Wireless sensor network information swarming

• US 8,792,513 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bremner, Richard, Hey, Laurence, Izard, William, Ponsford, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): PASIA, REDENTOR M
• Application Number:
  US13/407,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/235, 370/252, 370/338, 370/401, 370/428, 370/474, 370/476, 709223-224
• US Class Current: 370/428
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for information swarming in a wireless sensor network (WSN). In an embodiment of the invention, a method for information swarming in a WSN can include receiving in an overhearing node of the WSN, relay data sensed by a sensor at an originating node of the WSN and transmitted along a relay path exclusive of the overhearing node from the originating node to an aggregation point in the WSN. The method also can include determining a relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule. Finally, the method can include forwarding additional data acquired at the overhearing node by a sensor at the overhearing node to the aggregation point over the WSN in response to determining the relay data to be relevant.

Claims

1. A method for information swarming in a wireless sensor network (WSN) comprising:

receiving relay data in an overhearing node of the WSN that is positioned proximate to a relay path defined exclusive of the overhearing node between an originating node in the WSN of the relay data and an aggregation point of the WSN, the relay data being sensed by a sensor at the originating node of the WSN en route from the originating node along the relay path exclusive of the overhearing node to the aggregation point of the WSN;

determining whether the relay data is relevant to the overhearing node in reference to at least one relevance rule; and

,

forwarding additional data acquired at the overhearing node by the sensor at the overhearing node to the aggregation point over the WSN in response to determining the relay data to be relevant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule, comprises determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule specifying the relay data to be relevant if a value of the relay data crosses a threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule, comprises determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule specifying the relay data to be relevant if a trend of values of relay data overheard by the overhearing node crosses a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule, comprises determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule specifying the relay data to be relevant if a quantifiable relationship between the overhearing node and the originating node crosses a threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule, comprises determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule specifying the relay data to be relevant if a value of the data acquired at the overhearing node crosses a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule, comprises determining the relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule specifying the relay data to be relevant if a quantifiable relationship between the data acquired at the overhearing node and the overheard relay data crosses a threshold value.