Method and system employing wideband signals for RF wakeup

A wireless network comprising:

• a plurality of nodes, wherein:
• at least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to broadcast a wideband signal simultaneously across an entirety of a predefined frequency range;
• and
• at least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to:
• select one of a plurality of narrow parts of the predefined frequency range in which to selectively receive transmission of the wideband signal;
• periodically enter a sleep mode;
• and
• upon waking up from the sleep mode:
• listen to only a narrow part of the predefined frequency range;
• and
• subsequently return to sleep if a signal strength of the broadcasted signal is less than a predefined signal strength threshold, and stay awake for an additional period of time if the signal strength of the broadcasted signal is greater than the predefined signal strength threshold.

A wireless sensor node, comprising:

• an arrangement to power the wireless sensor node;
• an arrangement to at least one of:
• (a) sense an environmental condition and (b) actuate upon a stimulus;
• an arrangement to receive a wireless transmission;
• and
• a microcontroller to control an operation of the wireless sensor node,
• wherein the wireless sensor node is configured to periodically enter a sleep mode, and upon waking up from the sleep mode, listen to only a first narrow part of a signal broadcasted simultaneously across an entirety of a wide band frequency range, the wireless sensor node further configured to return to sleep if a signal strength of the broadcasted signal is less than a predefined signal strength threshold, and stay awake for an additional period of time if the signal strength of the broadcasted signal is greater than the predefined signal strength threshold.