Wireless Sensor Device Remote Programming for Building Control Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless sensor devices lack the ability to be remotely programmed, limiting their flexibility and efficiency in controlling building systems, as they often require manual intervention for changes in behavior or settings, especially in power management modes.
Innovation Solution
A wireless sensor device equipped with a controller that can receive and execute sleep algorithms, parameter settings, and operational rules from a remotely located device, allowing it to switch between low-power sleep and high-power awake modes based on specified criteria, thereby enabling remote programming and optimizing battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual programming intervention is used for wireless sensor devices, then programming capability is achieved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to requiring physical access and manual configuration
Solution Approach 1:
A remote device serves as an intermediary between the user and the wireless sensor device. This intermediary communicates with the sensor device via wireless messages, allowing programming operations to be performed remotely without requiring physical access to the sensor device. The remote device translates user programming intentions into appropriate wireless communication protocols and message formats that the sensor device can understand and execute.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wireless sensor devices remain in high-power awake mode for remote communication, then programming and control flexibility is improved, but energy consumption increases reducing battery life
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless sensor device operates in periodic cycles, alternating between low-power sleep mode and high-power awake mode. During sleep mode, the device consumes minimal energy and cannot be programmed. When programming or control operations are needed, the device transitions to awake mode to receive wireless messages. This periodic operation allows the device to maintain battery life while still providing remote programming capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device dynamically adjusts its operational state based on communication needs. The controller monitors for incoming programming messages and transitions the device from sleep to awake mode only when necessary. This dynamic state management ensures the device maintains maximum battery life while being available for remote programming and control operations when required.
3Use of energy by moving object
If wireless sensor devices switch between sleep and awake modes, then energy efficiency is improved, but responsiveness to remote programming messages may be delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless sensor device is configured to periodically wake from sleep mode to check for incoming messages or to listen for programming commands at predetermined intervals. This preliminary action of waking before actually needing to respond ensures that when programming messages are sent, the device is already in awake mode and can respond immediately, eliminating delays while still maintaining energy efficiency through extended sleep periods between message checks.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates generally to wireless sensor devices, and more particularly, to remote programming of wireless sensor devices. A wireless sensor device wirelessly may receive messages from a remotely located device to a wireless sensor device. The wireless sensor device may be programmed via the receive messages. In one example, a building controller may be programmed to wirelessly send one or more messages to a wireless sensor device in order to change the behavior of the wireless sensor device, even while the wireless sensor device and building controller are on-line and actively controlling a building control system. In some instances, a technician or installer may use a diagnostic or setup tool to send one or more messages to a wireless sensor device to change the behavior of the wireless sensor device. These are just some examples.