Environmental Sensing via Networked Pervasive Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current environmental monitoring systems are limited in density, coverage, and ability to collect and analyze multiple stimuli, leading to ineffective communication during disasters and inadequate notification of environmental conditions, with existing systems often being overbroad or underbroad, failing to reach endangered populations.
Innovation Solution
A network of pervasive devices equipped with environmental sensors and a communications module that acquire and analyze data to detect environmental events, providing real-time monitoring and notification to subscribers through a subscription-based service, using data fusion from various sensors such as images, temperature, shock, and chemical detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a multiplicity of sensors on a multiplicity of networked pervasive devices are used to acquire environmental data, then measurement precision and coverage area are improved, but device complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the environmental monitoring function across multiple independent pervasive devices, each performing simple sensing and data transmission. This segmentation allows high measurement precision through multiple sensors while keeping individual device complexity low, as each device operates independently rather than requiring complex centralized processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes existing multi-functional pervasive devices (mobile phones, PDAs, laptops) that already contain multiple sensors for various purposes. By repurposing these devices for environmental monitoring, the system achieves high measurement precision without adding dedicated complex monitoring infrastructure, as the devices serve multiple functions including communication, computing, and sensing.
2Loss of information
If data from multiple sensors is collected and analyzed to determine environmental events, then information completeness is improved, but loss of time for data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously collecting and pre-processing environmental data from multiple sensors before actual environmental events occur. This allows the system to have environmental condition information ready for rapid analysis when events happen, reducing the time loss between event occurrence and detection while maintaining complete information about environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where data from multiple sensors is continuously analyzed and used to update environmental models in real-time. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain complete environmental information while rapidly detecting events, as the continuous feedback process keeps the system alert and responsive without requiring extensive post-event analysis time.
3Loss of information
If environmental monitoring data is transmitted via network for data mining, then information accessibility is improved, but use of energy for data transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential environmental data and event information for network transmission, rather than transmitting all raw sensor data. This extraction approach maintains information accessibility for remote analysis while significantly reducing energy consumption, as only critical processed information is transmitted over the network rather than continuous raw data streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transmits data partially and selectively based on event detection thresholds and subscription requirements. Rather than continuous full-data transmission, the system sends information only when environmental events are detected or when requested by subscribers, reducing energy use while maintaining adequate information accessibility for monitoring and analysis purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
Data pertaining to environmental information is acquired using sensors on a multiplicity of networked pervasive devices, and analyzed to determine occurrence of at least one environmental event. Such data can be obtained, for example, from an inventive wireless communications device including an antenna, transmit circuitry coupled to the antenna for transmission of radio frequency radiation therefrom, at least one environmental sensor configured to obtain environmental data, and a communications module coupled to the at least one environmental sensor and configured to cause transmission of a representation of the data via the antenna and the transmit circuitry.