Determining cost and processing of sensed data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9760914-B2
Application number	US-55120009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2009
Priority date	Aug 31, 2009
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for determining a proposed cost for use of sensor resources and selecting a method of processing of sensed data are presented. Such a method includes the steps of: predicting a state of an environment, obtaining at least one criterion related to the use of the sensor resources comprising one or more data sensors, determining the proposed cost for use of the sensor resources, acquiring the sensed data from the one or more data sensors, determining a characteristic of the sensed data, and selecting the method of processing the sensed data according to the determined characteristic and the predicted state. The at least one criterion is based upon the predicted state. The determining of the proposed cost is based on the at least one criterion. One or more of steps are implemented on the processor device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, implemented on a processor device, of selecting a method of processing of sensed data, wherein the method of processing the sensed data is at least one of a transmission method, a data sampling method and a data compression method, the method comprising the steps of:
predicting a state of an environment;
obtaining at least one criterion related to use of sensor resources, the sensor resources comprising one or more data sensors, wherein the at least one criterion is based upon the predicted state;
transmitting the sensed data from the one or more data sensors to the processor device via at least one network, wherein the sensed data includes at least one signal;
receiving the sensed data from the one or more data sensors at the processor device;
providing an offer to a user for the use of the sensor resources, the offer comprising a proposed cost for the use of the sensor resources, wherein the offer is provided to the user (i) in response to a pull signal sent to the one or more data sensors over the at least one network from a device of the user, or (ii) as a push signal sent to the device of the user over the at least one network from the one or more data sensors;
determining, by processing the at least one signal, a characteristic of the sensed data;
selecting the method of processing the sensed data from a plurality of methods of processing the sensed data according to the determined characteristic and the predicted state, wherein the selected method is the transmission method, and the transmission method is based on the determined characteristic and the predicted state, and wherein the selecting comprises calculating a parameter indicating which transmission method to use;
automatically triggering a mode of operation of the one or more data sensors based on the selected transmission method;
processing the sensed data according to the selected transmission method; and
providing the processed sensed data to the device of the user via the at least one network;
wherein the selected transmission method is determinative of a degree to which the sensed data processed according to the selected transmission method is different from the sensed data prior to the processing according to the selected transmission method;
wherein the selected transmission method is at least based on a transmission mode of one or more other data sensors, and the transmission mode of the one or more other data sensors comprises at least one of a lossy transmission mode and a lossless transmission mode;
wherein the one or more other data sensors are scanned to determine their corresponding transmission modes, and which of the one or more other data sensors that are scanned is dynamically determined based on one or more conditions; and
wherein one or more of the steps are implemented on the processor device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
determining if the step of predicting a state of an environment should be repeated, wherein repeating the step of predicting a state of an environment provides for the selecting of the method of processing of the sensed data to adapt processing to new sensed data.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
forming an operational plan according to the sensed data.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
accepting a request for an estimate for the use of the sensor resources.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
forming a model of an environment of the sensor resources.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one proposed condition for the use of the sensor resources, and wherein the offer further comprises the at least one proposed condition.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
providing the sensor resources to the user according to the offer.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
accepting a request, by a potential contractor, to provide information regarding acceptance or rejection of the offer, wherein, in response to the request to provide information regarding acceptance or rejection of the offer, the method considers at least one of: a data collection objective, a constraint, the predicted state of an environment, and one or more rules used to select the method of processing the sensed data; and
providing the information regarding the acceptance or the rejection of the offer to the potential contractor.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
receiving at least one of: an acceptance of the offer, a rejection of the offer, and a proposal to negotiate the offer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one criterion comprises at least one of: (i) current sensor resource availability, (ii) predicted future sensor resource availability, (iii) data collection objectives, (iv) a constraint, (v) the predicted state of an environment, (vi) one or more rules used to select the method of processing the sensed data, and (vii) user demand.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining at least one criterion comprises obtaining the at least one criterion from a potential contractor, wherein the potential contractor is at least one of: a potential user, a third-party that procures the sensor resources and provides the sensor resources to a user, a third-party that brokers the use of the sensor resources, and a third-party that auctions the use of the sensor resources.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensed data indicates at least one aspect of water management.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one aspect of water management comprises at least one of: (i) water level, (ii) water volume, (iii) water flow rate, (iv) water contamination, (v) concentration of a chemical, (vi) a level of turbidity, (vii) eutrophication, and (viii) a population.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein water management comprises at least one of: (i) flood management, (ii) drought management, (iii) water distribution management, (iv) waste water management, (v) salt water management, and (vi) environmental management.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected method of processing further comprises at least one of: (i) a method of lossy data compression, (ii) a method of lossless data compression, and (iii) a method of data aggregation.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected transmission method comprises at least one of a method of lossy transmission of data, and a method of lossless transmission of data.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the sensed data comprises at least one of: (i) a weather condition, (ii) a dangerous environment, (iii) a level of turbidity, and (iv) eutrophication.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the state of the environment comprises at least one of: (i) a state indicated by a parameter monitored by the one or more data sensors, (ii) a state indicated by one or more other data sensors, (iii) a current state, (iv) a future state, (v) an environmental state, (vi) a state associated with water management, (vii) a state of a physical environment, (viii) a state of a social environment, (ix) a state of an economic environment, (x) a state of weather, (xi) a cost for data sensor use, (xii) a water price, (xiii) an energy price, and (xiv) a predicted number of people that may be affected by an action.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting of the method of processing is according to at least one of: (i) one or more objectives f

Assignees

• Chen-Ritzo Ching-Hua
• Epstein David Alexander
• Hamilton Ii Rick Allen
• Hartswick Perry G
• Li Hongfei
• Pickover Clifford Alan
• Williams Ralph Peter
• IBM

Inventors

• Chen-Ritzo Ching-Hua
• Epstein David Alexander
• Hamilton Ii Rick Allen
• Hartswick Perry G
• Li Hongfei
• Pickover Clifford Alan
• Williams Ralph Peter

Classifications

• G06Q30/0283 Primary

  Price estimation or determination · CPC title

• G06Q30/06

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title

• G06Q50/188

  Electronic negotiation · CPC title