Controlled power-efficient operation of wireless communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9412260-B2
Application number	US-201514875488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2015
Priority date	May 27, 2004
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

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 encrypted packets, each encrypted packet comprising a first checksum and first authenticity code for use in verifying an authenticity of the packet; and
in response to a received, encrypted 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 device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to alter the period at which the wireless device switches from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to receiving an instruction from the electronic device via the wireless transceiver, the period being altered from an old period to a new period, the new period being defined by the instruction.

3. The wireless smoke sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the wireless device to switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to receiving an instruction from the electronic device via the wireless transceiver, the instruction instructing the wireless device to switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode.

4. 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.

5. The wireless smoke sensor device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to listen for instructions while in the awake mode, after communicating the information indicative of the one or more smoke measurements being outside of the threshold value, and before returning back to the sleep mode.

6. 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.

7. 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 encrypted packets, each encrypted packet comprising a first checksum and first authenticity code for use in verifying an authenticity of the packet; and
in response to a received, encrypted 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.

8. The wireless temperature sensor device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to alter the period at which the wireless device switches from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to receiving an instruction from the electronic device via the wireless transceiver, the period being altered from an old period to a new period, the new period being defined by the instruction.

9. The wireless temperature sensor device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the wireless device to switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to receiving an instruction from the electronic device via the wireless transceiver, the instruction instructing the wireless device to switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode.

10. The wireless temperature sensor device of claim 7 , 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

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Kates Lawrence

Classifications

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• G08B25/001

  Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation · CPC title

• G08B17/00

  Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion · CPC title

• G08B1/08 Primary

  using electric transmission {; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal} · CPC title

• G08B25/10 Primary

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