Web-Based Smart Sensor Network Tracking and Monitoring System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless sensor networks face challenges in accessing and retrieving data due to proprietary software requirements, limited memory and computational performance, and unreliable messaging protocols, making it difficult to obtain real-time and reliable sensor data.
Innovation Solution
A web-based Smart Sensor network system is implemented, where a Wireless Sensor Coordinator uses TCP/IP protocols to communicate with sensors and convert measured data into HTML format, allowing access via a common web browser and wide area networks like the Internet, enabling dynamic and reliable data access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If proprietary software based tracking and monitoring system is used, then sensor data can be accessed, but the system requires complex application software installation at each local drive and limits data access to particular hardware resources or platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal web-based interface that allows sensor data access through any standard web browser across different platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile devices) without requiring proprietary software installation. The coordinator server acts as a universal access point, translating diverse sensor data into standardized web-compatible formats that can be viewed on any device with a browser, thereby eliminating platform-specific limitations while maintaining broad data accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinator server functions as an intermediary between the wireless sensor network and user devices. It receives data from sensors, processes and standardizes it, then delivers it through web protocols to any client device. This intermediary layer eliminates the need for users to directly interface with complex sensor hardware or install proprietary software, as all interactions are mediated through the web-based interface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wireless sensor networks are used, then sensing in harsh terrains and self-configuration is enabled, but data retrieval becomes arduous due to protocol and bandwidth limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The coordinator server serves as an intermediary that handles the complexity of wireless communication protocols and bandwidth constraints. It receives data from sensors using appropriate wireless protocols, buffers and processes the data, then transmits it via web protocols over standard networks. This intermediary approach shields users from protocol complexities and bandwidth limitations, making data retrieval as simple as accessing any web page while maintaining adaptability to harsh environments through the sensor network's inherent self-configuration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct wireless sensor communication protocols with standard web protocols (HTTP, TCP/IP). Instead of requiring specialized software to handle complex wireless protocols and bandwidth constraints, the system substitutes these with universal web technologies that can traverse any network infrastructure, thereby simplifying data retrieval while maintaining environmental adaptability through the coordinator's protocol translation capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If common web server is embedded in wireless sensor network, then data access is simplified, but the server is too large to reside embedded in the network due to limited memory and low computational performance
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the web server functionality from the wireless sensor nodes and places it on a separate coordinator server with adequate computational resources. The sensor nodes perform only simple data collection and transmission to the coordinator, while the coordinator handles the complex web server operations including data processing, formatting, and web protocol management. This segmentation allows the web server to be simplified to essential functions only, reducing memory and computational requirements on resource-constrained sensor nodes while maintaining full web-based data access capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinator server acts as an intermediary that hosts the web server functionality separately from the wireless sensor network. It receives raw sensor data, processes and standardizes it, then serves it through a web interface. This intermediary architecture allows the web server to be implemented with minimal functionality tailored for sensor data delivery, reducing memory and computational requirements compared to a full-featured web server, while still providing simplified data access through standard web browsers.
4Reliability
If proprietary communication protocols are used between Smart Sensor network and user software, then specific functionality is achieved, but messaging efficiency is reduced and real-time messaging is incapable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces proprietary communication protocols with standard web protocols (HTTP, TCP/IP) for data transmission between the coordinator server and user devices. This substitution leverages the maturity, efficiency, and real-time capabilities of web protocol stacks that are universally optimized and highly efficient. The coordinator maintains reliable communication with sensors using appropriate wireless protocols, then translates this into efficient web-based messaging that supports real-time data delivery to any client device, thereby achieving both reliability and high messaging efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless sensor network including a plurality of Smart Sensors coupled to a wide area network such as the Internet via a Wireless Sensor Coordinator. Each wireless sensor network comprises a plurality of Smart Sensors, each operable to measure one or more physical quantities. Each wireless sensor communicates the measured data to a Wireless Sensor Coordinator which then stores the collected data in memory. The Wireless Sensor Coordinator further includes a web server operable to post a web site on a network that is accessible by a common web browser. Upon receiving a request for sensed data via the web site, the Wireless Sensor Coordinator retrieves the appropriate measured and stored data and converts it into HTML format pages which are then posted on the web site for review by the requestor.