Sensor network system

• US 7,680,486 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Hiromitsu, Miyao, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US10/559,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,209 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/412.1, 455/435.1, 455/554.2, 370/310, 370/346
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/01 Measuring or predicting earthquakes

Abstract

An object of the invention is to save the trouble of mapping sensor chips on a map information system. A map information management unit 124 is accessed via a network 122. Neighborhood information based on a present position measured by an own position measuring unit 102 is obtained by searching a map DB 127. A sensor information setting unit 106 displays the neighborhood information in a display unit 108. An ID reading unit 104 reads an ID 111 of a sensor chip 110, and registers the ID 111 in the map DB 127 after associating it with equipment information displayed in the display unit 108. The measurement values measured by a sensor 112 are transmitted from an antenna 114 and received by a sensor information receiving unit 119 of the receiver 118. A sensor information communication unit 120 accesses the network 122 and the measurements are transmitted to a sensor information management unit 123. The measurement values are accumulated in a sensor DB 126. The sensor DB 126 is searched using a sensor ID associated in the map DB 127 and the measurements are viewed as map information associated with equipment.

Claims

1. A sensor network system comprising;

a sensor chip which can transmit measurement values by wireless communication;

a sensor database which stores the measurement values measured by the sensor chip;

a sensor information management unit which manages access to the sensor database;

a receiver which receives the measurement values from the sensor chip and accesses the sensor information management unit, via a network;

a map database which stores, as map information, data about equipment in which the sensor chip is installed;

a map information management unit which manages access to the map database; and

a sensor management device which registers a location where the sensor chip is installed in the map database,

wherein the sensor management device comprises;

a memory which stores a program and data;

a CPU which executes the program and controls operation;

an ID reading unit which reads identification information assigned to the sensor chip;

an own position measuring unit which acquires a present position of the sensor chip;

a wireless communication unit which can connect to the network by wireless communication;

a sensor information setting unit which inputs and outputs information about the sensor chip; and

a display unit and an input unit both of which are controlled by the sensor information setting unit.

2. The sensor network system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor chip has a stake-shaped container which can be put in the ground as an exterior package.

3. The sensor network system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes:

a sensor information acquisition button,

a sensor information display unit,

a neighborhood information display unit which displays data about the equipment as neighborhood map information,

a cross-shaped reference icon which appears in the neighborhood information display unit and which indicates a present position of the sensor chip, and

an enter button which is used to register the sensor information and the equipment data in a state of being associated with each other.

4. The sensor network system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor management device comprises:

means for detecting pressing of the sensor information acquisition button,

means for making the ID reading unit acquire the identification information having been encoded,

means for decoding the sensor information based on the identification information acquired, and

means for displaying the sensor information in the sensor information display unit.

5. The sensor network system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor management device comprises:

means for detecting pressing of the sensor information acquisition button,

means for making the ID reading unit acquire the identification information,

means for making the wireless communication unit access the sensor information management unit,

means for transmitting the identification information,

means for making the sensor information management unit acquire a sensor ID from the identification information,

means for making the sensor information management unit search the sensor database using the sensor ID as a key and acquire corresponding sensor information,

means for transmitting the sensor information to the sensor information setting unit, and

means for displaying the sensor information in the sensor information display unit.

6. The sensor network system according to claim 5, wherein the sensor management device comprises:

means for displaying, when pressing of the enter button is detected with the neighborhood information display unit being selected and with an equipment icon displayed in the neighborhood information display unit being selected, a sensor icon at a position where the equipment icon is displayed,

means for accessing the map information management unit upon confirming a combination of the equipment icon and the sensor icon, and

means for associating the sensor ID with data being associated with the equipment icon, the data being included in the map database.

7. The sensor network system according to claim 6, wherein the display unit displays the equipment icon, when it is selected, differently from other equipment icons.

8. The sensor network system according to claim 6, wherein the sensor management device comprises:

means for displaying, when pressing of the enter button is detected with the neighborhood information display unit being selected, the sensor icon at a position of the reference icon,

means for accessing the map information management unit upon confirming a position of the sensor icon, and

means for associating the position with data associated with the sensor icon, the data being included in the map database.

9. The sensor network system according to claim 5, wherein the map information management unit detects selection of the equipment data, acquires the associated sensor ID from the map database, and acquires the measurement values associated with the sensor ID, the measurement values being accumulated in the sensor database.