Methods, devices, and systems for scheduled sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11026196-B2
Application number	US-201916444692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2017
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for synchronization of sensing operations performed by a plurality of devices. The method may include collecting sensing capabilities of one or more connected devices that are communicably coupled with a central device. Each connected device may include one or more sensors, and the sensing capabilities may include at least sensor type and sensing interval for each sensor. The method may also include coordinating sensing operations performed by the central device and the one or more connected devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for scheduled sensing, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a device, sensor information to a central device;
receiving, by the device, a sensing schedule from the central device; and
performing, by the device, a plurality of sensing operations according to the received sensing schedule,
wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for each of a plurality of sensors of the device, a type of the sensor and a sensing interval of the sensor, and
wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor and a second sensor, and
wherein the sensing schedule indicates:
a first interval between consecutive sensing times for the first sensor, and
a second interval, which is different from the first interval, between consecutive sensing times for the second sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the type of the first sensor is a first type, and
wherein the type of the second sensor is a second type that is different than the first type.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured to measure at least one of acceleration, orientation, barometric pressure, light, temperature, or a wireless signal, and
wherein the second sensor is configured to measure at least a different one of acceleration, orientation, barometric pressure, light, temperature, or a wireless signal.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the device is at least one of a smart watch, a fitness tracker, smart glasses, a health monitoring device, a gaming device, a wearable device, a smart garment, or a medical device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitting sensor information occurs during at least one of a handshaking process between the device and the central device or an authentication process between the device and the central device.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitting sensor information occurs in response to a request by the central device.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for at least one of the plurality of sensors of the device, an indication of whether the sensor can be deactivated while the device remains on.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for at least one of the plurality of sensors of the device, a range of feasible sensing frequencies for the sensor.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for at least one of the plurality of sensors of the device, an indication of whether a sensing frequency of the sensor can be altered.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method includes turning off the first sensor from taking measurements, in accordance with the sensing schedule, based on a condition of the device.

11. A device configured to perform scheduled sensing, the device comprising:
a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor;
a memory configured to store sensor information; and
a processor configured to:
cause the device to transmit the sensor information to a central device;
cause the device to receive a sensing schedule from the central device; and
cause the device to perform a plurality of sensing operations according to the received sensing schedule,

wherein the sensor information includes, for each of the plurality of sensors, a type of the sensor and a sensing interval of the sensor, and
wherein the sensing schedule indicates:
a first interval between consecutive sensing times for the first sensor, and
a second interval, which is different from the first interval, between consecutive sensing times for the second sensor.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the type of the first sensor is a first type, and
wherein the type of the second sensor is a second type that is different than the first type.

13. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the first sensor is configured to measure at least one of acceleration, orientation, barometric pressure, light, temperature, or a wireless signal, and
wherein the second sensor is configured to measure at least a different one of acceleration, orientation, barometric pressure, light, temperature, or a wireless signal.

14. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the device is at least one of a smart watch, a fitness tracker, smart glasses, a health monitoring device, a gaming device, a wearable device, a smart garment, or a medical device.

15. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the device to transmit the sensor information to the central device during at least one of a handshaking process between the device and the central device or an authentication process between the device and the central device.

16. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the device to transmit the sensor information in response to a request by the central device.

17. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for at least one of the plurality of sensors of the device, an indication of whether the sensor can be deactivated while the device remains on.

18. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for at least one of the plurality of sensors of the device, a range of feasible sensing frequencies for the sensor.

19. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for at least one of the plurality of sensors of the device, an indication of whether a sensing frequency of the sensor can be altered.

20. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the device to turn off the first sensor from taking measurements, in accordance with the sensing schedule, based on a condition of the device.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for scheduled sensing, the method comprising:
causing a device to transmit sensor information to a central device;
causing the device to receive a sensing schedule from the central device; and
causing the device to perform a plurality of sensing operations according to the received sensing schedule,
wherein the transmitted sensor information includes, for each of a plurality of sensors of the device, a type of the sensor and a sensing interval of the sensor, and
wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor and a second sensor, and
wherein the sensing schedule indicates:
a first interval between consecutive sensing times for the first sensor, and
a second interval, which is different from the first interval, between consecutive sensing times for the second sensor.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Do Ju-Yong
• Venkatraman Sai Pradeep
• Gao Weihua
• Zhang Gengsheng
• Pon Rayman

Classifications

• H04W56/001 Primary

  Synchronization between nodes · CPC title

• H04W64/003

  locating network equipment · CPC title