Lan/wan automatic sensor reading system

A data collection and transmission system for the collection of sensor data from multiple remote sensors having:

• at least one data acquisition unit for the collection and transmission of data received from a sensor, said data acquisition unit having:
• a unique ID,
• a sensor interface;
• said sensor interface being adjacent to and receiving signals from said sensor, tracking the number of signals received from said sensor, converting said signals to data signals readable by a microprocessor and forwarding said data signals to a microprocessor;
• a microprocessor;
• said microprocessor transmitting said data signals and ID, based upon a predetermined schedule, to a remote receiver;
• a power supply;
• said power supply providing power to said sensor interface and said microprocessor;
• an antenna, a collection unit, said collection unit being remote from said data acquisition unit and having an antenna a data collector, said data collector having a transceiver to receive and transmit said data signals and ID from said microprocessor, a microcontroller to process said data signals and ID, and storage to store said data signals and ID for subsequent analysis, wherein said each of said at least one data acquisition unit transmits said data signals and ID to said collection unit base on a predetermined schedule.

The method of avoiding multiple transmissions within the same time domain from multiple transmitters to a single collection unit by using deterministic timing, randomization and duplicate transmission, comprising the steps of:

• a. determining a data cycle;
• b. determining multiple transmission cycles within said data cycle;
• c. determining multiple time slots within said transmission cycle;
• d. assigning a time slot to each transmitting unit;
• e. assigning each of said transmitting units a unified start time, each of said transmitting units logging time based on said start time;
• f. selecting a random transmission period within said time slot to transmit
• wherein each of said transmitting units transmits within a randomly selected transmission period within said time slot within each of said transmission cycles within said data cycle.

An multi-element phase collinear horizontally polarized array antenna for horizontal transmission having:

• a. at least two driven elements, each of said at least two driven elements being etched into a base, each of said driven elements having:
• a phasing and feed system, said phasing and feed system being etched into said base;
• a gamma match, said gamma match being etched into said base;
• b. an impedance matching network
• c. a signal feed wherein horizontal polarization increases transmission reliability by increasing gain.