# US 10,313,197 B1 · System, method and apparatus for controlled entry of a sensor network node into a discovery state > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,197 B1 - Document ID: US10313197B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/064,660 - Filed: 2016-03-09 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-09 - Assignees: Senseware, Inc. - Applicants: Senseware, Inc. - Inventors: Julien G. Stamatakis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313197B1 ## CPC - 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 - H04L 12/66: Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways - H04L 67/56: Provisioning of proxy services (store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54) - H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04W 40/20: based on geographic position or location - H04W 40/246: {Connectivity information discovery} - H04W 40/248: {Connectivity information update} - H04L 41/08: Configuration management of networks or network elements (address allocation H04L61/50) - H04L 41/12: Discovery or management of network topologies - H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic - H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A system, method and apparatus for controlled entry of a sensor network node into a discovery state. Node malfunctions can be addressed through remote administration using a bi-directional communication protocol in a sensor network. A controlled reset process can minimize disruptions in the sensor network that can occur due to node malfunctions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving, by a node device in a sensor network at a monitored location, an action packet from a gateway device at a monitored location, the action packet containing action information generated by a host system at a location remote from the monitored location, the gateway device communicating with the host system via a network connection; determining, by the node device, a type of node device reset command indicated by the action information contained in the action packet; when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a first type, then clearing a neighbor table that includes a set of previously discovered neighbor nodes, initiating a discovery state to discover a set of new neighbor nodes for replacement of the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes in the neighbor table, and choosing one node from the set of new neighbor nodes as a selected neighbor node; when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a second type, then initiating a confirmation state to confirm that each node in the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes in the neighbor table remains in proximity to the node device, wherein one node from the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes is designated as a selected neighbor node when each node in the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes is confirmed to be in proximity to the node device; and transmitting, by the node device, a status packet to the gateway device for delivery to the host system via the selected neighbor node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the type of node device reset command of the first type is indicated by a first bit in a bit field of the action packet, and the type of node device reset command of the second type is indicated by a second bit in the bit field of the action packet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising restarting the node when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of the first type. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising restarting the node when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of the second type. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the node device, a second action packet from the gateway device, the second action packet containing second action information generated by the host system; determining, by the node device, a type of bridge unit reset command indicated by the second action information contained in the second action packet; and initiating a reset of a bridge unit based on the determined type of bridge unit reset command, wherein the bridge unit includes one or more sensors and is physically attached to the node device via a removable connector interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the reset of the bridge unit is one of a hard reset and a soft reset. ### Claim 7 A node device, comprising: a receiver configured to receive an action packet from a gateway device at a monitored location, the action packet containing action information generated by a host system at a location remote from the monitored location, the gateway device communicating with the host system via a network connection; a controller configured to determine a type of node device reset command indicated by the action information contained in the action packet, the controller further configured to clear a neighbor table that includes a set of previously discovered neighbor nodes, initiate a discovery state to discover a set of new neighbor nodes for replacement of the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes in the neighbor table, and choose one node from the set of new neighbor nodes as a selected neighbor node when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a first type, and to initiate a confirmation state to confirm a status that each node in the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes in the neighbor table remains in proximity to the node device when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a second type, wherein one node from the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes is designated as a selected neighbor node when the status is confirmed; and a transmitter configured to transmit, a status packet to the gateway device for delivery to the host system via the selected neighbor node. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The node device of claim 7, wherein the type of node device reset command of the first type is indicated by a first bit in a bit field of the action packet, and the type of node device reset command of the second type is indicated by a second bit in the bit field of the action packet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The node device of claim 7, further comprising restarting the node when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a first type. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The node device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to restart the node device when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a second type. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The node device of claim 7, wherein: the receiver is further configured to receive, by the node device, a second action packet from the gateway device, the second action packet containing second action information generated by the host system; the controller is further configured to determine a type of bridge unit reset command indicated by the second action information contained in the second action packet, and initiate a reset of a bridge unit based on the determined type of bridge unit reset command, wherein the bridge unit includes one or more sensors and is physically attached to the node device via a removable connector interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The node device of claim 11, wherein the reset of the bridge unit is one of a hard reset and a soft reset. ### Claim 13 A method, comprising: receiving, by a node device in a sensor network at a monitored location, an action packet from a gateway device at a monitored location, the action packet containing action information generated by a host system at a location remote from the monitored location, the gateway device communicating with the host system via a network connection; determining, by the node device, a type of node device reset command indicated by the action information contained in the action packet; when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a first type, then activating a discovery section of a network communication tool to discover a set of new neighbor nodes for replacement of a set of previously discovered neighbor nodes identified in a neighbor table and to choose one node from the set of new neighbor nodes as a selected neighbor node; when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a second type, then activating a confirmation section of a network communication tool to confirm that each node in the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes in the neighbor table remains in proximity to the node device, wherein one node from the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes is designated as a selected neighbor node when each node in the set of previously discovered neighbor nodes is confirmed to be in proximity to the node device; and transmitting, by the node device, a status packet to the gateway device for delivery to the host system via the selected neighbor node. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the type of node device reset command of the first type is indicated by a first bit in a bit field of the action packet, and the type of node device reset command of the second type is indicated by a second bit in the bit field of the action packet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising restarting the node when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a first type. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising restarting the node when the determination indicates that the type of node device reset command is of a second type. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving, by the node device, a second action packet from the gateway device, the second action packet containing second action information generated by the host system; determining, by the node device, a type of bridge unit reset command indicated by the second action information contained in the second action packet; and initiating a reset of a bridge unit based on the determined type of bridge unit reset command, wherein the bridge unit includes one or more sensors and is physically attached to the node device via a removable connector interface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the reset of the bridge unit is one of a hard reset and a soft reset.