Sensor Communication Using Swinger Counts to Limit Alarm Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor communication systems experience increased network traffic and reduced battery life due to repeated transmission of alarm messages for the same event, leading to delayed communication of other messages and inefficient resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a controller that counts alarm messages and stops further transmissions when a predetermined swinger count is reached, reducing redundant messages and optimizing communication efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensor continuously transmits alarm messages for repeated sensed events, then the alarm detection reliability is improved, but the network traffic increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor transmits alarm messages periodically only for a limited number of times (swinger count) rather than continuously. After reaching the swinger count, the sensor stops transmitting and waits for the arming condition to change, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining alarm detection reliability during the active transmission period.
2Reliability
If the sensor continuously transmits alarm messages for repeated sensed events, then the alarm detection reliability is improved, but the network traffic increases causing message delays
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor implements periodic transmission with a defined swinger count limit, transmitting alarm messages only for a specific number of times rather than continuously. This reduces network traffic congestion and improves message transmission efficiency for other sensors while maintaining reliable alarm detection within the permitted transmission window.
3Loss of information
If the sensor transmits alarm messages for every sensed event, then the information completeness is improved, but the device complexity increases due to continuous communication protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor uses periodic transmission with a swinger count limit instead of continuous transmission for every sensed event. This simplifies the communication protocol by defining clear transmission boundaries and stopping conditions, reducing device complexity while maintaining information completeness within the active alarm period.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for and system for controlling a building monitoring system including a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a sense element for detecting sensed events in a space, a communication port, and a controller operatively coupled to the sense element and the communication port. The controller is configured to receive from the sense element an indication of a sensed event occurring in the space, transmit an alarm message pertaining to the detected sensed event via the communication port, and after transmitting the alarm message pertaining to the detected sensed event, receive from the sense element an indication of a plurality of subsequent sensed events occurring in the space until a number of transmitted alarm messages reaches a swinger count. When the number of transmitted alarm messages reaches the swinger count, stop transmitting an alarm message for each of the plurality of subsequent sensed events.