Sensor network system and data retrieval method for sensing data

Abstract

This invention enables to easily retrieve real-time information from a large number of sensors connected to a network. The sensor network system of this invention includes distributed data processing servers for collecting data from plural sensors at a predetermined frequency, a management server for maintaining a location of sensor data, user terminals for requesting data to the management server, and a first network for connecting with the management server, user terminals and plural distributed data processing servers. The management server includes a model table having model names previously set and information link pointers for indicating which distributed data processing server collects data corresponding to the model names, and a search engine for acquiring data requested by the user terminals from the distributed data processing servers corresponding to the information link pointers based on the model table and for responding to the user terminals with the data.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY [0001] The present application claims priority from Japanese application P2005-7525 filed on Jan. 14, 2005, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to a technology of using information supplied by a large number of sensors connected with the network. [0003] The Internet and other networks have been used in recent years mainly for accessing documents, images, movies, sounds or other stored contents through search engines or previously set links. In other words, the technology of accessing the stored contents has been nearly completed. [0004] On the other hand, a technology of transmitting the current information is streaming technology made up of continuously transmitting images captured by a camera installed at a fixed position (web camera). Lately, sensor network technology of acquiring through a network sensing data acquired from a large number of small wireless sens...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] The object of this invention is to realize a sensor network system capable of easily retrieving real-time information from a large number of sensors connected with the network concerned.

[0008] Therefore, according to this invention, the data acquired from the sensors is collected by the distributed servers, the locations of the sensor data are managed by the management server, the user terminals request data from the management server, and the management server acquires the data requested by the distributed servers. This will prevent the load on the management server from getting excessively large because no data will be stored in the management server even if the number of sensors turns out to be huge. Thus, it will be possible to provide easily and quickly necessary information for the users by restricting any excessive growth of the traffic on the network with which the management server, the distributed servers and the user terminals are connected while using a large number of sensors.

[0009] And it will be no longer necessary for the users to grasp the position and function of the sensors, because the users will be able to acquire the desired sensor data as useful information by simply requesting the data from the management server, and their use of information will be facilitated in a sensor network having a large number of sensors.

Problems solved by technology

However, although the search engine shown in the related art indicated above enables to find out the position (address) in the network concerned of the data stored in the past, there is a problem in that it is not suited to efficient retrieval of real-time information from a huge amount of sensor information connected with the network concerned and for the retrieval of changes in information.

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