Method and system for battery life improvement for low power devices in wireless sensor networks

A sensor module within a sensor system configured for communicating with a gateway, the sensor module comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a communications subsystem,
• wherein the sensor module is configured to:
• store a timing profile for communications with the gateway;
• wake a radio core within the communications subsystem of the sensor module at a threshold time prior to a beacon signal being expected from the gateway;
• sample a channel for the beacon signal at the radio core;
• if the beacon signal is detected:
• wake the processor on the sensor module;
• exchange communication with the gateway;
• and
• power down the processor and radio core upon completion of the exchanging communication.

A computer readable medium for storing instruction code, which, when executed at a sensor module cause the sensor module to:

• store a timing profile for communications with the gateway;
• wake a radio core of the sensor module at a threshold time prior to a beacon signal being expected from the gateway;
• sample a channel for the beacon signal at the radio core;
• if the beacon signal is detected:
• wake a processor on the sensor module;
• exchange communication with the gateway;
• and
• power down the processor and radio core upon completion of the exchanging communication.