Buffered Data Publishing in Sensor Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sensor networks face congestion and reduced sensor longevity due to excessive data traffic, with existing solutions failing to efficiently manage bandwidth and optimize data transmission frequencies.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of dynamically activated buffered data publishing, where nodes in the network buffer and transmit data at frequencies determined by interested subscribers, optimizing data transmission by buffering and unicasting only the latest or aggregated data to subscribers, thereby reducing unnecessary traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all sensors transmit data at high frequency to central application, then data freshness and completeness are improved, but network congestion and bandwidth consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different nodes in the sensor network to operate at different data transmission frequencies based on their local conditions. Intermediate nodes that have interested subscribers buffer data and transmit at lower frequencies, while sensors without intermediate subscribers maintain higher transmission frequencies. This creates a heterogeneous network where transmission characteristics are optimized locally rather than uniformly across the entire network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sensor network into multiple hierarchical levels with different transmission frequencies. The network is divided into sensor nodes, intermediate nodes with subscribers, and central application nodes. Each segment operates independently at its optimal frequency, with intermediate nodes acting as buffers that decouple the high-frequency sensing from lower-frequency subscriber demands, thereby reducing overall network traffic while preserving data completeness.
2Loss of information
If all sensors transmit data at high frequency, then data availability to subscribers is improved, but sensor battery consumption and longevity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables sensors to transmit data at locally optimized frequencies based on whether they have interested subscribers nearby. Sensors with intermediate subscribers transmit at lower frequencies since those subscribers can receive buffered data from intermediate nodes. Sensors without intermediate subscribers maintain higher transmission frequencies to ensure data reaches the central application. This local optimization reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining data availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate nodes as mediators between sensors and final subscribers. These intermediate nodes buffer data from multiple sensors and forward it to subscribers, allowing sensors to reduce their transmission frequency without compromising data availability to end subscribers. The intermediary absorbs the timing differences between sensor generation and subscriber consumption, enabling energy-efficient low-frequency sensing while maintaining high data availability.
3Quantity of substance
If intermediate nodes buffer and forward data at lower frequencies, then network traffic is reduced, but data transmission delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic buffering where intermediate nodes adjust their data forwarding frequency based on real-time conditions such as buffer status, network congestion levels, and subscriber demands. The buffering duration and forwarding frequency are not fixed but adapt dynamically to balance traffic reduction with delay constraints. This dynamic approach allows the system to minimize traffic while keeping delays within acceptable bounds by responding to changing network conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic data forwarding from intermediate nodes to subscribers, where data is buffered and then transmitted at regular intervals optimized for both traffic reduction and delay tolerance. The periodic transmission allows intermediate nodes to accumulate data from multiple sensors over time, reducing the frequency of transmissions to subscribers while ensuring that subscribers receive updated data within acceptable time windows. This periodic action creates a rhythm that balances traffic efficiency with timeliness.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a node in a computer network may receive data of a particular type at a first frequency (e.g., a sensor in a sensor network), and may correspondingly determine whether there is at least one interested subscriber for the data of the particular type, where the interested subscriber desires the data at a second frequency. If there is an interested subscriber, buffered data publishing may be dynamically activated at the node in response to a ratio between the second and first frequencies being less than a configured threshold. In particular, buffered data publishing comprises buffering the received data and transmitting a latest received data to the interested subscriber at the second frequency.