Method for collecting data using compact internetworked wireless integrated network sensors (WINS)

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor node is coupled to the at least one client computer through the plurality of network elements, wherein the at least one node supports at least one communication mode including wireless communications, wired communications, and hybrid wired and wireless communications, wherein at least one redundant communication pathway is established among the plurality of network elements;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• and
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information.

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor;
• internetworking the plurality of network elements, wherein the internetworking comprises providing remote accessibility using World Wide Web-based tools to data, code, management, and security functions, wherein data includes signals and images, wherein code includes signal processing, decision support, and database elements, and wherein management includes operation of the plurality of network elements;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• and
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information.

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information;
• and
• controlling data processing using at least one processing hierarchy, the at least one processing hierarchy controlling at least one event including data classifications, data transfers, data queing, data combining, processing locations, communications among the plurality of network elements.

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor, wherein the at least one node includes at least one processor coupled to a plurality of application programming interfaces (APIs), wherein the plurality of APIs are coupled to control the at least one sensor node and at least one of sensors, actuators, communications devices, signal processors, information storage devices, controllers, and power supply devices, wherein the plurality of APIs support remote reprogramming and control of the at least one device, wherein the plurality of APIs are layered, wherein the plurality of APIs enable distributed resource management by providing the node information to the plurality of network elements, wherein information transfer among the plurality of network elements is controlled using a synchronism hierarchy established in response to the node information;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• and
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information.

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information;
• and
• controlling data processing and transmission in the at least one node in response to a decision probability of a detected event.

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor;
• self-assembling the plurality of network elements, wherein search and acquisition modes of the at least one node search for participating ones of the plurality of network elements, wherein a determination is made whether each of the participating ones of the plurality of network elements are permitted to join the plurality of network elements using a message hierarchy, wherein the plurality of network elements are surveyed at random intervals for new nodes and missing nodes;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• and
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information.

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information;
• and
• collecting data from the at least one sensor node, wherein at least one operation is performed on the data in response to parameters established by a user, the at least one operation including energy detection, routing, processing, storing, and fusing.

A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor, wherein at least one of the plurality of network elements determines a position of the at least one sensor node;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• and
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information.

A method for providing a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among at least one environment and at least one client computer using at least one coupling with the Internet, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate sensor coupled to at least one processor;
• remotely controlling functions of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including node resource cost and message priority to the plurality of network elements in response to at least one parameter of at least one signal received from the at least one environment;
• and
• controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements in response to the node information, wherein the at least one function includes at least one of programming, configuring, assembling the plurality of network elements, distributing processing among the plurality of network elements, establishing communication paths among the plurality of network elements, selecting at least one mode of communication among the plurality of network elements, distributing data among the plurality of network elements, storing data, organizing at least one subnetwork among the plurality of network elements, controlling synchronization among the plurality of network elements, assembling data products, and reporting.

A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, cause the processing system to collect and process data in a sensor network by:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer, wherein the at least one node includes at least one sensor node comprising at least one substrate coupled to at least one processor, wherein the at least one substrate is at least one sensor;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of network elements;
• providing node information including resource costs and message priority from the at least one node to the plurality of network elements;
• distributing processing of the collected data among the plurality of network elements in response to the node information;
• and
• automatically organizing the plurality of network elements in response to the node information, wherein the automatic organizing comprises automatically controlling coupling, data transfer, processing and storage among the plurality of network elements.