Self regulating power conditioner for energy harvesting applications
First Claim
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1. A distributed monitoring system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, comprising:
- one or more sensor nodes coupled to the structure, each sensor node comprising;
a power supply;
a sensor operably coupled to the power supply for sensing one or more operating conditions of the structure in the immediate environment and for sensing whether or not the power level of the power supply is increasing; and
a communications interface operably coupled to the power supply and the sensor for communicating the sensed operating conditions of the structure;
a communication network operably coupled to the sensor nodes; and
a controller operably coupled to the communication network for monitoring the sensor nodes.
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Abstract
Monitoring systems, sensor nodes, and methods of operating a system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, are provided. An exemplary monitoring system includes one or more sensor nodes each including a power supply, a sensor configured to sense whether or not the power level of the power supply, and a communications interlace for communicating sensed operating conditions. The system also includes a controller in communication with the sensor nodes through a communication network to monitor the sensor nodes.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A distributed monitoring system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, comprising:
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one or more sensor nodes coupled to the structure, each sensor node comprising; a power supply; a sensor operably coupled to the power supply for sensing one or more operating conditions of the structure in the immediate environment and for sensing whether or not the power level of the power supply is increasing; and a communications interface operably coupled to the power supply and the sensor for communicating the sensed operating conditions of the structure; a communication network operably coupled to the sensor nodes; and a controller operably coupled to the communication network for monitoring the sensor nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of operating a system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, comprising:
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providing power at sensors positioned around the structure; determining if the power provided to one or more of the sensors is increasing; and controlling the operation of the sensors as a function of whether or not the power provided to one or more of the sensors in increasing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A sensor node for use in a distributed monitoring system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, comprising:
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a power supply; a sensor operably coupled to the power supply for sensing one or more operating conditions of the structure in the immediate environment and for sensing whether or not the power level of the power supply is increasing; a controller operably coupled to a communication network for monitoring the sensor nodes; and a communications interface operably coupled to the power supply and the sensor for communicating the sensed operating conditions of the structure. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification