Wireless Sensor Node Failure Detection via Hop Count Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless sensor networks face challenges in accurately determining node failures due to the lack of efficient methods for detecting communication path abnormalities without relying on acknowledgement signals, which can lead to increased power consumption and higher unit costs, and result in inefficient failure identification and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A system where nodes in a wireless sensor network update and transmit a reference hop count with sensor data, allowing a communications apparatus to compare actual and reference hop counts to determine node failures, thereby identifying communication path abnormalities without using acknowledgement signals, reducing power consumption, and lowering unit costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acknowledgement signals are used to detect node failures, then failure detection accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the failure detection function from the acknowledgement signal mechanism. Instead of using ACK signals to detect failures, the system uses hop count information that is already present in the data packets for routing purposes. This separates the failure detection function from the communication acknowledgment function, allowing failure detection without additional power-consuming ACK transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the hop count field in data packets to serve dual purposes: routing information and failure detection. The hop count is already being maintained for multi-hop routing, so it automatically provides failure detection capability without requiring separate detection mechanisms or additional energy expenditure.
2Reliability
If acknowledgement signals are used to detect node failures, then failure detection accuracy is improved, but unit costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hop count field in data packets is made multi-functional, serving both as routing information for multi-hop communication and as a basis for failure detection. This eliminates the need for separate failure detection infrastructure, reducing system complexity and unit costs while maintaining reliable failure detection capability.
3Reliability
If conventional failure determination methods are used, then failure detection is achieved, but network traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts failure detection capability from separate detection packets or ACK signals and integrates it into the existing data packet flow. By using the hop count information already embedded in data packets for routing, the system achieves failure detection without generating additional network traffic.
4Reliability
If maximum hop count comparison is performed at each node, then failure determination is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages the existing hop count maintenance mechanism that is already part of multi-hop routing protocols. Each node naturally maintains and updates hop count information for routing purposes, and this same information is used for failure detection, eliminating the need for additional processing logic or complex determination mechanisms at each node.
Data Source
AI summary
A system has a group of nodes that perform multi-hop communication therebetween and a communications apparatus that communicates with a node included in the group of nodes. The node adds to data transmitted by the node, a hop count updated each time the data is transferred by the multi-hop communication and a reference hop count for the data to be transferred from the node to the communications apparatus, and transmits the data. The communications apparatus, when receiving the data, compares the reference hop count and the hop count added to the data, and based on a result of comparison, determines whether failure has occurred at a given node in the group of nodes.