Signal Transmission Between a Sensor and a Controller Device in a Wireless Sensor Network
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsPedro E Coronel, Simeon Furrer, Wolfgang H. Schott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wireless sensor network includes a controller connected with multiple antennas for sending out a beacon signal at different instants into different directions and for receiving a sensor signal. Furthermore, the wireless sensor network comprises a sensor having a receiver connected with a sensor antenna for receiving the beacon signal, a transmitter connected with the sensor antenna for sending out the sensor signal, and a control unit which takes care that the sensor signal is transmitted after the beacon signal has been received.
Claims22
A low power sensor method for a sensor device of a plurality of sensor devices in wireless communication with a controller device, the method comprising:
- the sensor device gathering sensed data;
- the sensor device receiving beacon signals from said controller device;
- the sensor device determining that a received first beacon signal is not directed to said sensor, the determination based on strength of a received second beacon signal not exceeding the predetermined threshold value;
- the sensor device determining that the received second beacon signal is directed to said sensor, the determination based on strength of the received second beacon signal exceeding the predetermined threshold value;
- and
- immediately after receiving the second beacon signal, the sensor device transmitting sensor information to said controller, said sensor information comprising said gathered sensed data.
A controller method for a controller device in wireless communication with a plurality of low power sensor devices, the controller device comprising a plurality of omni-directional antennae, the method comprising:
- a) the controller device utilizing the plurality of omni-directional antennae to direct transmission of a beacon signal in a predetermined direction to a solicit a sensor signal from sensor devices located in the predetermined direction;
- b) subsequent to said directed transmission, the controller device listening, for a predetermined listening period, for a sensor signal from a sensor device located in the predetermined direction;
- c) responsive to receiving the sensor signal, if any, during said predetermined listening period, receiving sensor information from said sensor device;
- d) subsequent to said predetermined listening period, determining a new predetermined direction;
- and
- e) repeating steps a) through e).
A sensor device of a plurality of sensor devices in wireless communication with a controller device, the sensor device comprising:
- an antennae for transmitting/receiving wireless signals;
- a sensor device for gathering sensed data;
- and a control circuit in communication with said antennae and said sensor device, wherein the sensor device performs a method comprising:
- the sensor device receiving beacon signals from said controller device;
- the sensor device determining that a received first beacon signal is not directed to said sensor, the determination based on strength of a received second beacon signal not exceeding the predetermined threshold value;
- the sensor device determining that the received second beacon signal is directed to said sensor, the determination based on strength of the received second beacon signal exceeding the predetermined threshold value;
- and
- immediately after receiving the second beacon signal, the sensor device transmitting sensor information to said controller, said sensor information comprising said gathered sensed data.
A controller device in wireless communication with a plurality of low power sensor devices, the controller device comprising:
- an plurality of omni-directional antennae for directionally transmitting/receiving wireless signals;
- and a control circuit in communication with said plurality of omni-directional antennae, wherein the controller device performs a method comprising:
- a) the controller device utilizing the plurality of omni-directional antennae to direct transmission of a beacon signal in a predetermined direction to a solicit a sensor signal from sensor devices located in the predetermined direction;
- b) subsequent to said directed transmission, the controller device listening, for a predetermined listening period, for a sensor signal from a sensor device located in the predetermined direction;
- c) responsive to receiving the sensor signal, if any, during said predetermined listening period, receiving sensor information from said sensor device;
- d) subsequent to said predetermined listening period, determining a new predetermined direction;
- and
- e) repeating steps a) through e).
A computer program product for a sensor device of a plurality of sensor devices in wireless communication with a controller device, the computer program product comprising:
- a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
- the sensor device gathering sensed data;
- the sensor device receiving beacon signals from said controller device;
- the sensor device determining that a received first beacon signal is not directed to said sensor, the determination based on strength of a received second beacon signal not exceeding the predetermined threshold value;
- the sensor device determining that the received second beacon signal is directed to said sensor, the determination based on strength of the received second beacon signal exceeding the predetermined threshold value;
- and
- immediately after receiving the second beacon signal, the sensor device transmitting sensor information to said controller, said sensor information comprising said gathered sensed data.
A computer program product for a controller device in wireless communication with a plurality of low power sensor devices, the controller device comprising a plurality of omni-directional antennae, the computer program product comprising:
- a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
- a) the controller device utilizing the plurality of omni-directional antennae to direct transmission of a beacon signal in a predetermined direction to solicit a sensor signal from sensor devices located in the predetermined direction;
- b) subsequent to said directed transmission, the controller device listening, for a predetermined listening period, for a sensor signal from a sensor device located in the predetermined direction;
- c) responsive to receiving the sensor signal, if any, during said predetermined listening period, receiving sensor information from said sensor device;
- d) subsequent to said predetermined listening period, determining a new predetermined direction;
- and
- e) repeating steps a) through e).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.