Autonomous tracking wireless imaging sensor network

Abstract

A wireless integrated network sensor (WINS) system is provided that integrates articulating tracking systems with WINS network components including visual or infrared sensors and imaging devices to enable precise tracking and targeting of objects moving through a sensor field or past a single integrated sensing and targeting unit. Further, arrays of sensors together with local signal processing are used to trigger cameras and tracking systems, and to provide an alternative location capability for improved robustness. The system is self-configuring and remotely controllable, and enables remote systems and operators to query for collected data, including sensory and image data, and control the system in response to the collected data.

1 . A wireless sensor network comprising: a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes are self-configurable and coupled to at least one remote system via at least one coupling and components over a wide area network, the nodes automatically organize to form the sensor network in response to information communicated among the nodes, the information including amount of power available to each of the nodes, the automatic organizing comprises automatically coupling and configuring the nodes to form the sensor network and automatically controlling data transfer, processing, and storage within the sensor network, functions of the nodes are remotely controllable and programmable via internetworking among the nodes by the remote system, and the nodes include at least one sensor to collect data from an environment.  
   
   
       2 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the nodes includes an articulating sensor, and wherein the articulating sensor is at least one of a tracking system, an imaging system, and an antenna.  
   
   
       3 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodes includes two or more node types, wherein a first node type includes at least one passive sensor and a second node type includes an articulating sensor.  
   
   
       4 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is a gateway that communicates with the components of the wide area network.  
   
   
       5 . A sensor node of a wireless sensor network comprising: 
 at least one processor coupled to at least one communication device, the at least one processor automatically couples the sensor node to and configures the sensor node among a plurality of network elements and automatically controls communication with and control of a flow of information among the network elements, the information including amount of power available to each of the network elements, the network elements are self-configurable and couple among an environment and at least one remote client system, via at least one coupling and components over a wide area network, to support remote controllability of the sensor node via the remote client system; and    at least one articulating sensor to gather information from the environment.    
   
   
       6 . The node of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the processor to detect at least one target.  
   
   
       7 . The node of  claim 5 , further comprising a photographic system.  
   
   
       8 . The node of  claim 5 , wherein the articulating sensor is at least one of tracking system, a laser tracking system, and an optical tracking system.  
   
   
       9 . The node of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of network elements includes at least one gateway, at least one server, and components of at least one wide area network.  
   
   
       10 . A method of collecting data in a wireless sensor network, comprising: 
 automatically organizing a plurality of network elements including a plurality of nodes locally disposed among an environment and at least one remote client system, the plurality of nodes are self-configurable, the organizing includes automatically coupling and configuring the plurality of nodes for self-assembly and further includes coupling and controlling a flow of information among the network elements, the information including amount of power available to each of the nodes, and at least one of the plurality of nodes includes an articulating sensor;    remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of nodes, via at least one coupling and components over a wide area network, using the at least one remote client system;    detecting a target in the environment using information gathered by the articulating sensor; and    collecting and transferring data associated with the target to the remote client system.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising manipulating the collected data, wherein manipulating includes at least one of routing, fusing, processing, evaluating, and storing the collected data.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a first node, and wherein fusing comprises the first node collecting and processing data from at least another of the plurality of nodes.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the plurality of nodes comprises at least one passive sensor; and    detecting the target comprises using the at least one passive sensor in addition to the articulating sensor.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the articulating sensor is at least one of a tracking system, an antenna, and an active sensor.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tracking system is at least one of a laser tracking system, an optical tracking system, and an imaging system.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 collecting optical data of the target using at least one optical sensor of the plurality of nodes; and    identifying and designating the target using the optical data.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one passive sensor and the articulating sensor are on different nodes of the plurality of nodes.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of network elements includes at least one gateway, at least one server, and components of at least one communication network.  
   
   
       19 . A sensor network comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein: 
 the plurality of nodes comprises a first node including at least one sensor to collect data from an environment;    the plurality of nodes is coupled to communicate with at least one remote system;    the plurality of nodes automatically couples and configures to form the sensor network in response to information communicated among the plurality of nodes;    at least one function of the plurality of nodes is remotely controllable; and    the plurality of nodes distributes processing of the collected data from the first node to another of the plurality of nodes in response to the available node energy of at least one of the plurality of nodes.    
   
   
       20 . The sensor network of  claim 19 , wherein automatically couples and configures includes organizing the plurality of nodes to reduce energy consumption within the sensor network.  
   
   
       21 . A method for collecting and processing data in a sensor network, comprising: 
 automatically coupling a plurality of nodes among an environment, wherein the plurality of nodes includes a first node having at least one processor and at least one sensor coupled to provide data to the at least one processor, and wherein the plurality of nodes are surveyed at random intervals for new nodes;    collecting data from the environment using the at least one sensor; and    remotely controlling at least one function of the plurality of nodes.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor is operable to cycle into and out of a low power state.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor comprises: 
 a first processor operable to perform real-time processing of sensor data received from the at least one sensor and to provide output data corresponding to the sensor data; and    a second processor, coupled to the first processor, operable to perform processing of the output data.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first processor and the second processor are disposed on a single chip.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one node of the plurality of nodes comprises two radio ports for automatically coupling the at least one node to two other nodes of the plurality of nodes.