Sensor node

• US 7,696,867 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Takeshi, Aiki, Kiyoshi, Yamashita, Shunzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/779,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/029 reducing the clock frequency of the controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A sensor node for intermittently sensing data in a short cycle includes a control unit for acquiring information by driving the sensor, a radio communication unit for transmitting the information acquired by the control unit and a battery for supplying the control unit. The control unit includes a clock supply unit (RTC) for supplying the control unit with clocks at a predetermined frequency. A sensor control unit starts the supply of power to the sensor when the measurement period has begun, maintains the power supply to the sensor even if the control unit has shifted to the standby state during the measurement period, and shuts down the power supply to the sensor when the measurement period has been completed. A measurement unit is also provided for acquiring information from the sensor every time the latter has shifted to the operational state.

Claims

1. A sensor node comprising:

a control unit for obtaining information by driving sensor being comprised in said control unit;

a radio communication unit for transmitting information acquired by said control unit; and

a battery for supplying said control unit, radio communication unit and sensor with electric power,

wherein said control unit further comprises;

a clock supplying unit for supplying said control unit with clocks at a predetermined clock frequency;

a standby control unit for repeating at a predetermined cycle an operational state in which clocks of the predetermined frequency are supplied from said clock supply unit and a standby state during which the clock is suspended or the clock frequency is reduced during a predetermined measurement period;

a sensor control unit for starting the supply of electric power to said sensor when said predetermined measurement period starts, maintaining the power supply to the sensor even if the control unit is standing by during said predetermined measurement period, and cutting off the supply of power to the sensor when said predetermined measurement period end; and

a measurement unit for acquiring information from said sensor every time when said control unit starts operating,

wherein said clock supplying unit lowers the clock frequency due to be supplied to said control unit when said radio communication unit is shifted to the operational state.

2. The sensor node according to claim 1,

wherein said measurement unit stores in the storage unit the information acquired from said sensor every time when said control unit starts operating,

wherein said measurement unit further comprises a radio communication control unit for switching said radio communication unit from the standby state to the operational state, transmitting en bloc said information when the information stored in said storage unit has reached the predetermined number, and for switching said radio communication unit to the standby state when the transmission has been completed, and

wherein said standby control unit switches said control unit to the standby state when said radio communication control unit has switched the radio communication unit to the standby state.

3. The sensor node according to claim 1,

wherein said measurement unit stands by until said sensor stabilizes immediately after said sensor control unit has started the supply of power to said sensor.

4. The sensor node according to claim 1,

wherein said predetermined measurement period is a period during which said measurement unit acquires the sensor information up to the number of times previously set, and said control unit repeats said predetermined measurement periods.

5. The sensor node according to claim 4,

wherein said control unit is in the standby state between said predetermined measurement period and the following predetermined measurement period, and a measurement suspension period is created for shutting down the power supply to said sensor.

6. The sensor node according to claim 4,

wherein said sensor node comprises a timer, being supplied regularly with electric power from said battery, for transmitting interrupt signals to said control unit at the predetermined cycle, and

wherein said standby control unit sets the first cycle at said timer as the predetermined cycle during said predetermined measurement period and shifts the control unit to the operational state upon receiving an interrupt signal from said timer.

7. The sensor node according to claim 5,

wherein said sensor node comprises a timer, being supplied regularly with electric power from said battery, for transmitting interrupt signals to said control unit at the predetermined cycle, and

wherein said standby control unit sets the second cycle at said timer as the predetermined cycle when said predetermined measurement period has come to an end and shifts the control unit to the operational state upon receiving an interrupt signal from said timer.