Wireless sensor networks
US8310359B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 10, 2009 |
| Grant date | Nov 13, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 17, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W16/18
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A wireless sensor network having mobile sensors (64, 65) is provided with a mobile sink (70). To re-position the sink, candidate sink positions are found using information from the sensors. The candidate sink locations are then assessed to give a measure of their suitability to act as the new permanent position. To do this, the sink moves to each of the candidate positions in turn and obtains data and/or signals from the sensors (64, 65) within range to estimate a total throughput expected if the sink is located at that position. The sink then transfers to the most suitable candidate position permanently, until the dynamic repositioning process is triggered again. In this way it is possible to achieve a better performance than if only the center of gravity of the sink range is taken into account to position the sink. In the second embodiment, sensors are allowed to have their say in future positioning of the sink; this involves providing a capability for the sensor that makes it possible to consider both distance from the sink and the remaining battery power to come up with the best desired maximum information rate. In effect, the sensors and sink make a collective decision on the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.