Controlled Power-Efficient Operation of Wireless Communication Devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016286490-A1
Application number	US-201615179350-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2016
Priority date	May 27, 2004
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A low cost, robust, wireless sensor that provides an extended period of operability without maintenance is described. The wireless sensors are configured to communicate with a base unit or repeater. When the sensor unit detects an anomalous ambient condition (e.g., smoke, fire, water, etc.) the sensor communicates with the base unit and provides data regarding the anomalous condition. The sensor unit receives instructions to change operating parameters and/or control external devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wireless smoke sensor device that functions as part of an in-building wireless sensor system, comprising:
a wireless transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving information to and from an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device, wherein the electronic device and the wireless device are configured to be installed within a building as part of the in-building wireless sensor system; a smoke sensor configured to take smoke measurements; a controller operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the smoke sensor and configured to: continuously operate the wireless device in a sleep mode whereby the wireless transceiver is inoperable to transmit or receive information and consumption of power from the battery is lower than when the wireless device operates in an awake mode; periodically and temporarily switch the operation of the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode whereby, while in the awake mode, the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit one or more smoke measurements measured using the smoke sensor of the wireless device as one or more packets, each packet comprising a first checksum and first authenticity code for use in verifying an authenticity of the packet; and in response to a received message comprising a second checksum and a second authenticity code, alter a period at which the wireless device switches from the sleep mode to the awake mode such that during a first period the wireless device operates in the sleep mode for a first amount of time before temporarily switching from the sleep mode to the awake mode and that during a second period the wireless device operates in the sleep mode for a second amount of time before temporarily switching from the sleep mode to the awake mode, the second amount of time being greater than the first amount of time.

2 . The wireless smoke sensor of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
compare the one or more smoke measurements to a threshold value; determine whether the one or more smoke measurements are outside of the threshold value; and upon determining that the one or more smoke measurements are outside of the threshold value: switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode, regardless of the periodic switching from the sleep mode to the awake mode; while in the awake mode, communicate, to the electronic device via the wireless transceiver, information indicative of the one or more smoke measurements being outside of the threshold value; and after communicating the information indicative of the one or more smoke measurements being outside of the threshold value, returning from the awake mode back to the sleep mode.

3 . The wireless smoke sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the wireless device to listen for one or more instructions while operating in the awake mode, and, in response to receiving the one or more instructions, perform one or more functions requested by the one or more instructions while operating in the awake mode.

4 . A wireless temperature sensor device that functions as part of an in-building wireless sensor system, comprising:
a wireless transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving information to and from an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device, wherein the electronic device and the wireless device are configured to be installed within a building as part of the in-building wireless sensor system; a temperature sensor configured to take temperature measurements; a controller operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the temperature sensor and configured to: continuously operate the wireless device in a sleep mode whereby the wireless transceiver is inoperable to transmit or receive information and consumption of power from the battery is lower than when the wireless device operates in an awake mode; periodically and temporarily switch the operation of the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode whereby, while in the awake mode, the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit one or more temperature measurements measured using the temperature sensor of the wireless device as one or more packets, each packet comprising a first checksum and first authenticity code for use in verifying an authenticity of the packet; and in response to a received message comprising a second checksum and a second authenticity code, alter a period at which the wireless device switches from the sleep mode to the awake mode such that during a first period the wireless device operates in the sleep mode for a first amount of time before temporarily switching from the sleep mode to the awake mode and that during a second period the wireless device operates in the sleep mode for a second amount of time before temporarily switching from the sleep mode to the awake mode, the second amount of time being greater than the first amount of time.

5 . The wireless temperature sensor device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
compare the one or more temperature measurements to a threshold value; determine whether the one or more temperature measurements are outside of the threshold value; and upon determining that the one or more temperature measurements are outside of the threshold value: switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode, regardless of the periodic switching from the sleep mode to the awake mode; while in the awake mode, communicate, to the electronic device via the wireless transceiver, information indicative of the one or more temperature measurements being outside of the threshold value; and after communicating the information indicative of the one or more temperature measurements being outside of the threshold value, returning from the awake mode back to the sleep mode.

6 . The wireless temperature sensor device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the wireless device to listen for one or more instructions while operating in the awake mode, and, in response to receiving the one or more instructions, perform one or more functions requested by the one or more instructions while operating in the awake mode.

7 . A wireless humidity sensor device that functions as part of an in-building wireless sensor system, comprising:
a wireless transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving information to and from an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device, wherein the electronic device and the wireless device are configured to be installed within a building as part of the in-building wireless sensor system; a humidity sensor configured to take humidity measurements; a controller operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the humidity sensor and configured to: continuously operate the wireless device in a sleep mode whereby the wireless transceiver is inoperable to transmit or receive information and consumption of power from the battery is lower than when the wireless device operates in an awake mode; periodically and temporarily switch the operation of the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode whereby, while in the awake mode, the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit one or more humidity measurements measured using the humidity sensor of the wireless device as one or more packets, each packet comprising a first checksum and first authenticity code for use in verifying an authenticity of the packet; and in response to a received message comprising a second checksum and a second authenticity code, alter a period at which the wireless device switches from the sleep mode to the awake mode such that during a first period the wireless device operates in the sleep mode for a f

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Kates Lawrence

Classifications

• H04Q9/02

  Automatically-operated arrangements · CPC title

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title

• G08B25/10 Primary

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G06F1/3209

  Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections · CPC title

• G08B21/14

  Toxic gas alarms (G08B21/16 takes precedence) · CPC title