Multi-Hop Energy Harvesting Sensor Network Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low power sensors in energy harvesting sensor networks face challenges with data transmission failures due to unpredictable energy sources, and existing communication protocols are not suited for multi-hop deployments with energy harvesting devices, leading to limitations in wide-area deployments and inaccessible locations.
Innovation Solution
A multi-hop networking protocol using a receiver-initiated beaconing scheme, where nodes opportunistically select relay nodes with sufficient energy for data forwarding, enabling deterministic communication and routing without relying on centralized control or global synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If energy harvesting sensors are used instead of battery-powered sensors, then maintenance cost and environmental impact are improved, but data transmission reliability deteriorates due to unpredictable energy availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic routing where the network protocol adapts relay selection based on real-time energy availability. Nodes transition between sleep and active states dynamically, and the routing path changes opportunistically as nodes harvest energy, resolving the contradiction between maintenance reduction and transmission reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary relay nodes that facilitate data transmission between source and destination. These intermediaries buffer and forward data when energy is available, ensuring reliable transmission even when individual nodes have unpredictable energy harvests, thus maintaining reliability while using energy harvesting sensors.
2Reliability
If a centralized control or global synchronization protocol is used, then data transmission coordination is improved, but system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-organizing distributed protocol where each node independently makes routing decisions based on local energy availability and beacon information. Nodes autonomously select relays without centralized coordination, reducing system complexity while maintaining transmission reliability through decentralized intelligence.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having nodes wait for centralized scheduling or global synchronization, the patent inverts the approach by having nodes proactively broadcast beacons when they have energy available. This reverse-initiation approach simplifies the protocol by eliminating the need for complex centralized coordination while ensuring reliable data forwarding.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides an EHSN communication protocol that uses a beaconing scheme to facilitate communication between multiple low power sensor nodes. In the illustrative embodiment, the desired sensor data flows through a series of sensor nodes from the origin sensor to a destination node through a set of intermediate relay nodes. Transmissions from one node to another occur using a receiver-initiated beaconing scheme, in which beacons are sent by each node when they have harvested sufficient energy to relay data. The specific set of relay nodes is chosen opportunistically from the total set of nodes in the network, based on which nodes have harvested sufficient energy (and broadcasted the appropriate beacon), and which nodes are optimally positioned to forward data to the destination node.