Distributed Radio Network Using SDR for Long-Range Data Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data collection networks, such as wireless sensor networks, face limitations in geographical range, network impairment due to disabled nodes and low signal-to-noise ratios, and increased costs due to the number of nodes and specialized hardware required for monitoring applications in industries like agriculture, weather prediction, and disaster management.
Innovation Solution
A distributed radio communications network utilizing software-defined radio (SDR) technology, which centralizes complex processing functions, employs multiple antennas for cooperative reception and transmission, and leverages ionospheric propagation to improve communication link margin, allowing for low-power, long-range data collection with reduced node costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional wireless sensor networks are deployed to achieve wide area monitoring, then the geographical range is extended, but the cost increases due to the number of nodes and specialized hardware required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex signal processing functions from individual sensor nodes and relocates them to centralized base stations. This allows sensor nodes to use simple, low-cost hardware while the network achieves wide area coverage through cooperative signal processing at the base stations, resolving the contradiction between geographical range and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines signals from multiple geographically dispersed sensor nodes at centralized base stations to achieve coherent integration and improve detection performance. This merging approach enables wide area monitoring using inexpensive nodes while maintaining system effectiveness through collective signal processing.
2Area of stationary object
If more nodes are deployed to extend network range, then the geographical coverage improves, but the network impairment increases due to disabled nodes and low signal-to-noise ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines weak signals from multiple geographically dispersed nodes through coherent integration at base stations. This merging process improves the effective signal-to-noise ratio and enables reliable detection even when individual nodes experience fading or impairment, thereby extending geographical range without compromising reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements signal combining and processing feedback mechanisms at centralized base stations, where received signals from multiple nodes are coherently integrated. This feedback-based signal processing compensates for individual node failures and low signal-to-noise conditions, maintaining network reliability across wide geographical areas.
3Measurement precision
If specialized hardware is used at each node to improve signal processing capability, then the signal-to-noise ratio improves, but the cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts complex signal processing functions (demodulation, decoding, signal combining) from individual sensor nodes and relocates them to centralized base stations. This allows nodes to use simple, low-cost hardware while achieving high measurement precision through sophisticated processing at the base stations, resolving the contradiction between signal-to-noise ratio and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized base stations act as intermediaries that receive simple signals from low-cost sensor nodes and perform complex signal processing operations. This intermediary architecture enables high measurement precision without requiring complex hardware at each node, as the base stations mediate the signal processing functions.
4Ease of operation
If complex processing functions are distributed to each node, then the local signal processing capability improves, but the maintenance and update costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts complex processing functions from distributed nodes and consolidates them at centralized base stations. This centralization simplifies node hardware, reducing maintenance requirements at remote locations while maintaining sophisticated signal processing capabilities at the base stations, thereby improving ease of operation without increasing maintenance costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple processing functions into centralized base stations, which can be maintained and updated as unified systems. This consolidation reduces the total number of complex devices requiring maintenance compared to distributing complex functionality across many nodes, resolving the contradiction between operational capability and maintenance costs.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for providing a distributed radio communications network. Each of a first gateway and a second gateway may separately receive modulated signals comprising at least a portion of data from a first node of a plurality of geographically-dispersed nodes. The modulated signals may be wirelessly transmitted as radio frequency (RF) signals from the first node, the data gathered or generated by the first node at a first location. A server may receive the modulated signals from the first gateway and the second gateway. As configured by software-defined radio (SDR) software, the server may perform processing of the separately received modulated signals to recover the data. The processing may include demodulation of the modulated signals.