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

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 node comprises at least one preprocessor operating on real-time processes and at least one processor coupled to the preprocessor;
• configuring the node at one of a plurality of programming layers through a plurality of application program interfaces (APIs), wherein the programming layers include a first layer including real-time processes and a second layer that operates on remaining processes other than the real-time processes;
• 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.

A method of operating a sensor network, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of network elements including at least one node among an environment and at least one client computer with at least one Internet coupling, wherein the node comprises at least one preprocessor operating on real-time processes and at least one processor coupled to the preprocessor;
• configuring the node at one of a plurality of programming layers through a plurality of application program interfaces (APIs), wherein the programming layers include a first layer including real-time processes and a second layer that operates on remaining processes other than the real-time processes;
• collecting data from the environment;
• and
• remotely programming and controlling at least, one function of the at least one node via internetworking among the plurality of network elements.

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 node comprises at least one preprocessor operating on real-time processes and at least one processor coupled to the preprocessor;
• configuring the node at one of a plurality of programming layers through a plurality of application program interfaces (APIs), wherein the programming layers include a first layer including real-time processes and a second layer that operates on remaining processes other than the real-time processes;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the at least one node;
• providing node information including node 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.

An electromagnetic 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 node comprises at least one preprocessor operating on real-time processes and at least one processor coupled to the preprocessor;
• configuring the node at one of a plurality of programming layers through a plurality of application program interfaces (APIs), wherein the programming layers include a first layer including real-time processes and a second layer that operates on remaining processes other than the real-time processes;
• collecting data from the environment;
• remotely controlling at least one function of the at least one node;
• providing node information including node 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 computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, cause the processing system to provide a sensor network by:

• 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 node comprises at least one preprocessor operating on real-time processes and at least one processor coupled to the preprocessor;
• configuring the node at one of a plurality of programming layers through a plurality of application program interfaces (APIs), wherein the programming layers include a first layer including real-time processes and a second layer that operates on remaining processes other than the real-time processes;
• 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.

An electromagnetic medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, cause the processing system to provide a sensor network by:

• 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 node comprises at least one preprocessor operating on real-time processes and at least one processor coupled to the preprocessor;
• configuring the node at one of a plurality of programming layers through a plurality of application program interfaces (APIs), wherein the programming layers include a first layer including real-time processes and a second layer that operates on remaining processes other than the real-time processes;
• 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.