Improvements to wireless sensor networks

Abstract

A method of allocating resources in a wireless sensor network, the network having functions including medical monitoring of a patient using multiple network devices having sensors, the method including steps of sensing, by a network device in the network, a life parameter of the patient, recognizing the existence of an emergency condition with respect to the parameter, the network device sending a request for streaming towards a coordinator of the network, the coordinator receiving (S 12) the request along with any other requests from other devices in the network, and the coordinator granting (S 14, S 16) each the request by scheduling one of a streaming allocation with highest priority for a network device which is in an emergency condition, a streaming allocation of medium priority for a network device sensing a life parameter which is not in an emergency condition, and a streaming allocation of lowest priority for a network device which is not sensing any life parameter of the patient and which is not in an emergency condition The emergency condition may be defined with respect to one or more medical parameters of the patient The method may be applied, for example, to monitoring of patients in a hospital using MBANs operating in accordance with IEEE 802. 15. 6.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to wireless sensor networks and in particular, but not exclusively, to body area networks comprising wireless communicating sensors disposed on or around the body of a human or animal or implanted therein. Background technique [0002] Various wireless sensor networks have been proposed recently. In particular, so-called Body Area Networks or BANs are examples of Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) used to convey information at relatively short distances. [0003] Unlike a wireless local area network (WLAN), connectivity via a WPAN involves little or no infrastructure. This feature allows small, power efficient, inexpensive solutions for a wide range of devices. Of particular interest is the possibility of a medical BAN (MBAN) where sensors are used to monitor the status of the patient. A BAN, which mainly uses sensors for feeding sensed data to data sinks, is an example of a wireless sensor network (WSN); however, ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] WPANs of the type envisioned in IEEE 802.15.4 are suitable for applications such as industrial monitoring, but do not provide some of the data reliability that MBANs require, nor do they provide any mechanism for streaming data reliably

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