Wireless Sensor Gateway Selection for Signal Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless sensor networks, obstacles between sensors and gateways can lead to deteriorated signal quality, causing repeated frame transmissions that consume power and shorten battery life in battery-powered sensors.
Innovation Solution
A method where wireless sensors emit initial non-connectable signals to assess signal quality across multiple gateways, select the gateway with the highest reception quality, and pair with it to optimize data transmission, reducing the need for repeated transmissions and conserving power by switching to sleep mode between data emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensor transmits measurements to a gateway with obstructed signal, then the gateway receives the signal, but the signal quality deteriorates and frames are lost requiring retransmission
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor performs preliminary signal quality assessment by emitting test signals to multiple gateways before actual data transmission. This preliminary action identifies the optimal gateway with the best signal quality, preventing future transmission failures and reducing the need for power-consuming retransmissions of measurement frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the gateway selection parameter from arbitrary or single-gateway connection to multi-gateway comparison based on signal quality metrics. By evaluating and selecting the gateway with the highest signal reception quality score, the system optimizes transmission reliability and minimizes energy consumption from retransmissions.
2Productivity
If the sensor remains in active mode to ensure data transmission, then data can be transmitted, but power consumption increases reducing battery duration
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor alternates between sleep mode and active mode periodically. During sleep mode, the sensor conserves energy. Before each activation, the sensor performs gateway selection by emitting test signals to determine the optimal gateway. This periodic activation with pre-assessment ensures data transmission capability while minimizing power consumption and extending battery life.
3Reliability
If the sensor connects to multiple gateways for redundancy, then transmission reliability improves, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs gateway selection in advance by having the sensor emit test signals to multiple gateways and evaluate their signal quality scores before actual data transmission begins. This preliminary assessment identifies the single best gateway, providing transmission reliability without requiring complex multi-gateway management during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor autonomously performs gateway selection by independently emitting test signals, evaluating received signal quality scores from multiple gateways, and selecting the optimal gateway without external intervention. This self-service mechanism simplifies the overall system complexity while ensuring reliable transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A network (1) including at least one wireless sensor (2, 3) having emitting means (8) for emitting a first signal (S11, S12), a plurality of gateways (4, 5, 6), and a network supervisor (7). The network supervisor (7) includes determining means (13) for determining for each gateway (4, 5, 6) a signal reception quality score (I111, I112, I113, I121, I122, I123) of the first signal (S11, S12) to quantify the quality of the reception of the first signal by the said gateway. The network supervisor (7) includes choosing means (14) for choosing a selected gateway (5, 6) from the plurality of gateways (4, 5, 6), the selected gateway having the highest signal reception quality score (I112, I123).