Wireless Sensor Pairing via Proximity Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for commissioning wireless nurse call systems are laborious and inefficient, requiring physical interaction with each device and lacking effective solutions for accurately pairing sensors with gateways in complex indoor environments with obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a discovery initiating agent that transmits a discovery message, allowing devices to broadcast proximity responses, determining respective proximities, and selecting gateways and sensors based on these responses to commission configuration parameters without physical interaction, utilizing Bluetooth LE networks and multi-hop responses to include devices outside the immediate range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automatic pairing methods are implemented, then commissioning efficiency is improved, but accuracy in pairing sensors with correct gateways deteriorates in complex indoor environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a discovery initiating agent as an intermediary that coordinates the pairing process. This agent broadcasts discovery messages and collects proximity responses, enabling automatic commissioning while maintaining accurate sensor-gateway pairing through centralized coordination rather than direct peer-to-peer pairing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces physical interaction with devices (mechanical commissioning) with wireless proximity detection and automated message exchange. The discovery process uses wireless signal strength measurements to determine proximity, substituting manual device pairing with automated electronic discovery and grouping
2Measurement precision
If physical interaction with each device is required, then pairing accuracy is maintained, but commissioning time and labor increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables devices to self-configure through automated discovery and grouping. Sensors automatically respond to discovery messages and are grouped with appropriate gateways based on proximity measurements, eliminating the need for manual commissioning while maintaining accurate pairing through self-organized network formation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary proximity measurements and device discovery before final pairing configuration. The discovery initiating agent collects proximity responses from all devices in advance, determines appropriate groupings, and then configures pairings based on this pre-collected information, streamlining the overall commissioning process
3Measurement precision
If light-based point-to-point distance measurements are used, then distance measurement capability is achieved, but device compatibility and applicability deteriorate due to requiring light sources and sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses wireless signal strength measurements that can be performed by any standard wireless device with radio capabilities, making the proximity detection method universally applicable to all wireless devices regardless of whether they have light sources or optical sensors. This replaces specialized optical measurement with general-purpose wireless communication
4Measurement precision
If triangulation with reference nodes is used, then spatial positioning capability is achieved, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase due to requiring fixed reference nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the reference node infrastructure requirement from the positioning system by using mutual proximity measurements between all devices. Instead of requiring external fixed reference nodes, the system uses the devices themselves as measurement points, eliminating complex infrastructure requirements while maintaining spatial relationship determination
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention pertains to a method of selectively pairing a plurality of sensors to a gateway from among a plurality of gateways in a wireless network, said sensors and said gateways being collectively referred to as devices, the method comprising: prior to receipt of a discovery message, keeping said plurality of devices in a non-transmitting state; transmitting a discovery message from a discovery initiating agent; at each of said plurality of devices that have received said discovery message, broadcasting a primary discovery response; determining respective proximities of said gateways to said discovery initiating agent and respective proximities of said sensors to said discovery initiating agent or one or more of said gateways, based on at least said primary discovery responses; selecting a gateway and a subset of said plurality of sensors on the basis of said respective proximities; and commissioning configuration parameters to said selected gateway and said subset of said plurality of sensors.