Application specific intelligent microsensors
First Claim
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1. A modular general purpose sensor unit, comprising:
- a sensor array layer to receive and condition data from at least two different types of sensor;
a general purpose intelligent processor and control layer to process at least said conditioned data and produce output data derived from said conditioned data, said processor and control layer including a reprogrammable memory for storing application specific software to control the operation of said processor and control layer, said output data being at least partially different from said conditioned data;
a power layer for providing power to said sensor array layer and said processor and control layer;
wherein said sensor array layer, said processor and control layer, and said power layer are layered to form a sensor module.
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Abstract
An intelligent microsensor module (10, 100, 210, 300, 355, 410) is provided that can fuse data streams from a variety of sources and then locally determine the current state of the environment in which the intelligent microsensor is placed. The resultant state rather than raw data is communicated to the outside world when the microsensor is queried. The intelligent microsensor module (10, 100, 210, 300, 355, 410) of the present invention can locally determine and execute an action to be taken based on the determined state of the environment. The module (10, 100, 210, 300, 355, 410) can be readily reconfigured for multiple applications.
293 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A modular general purpose sensor unit, comprising:
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a sensor array layer to receive and condition data from at least two different types of sensor;
a general purpose intelligent processor and control layer to process at least said conditioned data and produce output data derived from said conditioned data, said processor and control layer including a reprogrammable memory for storing application specific software to control the operation of said processor and control layer, said output data being at least partially different from said conditioned data;
a power layer for providing power to said sensor array layer and said processor and control layer;
wherein said sensor array layer, said processor and control layer, and said power layer are layered to form a sensor module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A sensor communication network, comprising:
- a plurality of general purpose smart sensor devices, each comprising;
a sensor array layer to receive and condition data from at least two different types of sensor;
a general purpose intelligent processor and control layer to process at least said conditioned data and produce output data derived from said conditioned data, said processor and control layer including a reprogrammable memory for storing application specific software to control the operation of said processor and control layer, said output data being at least partially different from said conditioned data;
a power layer for providing power to said sensor array layer and said processor and control layer;
wherein said sensor array layer, said processor and control layer, and said power layer form a sensor module;
a central station for receiving said data; and
wherein said output data from each of said smart sensor devices is communicated to said central station. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
- a plurality of general purpose smart sensor devices, each comprising;
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16. A method, comprising:
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performing a first sensing application with a sensing device, the sensing device including a power source, a processor, a wireless communication device, a first layer to perform sensing with two or more sensors each of a different type, and a memory including first application programming corresponding to one or more features of the first layer;
interchanging the first layer of the sensing device with a second layer, the second layer including at least one feature different from the one or more features of the first layer, the memory including second application programming corresponding to the at least one feature of the second layer; and
performing a second sensing application with the sensing device after said interchanging, the second application being different than the first application. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method, comprising:
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providing a plurality of sensing device subassemblies each including a power source, a processor, a wireless communication device, and two or more sensors each of a different type;
coupling a first outer layer to one of the subassemblies to provide a sensing device for a first application;
coupling a second outer layer to another of the subassemblies to provide a sensing device for a second application different than the first application; and
executing a first program with the sensing device for the first application and a second program with the sensing device for the second application, the first program and the second program being at least partially different in accordance with a difference between features of the first outer layer and the second outer layer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method, comprising:
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providing a self-powered, remote sensor module carrying at least two sensors each operable to sense a characteristic of a different type and a wireless communication device;
processing signals from the sensors with a neural network provided by the sensor module; and
transmitting information from the sensor module with the wireless communication device, the information being at least partially determined from said processing. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method, comprising:
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providing a self-powered, remote sensor module carrying at least two sensors each operable to detect a characteristic of a different type;
carrying the sensor module with one or more of a mobile person and a mobile object;
processing signals from each of the sensors with an adaptive learning routine executed by the sensor module; and
providing location information for the one or more of the mobile person and the mobile object at least partially based on said processing. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A self-powered, sensor module, comprising:
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means for providing the sensor module in a number of layers coupled together to provide an integrated sensing unit with at least an outer one of the layers being interchangeable;
means for sensing at least two different characteristics and providing corresponding sensor signals, said sensing means being coupled to said outer one of the layers;
means for processing said sensor signals with an adaptive learning routine; and
means for wirelessly communicating information from said processing means to a receiving device.
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Specification