signal, an electromagnetic signal, a voltage, a magnetic field, sound, a temperature, a pressure, and a chemical.

34. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein (d) comprises identifying as members of a subgroup those wireless sensing devices whose data demonstrates that they are within a specified range of a sensor value.

35. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein (d) comprises identifying as members of a subgroup those wireless sensing devices whose data demonstrates that they are receiving about the same time variation in intensity of an input signal.

36. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein (d) comprises identifying as members of a subgroup those wireless sensing devices whose data demonstrates that they are heading in about the same direction.

37. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said first wireless sensing devices, wherein each said first wireless sensing device includes a processor.

38. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein in (a) each of said plurality of first wireless sensing devices further includes a receiver.

39. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein data derived from said first sensor and data derived from said second sensor from a single point in time are compared in (d).

40. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein in (a) said first wireless sensing device and said second wireless sensing device each further includes an RFID circuit, wherein said RFID circuit provides an identity code.

41. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a subgroup includes said first wireless sensing device and said second wireless sensing device, further comprising wirelessly identifying a customer moving with said subgroup.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein said subgroup is located on a platform and wherein the customer generally moves with said platform.

43. A method as recited in claim 42, further comprising identifying the customer to said platform.

44. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said platform comprises at least one from the group consisting of:

a cart, a grocery cart, or a vehicle.

45. A method as recited in claim 41, further comprising listing ES-RFID objects in said subgroup moving with said customer.

46. A method as recited in claim 41, further comprising listing prices with said listing of ES-RFID objects in said subgroup moving with said customer, and providing a sum of said prices.

47. A method as recited in claim 46, further comprising charging said customer based on said price listing.

48. A method as recited in claim 47, further comprising filling up containers of merchandise directly in said platform.

49. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing a platform and mounting said first wireless sensing device and said second wireless sensing device to said platform.

50. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein said platform comprises a grocery cart.

51. A method as recited in claim 49, further comprising providing a trigger signal to initiate data logging by said first wireless sensor device and by said second wireless sensing device.

52. A method as recited in claim 51, further comprising logging data for a period of time long enough to distinguish said first wireless sensor device from said second wireless sensing device.

53. A method as recited in claim 51, further comprising logging data for a period of time long enough to distinguish said first wireless sensor device from said second wireless sensing device.

54. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing data in said first wireless sensing device.

55. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein said data includes data derived from said first sensor.

56. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein said data includes data received from said second wireless sensing device.

57. A method as recited in claim 54, further comprising a base station, wherein said data includes data derived from said base station.

58. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein said data includes information about said first wireless sensing device.

59. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein said information includes at least one from the group including history of use, wear, association with another assembly, association with a vehicle, association with a structure, accident history, maintenance history, time in service, flight hours, and number of landings.

60. A method of detecting members of a subgroup of objects comprising the steps of

a) providing a plurality of objects, wherein each object of said plurality of objects includes:

(1) an identity code;

(2) a sensor; and

(3) a transmitter, wherein said transmitter can transmit said identity code;

b) providing a substantially common input to a subgroup of said plurality of objects;

c) comparing sensor data derived from said common input to identify a member of said subgroup;

d) transmitting said identity code from said transmitter of each said member of said subgroup; and

e) receiving and storing said identity code of each said member of said subgroup.

61. A method as recited in claim 60, wherein each said object further comprises a receiver, further comprising the step of transmitting a signal to said objects for comparison within each said object in said comparing sensor data (c).

62. A method as recited in claim 61, further comprising a base station, wherein said base station transmits said signal.

63. A method as recited in claim 60, wherein each said object further comprises a processor, further comprising performing said comparing sensor data (c) in each said processor.