Multipoint Sensor Coordination for Low-Power Data Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile computing devices with multiple sensors face frequent battery recharging or replacement issues due to inefficient power management, leading to user frustration and dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A multipoint sensor system that communicates with multiple sensors to determine capabilities, configures them based on application intent, designates a master sensor to collect and process data, and maintains the device in a low power mode until necessary, reducing overall power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sensors continuously communicate with the computing device to provide sensor data, then the sensor data collection capability is improved, but the power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is segmented into a master sensor and multiple slave sensors. The slave sensors operate independently in low-power mode, only activating to collect data and transfer to the master sensor when triggered. This segmentation allows continuous monitoring capability while significantly reducing overall power consumption compared to all sensors operating continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The master sensor acts as an intermediary between the slave sensors and the computing device. Instead of each slave sensor communicating directly with the computing device (which would increase power consumption and device wake frequency), the master sensor consolidates data from multiple slaves and serves as a single communication point, reducing the burden on the computing device and overall system power usage.
2Reliability
If the computing device remains in active mode to receive sensor data from multiple sensors, then the data reception capability is improved, but the device cannot maintain low power mode and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor data streams are merged and consolidated by the master sensor before being transmitted to the computing device. This merging allows the device to receive comprehensive sensor information while maintaining low power mode for extended periods, waking up only when the master sensor has consolidated data ready for transmission, thus extending battery life.
Solution Approach 2:
The master sensor performs preliminary data collection and consolidation from multiple slave sensors before transmitting to the computing device. This preliminary action allows the device to remain in low-power mode longer, as it receives pre-processed data batches rather than needing to be continuously active to receive individual sensor transmissions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If each sensor operates independently and communicates directly with the computing device, then the sensor autonomy is improved, but the system complexity and power management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The master sensor performs multiple functions: it collects data from slave sensors, processes and consolidates this data, manages communication timing with the computing device, and coordinates the overall sensor network operation. This multi-functionality reduces system complexity by centralizing control functions that would otherwise be distributed across multiple independent sensors.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device includes a control system that communicates with multiple sensors that capture data regarding a user. The control system communicates with each of the sensors to obtain information regarding the capabilities of each sensor, and uses this capability information to determine how to configure each of the sensors. The control system also selects one of the multiple sensors to be the master sensor, and the rest of the multiple sensors are slave sensors, and notifies the multiple sensors of whether they are a slave sensor or a master sensor. The master sensor collects sensor data for the multiple sensors, capturing data itself as well as receiving data captured by the slave sensors from the slave sensors. The master sensor sends an indication of the collected data (e.g., the collected data itself or data resulting from processing the collected data) to the control system for analysis and/or processing.