Mobile Sensor Reader for IoT Data Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for reading sensor data from IoT devices, such as gas meters, often require manual intervention or expensive smart meters with cellular modems, lacking efficiency and scalability in data collection, especially for municipalities or entities with numerous unconnected devices.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing mobile sensor readers integrated with vehicles like trash or mail delivery vehicles to wirelessly collect sensor data and forward it non-real-time to a server or cloud node via intermediary electronic data collectors, using wireless communications and conditional forwarding based on priority parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual meter reading by handheld devices is used, then data collection from unconnected IoT devices is achieved, but labor cost and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between unconnected IoT devices and the central server. The gateway collects sensor data from multiple IoT devices locally and forwards aggregated data to the server, eliminating the need for manual reading and reducing operational complexity while maintaining compatibility with unconnected devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables automated self-service data collection where IoT devices automatically transmit sensor data to the gateway without human intervention. The gateway then automatically forwards this data to the server, creating a self-managing data collection system that reduces labor costs and operational complexity.
2Extent of automation
If smart meters with cellular modems are deployed, then automated data upload capability is achieved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple IoT devices and their data transmission capabilities into a single gateway device. Instead of each IoT device having its own cellular modem, the gateway aggregates data from multiple devices and uses a single communication interface to upload to the server, significantly reducing per-device cost while maintaining automated upload functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device serves multiple functions: collecting data from various unconnected IoT devices, buffering data locally, and forwarding to the server. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for expensive specialized smart meters at each IoT device while achieving automated data collection across the network.
3Productivity
If dedicated data collection vehicles are deployed, then systematic sensor data collection is achieved, but operational cost and resource allocation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile sensor reader is integrated into existing multi-purpose vehicles that already perform other municipal functions. This allows the same vehicle to serve both its primary function and sensor data collection, eliminating the need for dedicated data collection vehicles and reducing fleet requirements while maintaining systematic collection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges sensor data collection functionality with existing municipal vehicle operations. By combining these functions, the system achieves systematic data collection along established routes without requiring additional vehicles or resources, thereby improving productivity while reducing the quantity of resources needed.
4Loss of time
If real-time data transmission is implemented, then data freshness is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic data transmission where the gateway collects sensor data over time and uploads to the server at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This approach maintains acceptable data freshness while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to real-time transmission, as the communication interface remains dormant between upload cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway acts as a buffer between IoT devices and the server, storing data locally and transmitting in batches. This intermediary approach reduces the frequency of communication events, lowering energy consumption while maintaining data availability, effectively trading off some data freshness for reduced energy use and system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient, cost-effective, and labor-saving collection of sensor data from multiple IoT devices by leveraging existing vehicle routes, reducing the need for dedicated data collection efforts and improving data transmission speed and safety through conditional forwarding.
Implementation Method 1
a wireless communications system, a memory configured to store sensor data received via the wireless communications system from an IoT device
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile sensor reader for Internet of Things (IoT) devices includes a wireless communications system, a memory configured to store sensor data received via the wireless communications system from an IoT device, and a processor. The processor is configured to monitor for remote electronic data collectors that come within a communication range of the wireless communications system as at least one of the mobile sensor reader or one of the remote electronic data collectors move to different locations; determine a first parameter of a remote electronic data collector that has come within the communication range of the wireless communications system; determine a second parameter of the mobile sensor reader or the sensor data; and forward the sensor data to the remote electronic data collector, via the wireless communications system, at least partly in response to the first parameter and the second parameter satisfying a set of one or more conditions.