Autonomous Drone Gateway for Incomplete IoT Sensor Data Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The exponential growth of sensors in IoT and other environments leads to bandwidth issues and ineffective data processing, particularly in real-time scenarios, where data integrity is compromised due to the limitations of traditional gateway devices and the need for efficient data collection and processing.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous drone gateway system that collects data from sensors and sends it to the cloud for processing, equipped with GPS for location tracking, multiple communication protocols, and a method to handle both real-time and non-real-time data, allowing for efficient data management and reducing the need for dedicated gateway devices in non-real-time scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional gateway devices are used to collect sensor data, then data collection is possible, but bandwidth issues and data processing effectiveness deteriorate due to exponential sensor growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs mobile drones as dynamic gateway devices that can move to different sensor locations rather than using fixed gateways. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to varying data collection needs and maintain reliable connections with multiple sensors simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between collection efficiency and data integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The drone acts as an intermediary mobile gateway between sensors and the central processing system. It collects data from multiple sensors wirelessly, buffers and manages the data flow, and transmits aggregated information to the cloud, thereby preventing bandwidth overload while maintaining data integrity through controlled transmission
2Productivity
If multiple dedicated gateway devices are deployed for real-time data processing, then data processing effectiveness improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drone gateway is designed as a universal mobile platform capable of serving multiple sensors across different locations simultaneously. It can dynamically adjust its position and communication parameters to handle real-time data collection from various sensor networks, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated fixed gateways while maintaining processing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional fixed gateway architecture to a three-dimensional mobile drone-based architecture. The drone can move vertically and horizontally to optimize its position for data collection, adding spatial flexibility that reduces the number of gateways needed while maintaining real-time processing capability
3Quantity of substance
If data is collected from all sensors simultaneously, then comprehensive data coverage is achieved, but bandwidth consumption increases and processing becomes ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The drone gateway implements selective data collection by prioritizing critical sensors and parameters based on current operational needs. It collects comprehensive data when necessary but can reduce collection intensity for non-critical sensors, thereby maintaining adequate data coverage while preventing bandwidth overload and preserving processing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic data collection intervals adjusted based on sensor priority and data urgency. Critical sensors are polled more frequently while less critical ones use longer intervals, enabling comprehensive monitoring without continuous high-bandwidth consumption, thus maintaining processing effectiveness
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus and method are provided for collecting data via an autonomous drone. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving sensor data collected by at least one sensor via the autonomous drone. The data collected also includes geo-location of the at least one sensor. This sensor data is then stored in a database and analyzed. A request is sent to the drone for additional data collection when the sensor data is determined to be incomplete after analysis.