Wireless Sensor Node Group Affiliation for Resource Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless sensor nodes in networks face challenges in efficient resource management due to limited power, memory, and computational resources, leading to unnecessary reprogramming and redundant task support, which accelerates power depletion and reduces operational lifetime.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for wireless sensor node group affiliation, allowing nodes to form groups based on capabilities and environmental conditions, enabling selective activation and deactivation of tasks to conserve resources and extend operational life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all wireless sensor nodes are re-programmed uniformly across the network, then network-wide task implementation is achieved, but power consumption increases and operational lifetime decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling individual wireless sensor nodes to selectively receive and execute only those task portions that match their local capabilities and environmental conditions. Each node evaluates its own characteristics (e.g., sunlight exposure, sensor types) and autonomously determines which tasks to perform, avoiding uniform reprogramming of all nodes. This localized approach reduces unnecessary power consumption while maintaining network-wide task implementation effectiveness.
2Reliability
If reprogramming encompasses all wireless sensors in the network, then complete task coverage is achieved, but computational and transmission events increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary task portions from the complete task set and distributes them selectively to individual nodes based on their capabilities. Instead of programming all nodes with all tasks, the system identifies and extracts specific task components that each node can perform, thereby reducing the computational and transmission overhead while ensuring complete task coverage across the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by having each wireless sensor node execute only a subset of tasks rather than all tasks. Nodes perform partial task implementations based on their local conditions, and the collective partial actions of all nodes achieve complete task coverage. This avoids the excessive computational and transmission events that would result from uniform full-task programming of all nodes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wireless sensors without requisite facilities are programmed for tasks they cannot perform, then reprogramming completeness is achieved, but resource waste occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables wireless sensor nodes to perform self-service by autonomously evaluating their own capabilities and environmental conditions to determine which tasks they can perform. Each node independently assesses its hardware facilities (e.g., presence of temperature sensor, sunlight exposure) and selectively accepts only those tasks it is capable of executing. This self-service mechanism eliminates resource waste from programming nodes for tasks they cannot perform while maintaining reprogramming completeness across the network.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless sensor node can obtain (102) a wireless sensor node group affiliation pursuant to an affiliation formation process and then subsequently transmit (103) information regarding that wireless sensor node group affiliation. By one approach this affiliation formation process can comprise, at least in part, using wireless sensor node group affiliation information as corresponds to other wireless sensor nodes. Such wireless sensor node group affiliation information as corresponds to other wireless sensor nodes might be received, for example, directly from that other wireless sensor node and/or via an intermediary wireless sensor node that acts to forward such information from the other wireless sensor node.