Asymmetric Wireless Sensor Node Using Wi-Fi Probe Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless sensor communication technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, face challenges in energy consumption and infrastructure costs, particularly when transmitting data from sensors to the internet, as they require significant energy to send data packets and often necessitate additional infrastructure for bridging protocols.
Innovation Solution
Embedding sensor data in probe request messages within the Wi-Fi protocol, allowing sensor nodes to determine channel quality without a receiver and broadcast messages to access points, which process and forward the data via existing Wi-Fi infrastructure, reducing energy consumption and infrastructure needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If standard Wi-Fi protocol is used for sensor data transmission, then data can be sent to the internet cloud, but energy consumption is very high (220 mJ per UDP packet)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the Wi-Fi communication role into two separate devices: a lightweight sensor node that only transmits probe request frames, and an access point that handles all protocol complexity, authentication, and data forwarding. This segmentation allows the sensor node to use minimal energy while maintaining reliable internet connectivity through the access point's infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point acts as an intermediary between the low-power sensor node and the Wi-Fi network infrastructure. The sensor node sends probe request frames to the access point, which then processes these frames, extracts sensor data, and forwards it through the Wi-Fi network to the internet cloud, eliminating the need for the sensor node to directly engage in complex Wi-Fi communications.
2Use of energy by moving object
If Bluetooth or Zigbee is used instead of Wi-Fi, then energy consumption is reduced, but additional bridge infrastructure is required to reach the internet cloud
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the Wi-Fi access point multi-functional by enabling it to perform both traditional Wi-Fi client operations and sensor data reception operations. The access point can receive probe request frames from sensor nodes, process them as if they were connection requests, extract sensor data, and forward it to the cloud, thereby eliminating the need for separate Bluetooth or Zigbee bridge infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having sensor nodes actively connect to the Wi-Fi network using standard protocols, the patent inverts the approach by having sensor nodes send probe request frames that are passively received and processed by the access point. This inversion allows sensor nodes to communicate using a simplified mechanism while the access point handles all the complexity of internet connectivity.
3Reliability
If sensor nodes actively manage wireless connections and acknowledgments, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts all complex communication management functions from the sensor node and concentrates them in the access point. The sensor node's role is reduced to simply sending probe request frames with embedded sensor data, while the access point handles connection management, authentication, acknowledgment, and data forwarding, thereby simplifying the sensor node's device complexity while maintaining communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point provides self-service by automatically processing probe request frames from sensor nodes, extracting sensor data, and forwarding it to the cloud without requiring complex interactions with the sensor nodes. The sensor nodes benefit from this self-service approach by using minimal energy and complexity while the access point manages all communication reliability aspects autonomously.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for sensor node and access point communication. In one embodiment, the method comprises embedding, by a sensor node, data from one or more sensor readings in a field of a first message, the field being designated as part of a standardized protocol to send information other than the data sensor readings; determining without the use of a receiver, by the sensor node, whether a wireless communication channel is at a predetermined quality level to send the first message; and broadcasting the first message wirelessly to a component according to the standardized protocol.