IoT Sensor Messaging Without CPU for Low-Power LPWAN Nodes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) end nodes require complex configurations and processing power to determine and transmit sensor event messages in real-time, which can increase costs and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a reduced-complexity end node that stores pre-computed sensor event messages and waveform data, allowing for message selection and transmission without a CPU, using control circuitry to determine counter values and output packets via a radio signal, with pre-computed message packets including sequence numbers, integrity codes, and waveform data for efficient communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If real-time processing and CPU are used to determine and transmit sensor event messages, then message transmission accuracy and responsiveness are improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores message packets with all possible sensor event outcomes and their corresponding transmission parameters before deployment. This eliminates the need for real-time CPU processing during operation, as the control circuitry simply retrieves pre-prepared messages based on sensor triggers, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining transmission accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple copies of pre-computed message packets for different sensor event scenarios. Instead of generating unique messages in real-time, the system uses pre-copied message templates stored in memory, which reduces the computational burden and device complexity while ensuring accurate message transmission for various sensor events
2Speed
If real-time processing and CPU are used to determine and transmit sensor event messages, then message transmission responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores message packets with all possible sensor event outcomes and their corresponding transmission parameters before deployment. This eliminates the need for real-time CPU processing during operation, as the control circuitry simply retrieves pre-prepared messages based on sensor triggers, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining transmission accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple copies of pre-computed message packets for different sensor event scenarios. Instead of generating unique messages in real-time, the system uses pre-copied message templates stored in memory, which reduces the computational burden and device complexity while ensuring accurate message transmission for various sensor events
3Device complexity
If pre-computed message packets are stored and transmitted without CPU processing, then device complexity and power consumption are reduced, but configuration flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs pre-computed message packets with universal structures that can handle multiple sensor event types and configurations. The message templates include configurable parameters that can be adapted to different sensor thresholds, event types, and transmission requirements, allowing a single pre-computed message format to serve multiple functions and maintain configuration flexibility without requiring CPU processing
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A reduced-complexity Internet of Things sensor is disclosed. An example apparatus comprises memory storing one or more sensor event messages, a control circuitry configured to determine a sensor event, a counter configured to output incremental counter states, and a radio. The control circuitry is in communication with the memory, the radio, and counter, and the sensor. The control circuitry is configured to determine, based on the sensor event, a select sensor event message of the one or more sensor event messages. The control circuitry is further configured to output, via a radio signal, a packet comprising the select event message and an indication of a counter state associated with the sensor event message.