Method and apparatus for distributed signal processing among internetworked wireless integrated network sensors (WINS)

An apparatus for distributed signal processing in a network that comprises a plurality of network elements in an environment, wherein the plurality of network elements comprises:

• at least one sensor node that receives a plurality of signals from the environment, the at least one sensor node comprising,
• sensing apparatus;
• and
• processing apparatus configured to perform processing a plurality of levels;
• at least one client computer configured to execute at least one application program interface (API) through which a remote user of the at least one client computer remotely accesses the at least one sensor node, wherein remotely accessing comprises programming using the at least one (API) such that the at least one remote user accesses, through a high level programming language, real-time node processes running on a real-time processor, wherein the real-time processes are running below an operating system of the at least one sensor node that is running on an application processor, wherein the real-time processor and the application processor are distinct processors.

An electromagnetic medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a distributed network in an environment, cause at least one of a plurality of network elements, including at least one sensor node, of the distributed network to of the distributed network to:

• receive a plurality of signals from the environment;
• process the plurality of signals received from the environment;
• configure a functionality of at least one network element at any one of a plurality of processing levels as directed by a remote user using a high level programming language;
• and
• configure the functionality of the at least one network element at any one of the plurality of processing levels as directed by the remote user using programming at an operating system level, wherein the functionality of the at least one network element comprises distributing processing of data based upon the plurality of signals received from the environment, wherein configuring further comprises the remote user accessing real-time node processes running on a real-time processor, wherein the real-time processes are running below an operating system of the at least one sensor node that is running on an application processor, wherein the real-time processor and the application processor are distinct processors.

A distributed signal processing apparatus, comprising a plurality of network elements, including at least one sensor node, comprising:

• a plurality of network element means, wherein the plurality of network element means comprises,
• monitoring means for monitor an environment, wherein monitoring comprises receiving a plurality of signals from the environment;
• processing means coupled to the monitoring means for performing processing at multiple levels, wherein processing comprises,
• signal processing;
• data storage;
• self configuration;
• and
• self location;
• and
• interface means coupled to the processing means for providing a remote user access to at least one of the plurality network elements means, wherein access comprises,
• programming the at least one network element means at a level of an operating system of the at least one network element means, wherein programming comprises configuring the at least one network element means to distribute signal processing based upon the plurality of signals from the environment;
• and
• programming the at least one network element means using high level programming language, wherein programming comprises configuring the at least one network element means to distribute signal processing based upon the plurality of signals from the environment;
• wherein programming further comprises accessing real-time node processes running on a real-time processor, wherein the real-time processes are running below an operating system of the at least one sensor node that is running on an application processor, wherein the real-time processor and the application processor are distinct processors.