Energy-efficient wireless communication scheme for wind turbines

A method of controlling a machine, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a sensor associated with the machine;
• repeatedly taking first measurements of a parameter associated with the machine, the measurements being taken by use of the sensor;
• establishing a tolerance band for the measurements;
• wirelessly transmitting signals indicative of the first measurements only if the first measurements are outside of the tolerance band;
• receiving the transmitted signals at a controller;
• sending an actuator signal from the controller to at least one actuator associated with the machine, the sending being in response to the receiving of the transmitted signals;
• actuating at least one part of the machine dependent upon the actuator signal, the actuating being performed by the at least one actuator;
• repeatedly taking second measurements of the parameter of the machine, the measurements being taken by use of the sensor after the actuating step;
• and
• repeating the wirelessly transmitting, receiving, sending and actuating steps for the second measurements.

A method of controlling a machine, said method comprising the steps of:

• installing a sensor, a controller and an actuator associated with the machine;
• upon startup of the machine, operating the sensor, controller and actuator in a closed loop fashion, including:
• taking a first startup measurement of a parameter associated with the machine, the measurement being taken by use of the sensor;
• wirelessly transmitting a startup measurement signal indicative of the startup measurement;
• receiving the transmitted startup measurement signal at a controller;
• sending a startup actuator signal from the controller to the actuator, the sending being in response to the receiving of the transmitted startup signal;
• actuating at least one part of the machine dependent upon the startup actuator signal, the actuating being performed by the actuator;
• taking a second startup measurement of the parameter of the machine, the second startup measurement being taken by use of the sensor after the actuating step;
• repeating the wirelessly transmitting, receiving, sending and actuating steps for the second startup measurements;
• calculating a tolerance band for steady state measurements of the parameter, the calculating being dependent upon the received startup measurement signals;
• and
• wirelessly transmitting the calculated tolerance band from the controller to the sensor;
• and
• operating the machine in steady state in an open loop fashion, including:
• repeatedly taking first steady state measurements of the parameter associated with the machine, the first steady state measurements being taken by use of the sensor;
• wirelessly transmitting steady state measurement signals indicative of the first steady state measurements only if the first steady state measurements are outside of the tolerance band;
• receiving the transmitted first steady state measurement signals at a controller;
• sending a steady state actuator signal from the controller to the actuator, the sending being in response to the receiving of the transmitted first steady state measurement signals;
• actuating at least one part of the machine dependent upon the steady state actuator signal, the actuating being performed by the actuator;
• repeatedly taking second steady state measurements of the parameter of the machine, the measurements being taken by use of the sensor after the actuating that is based on the steady state actuator signal;
• and
• repeating the wirelessly transmitting, receiving, sending and actuating steps for the second steady state measurements.