Wireless Sensor Synchronization via Common Event Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication devices face challenges in time synchronization, especially when they are in power save mode or out of range, due to low accuracy clocks and limited power consumption, leading to increased collision likelihood and reduced communication success probability.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for time synchronization among distributed communication devices, where each device is coupled to a sensor that outputs a signal upon detecting a common event, allowing synchronization without direct communication, using a radio transceiver and timing device activated by the sensor signal, with optional microcontroller and multiple sensors for precise timing adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If communication devices use low accuracy clocks to save power and costs, then power consumption and device cost are reduced, but time synchronization accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external synchronization signal as an intermediary that mediates between multiple distributed communication devices. This external signal serves as a common reference that all devices can use to synchronize their low-accuracy clocks without requiring high-precision internal clocks or frequent inter-device communication, thus maintaining low power consumption while improving time synchronization accuracy.
2Use of energy by moving object
If communication devices stay in power save mode to reduce energy consumption, then battery life is extended, but communication reliability deteriorates due to disconnection and lack of synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having devices synchronize their wake-up times in advance based on the external synchronization signal before actually communicating. This allows devices to predict when they should be active, ensuring they are synchronized and ready to communicate reliably when they wake up from power save mode, without requiring continuous connection or frequent synchronization exchanges.
3Speed
If devices wake up and transmit without synchronization to save time, then communication speed is improved, but collision likelihood increases and communication success probability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the external synchronization signal as a feedback mechanism that provides timing information to all devices. This feedback allows devices to adjust their transmission timing based on a common reference, enabling them to wake up and transmit at synchronized intervals, thereby maintaining high communication speed while reducing collisions and improving success probability through coordinated access.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method and system for time synchronization among distributed communication devices, particularly wireless and even beyond communications range, either fixed or mobile, configured to communicate data with each other, typically over peer to peer local area networks, specifically mesh or ad-hoc networks, where said communication devices are usually dormant in order to save battery power, then said devices are configured to simultaneously wake up and accordingly allocate synchronized time slots for communications among thereof. A particular embodiment of the present invention concerns with Automatic Meter Reading (AMR).