System and Method for Providing Power Management in a Sensor Network

Abstract

Providing power management to sensing nodes in a sensor network may include a plurality of sensing nodes, each sensing node connected through a power management device to an external power source, such as a powered node of another network, for managing power from the external power source to the sensing node. Multiple power management devices allow for a sensor network of fixed or mobile wireless sensing nodes or sensor gateways to make use of power from an external source such as an another network. An intelligent power management device connected to at least one of the sensing nodes may provide for power policy management.

1 . A sensor network, comprising:
 a plurality of sensors connected in a network configuration; and   at least one power management device connected between a powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network and at least one of the sensors, the at least one power management device being operable to couple power according to a respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one of the sensors.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one power management device is operable:
 to monitor power needs of the at least one of the sensors; and   to couple power responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one of the sensors.   
     
     
         3 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one power management device is operable:
 to monitor power needs of the at least one of the sensors; and   to cause the at least one sensor to reduce power demand responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy.   
     
     
         4 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of power management devices, each power management device being connected between a respective powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network and a respective at least one of the sensors, each power management device being operable to couple power according to a respective power management policy from its respective powered node to its respective at least one of the sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one network other than the sensor network comprises at least one communications network other than the sensor network. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one network other than the sensor network comprises at least one emergency network to which power is supplied when power from a non-emergency power network is interrupted. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage device connected to the at least one power management device:
 the energy storage device being operable to couple power to the at least one of the sensors; and   the at least one power management device being operable to monitor an amount of energy stored in the energy storage device and to couple power from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the energy storage device responsive to the monitored amount of energy stored in the energy storage device.   
     
     
         8 . The sensor network of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor network gateway and a respective power management device connected to each sensor network gateway, the respective power management device being:
 connected between a powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network and its respective sensor network gateway; and   operable to couple power according to a respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to its respective sensor gateway.   
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a sensor network, the sensor network comprising a plurality of sensors connected in a network configuration, the method comprising:
 providing at least one power management device connected between a powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network and at least one of the sensors; and   operating the at least one power management device to couple power according to a respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one of the sensors.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising operating the at least one power management device:
 to monitor power needs of the at least one of the sensors; and   to couple power responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one of the sensors.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising operating the at least one power management device:
 to monitor power needs of the at least one of the sensors; and   to cause the at least one sensor to reduce power demand responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 providing a plurality of power management devices, each power management device being connected between a respective powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network and a respective at least one of the sensors; and   operating each power management device to couple power according to a respective power management policy from its respective powered node to its respective at least one of the sensors.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one network other than the sensor network comprises at least one communications network other than the sensor network. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one network other than the sensor network comprises at least one emergency network to which power is supplied when power from a non-emergency power network is interrupted. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising;
 providing an energy storage device connected to the at least one power management device;   operating the energy storage device to couple power to the at least one of the sensors; and   operating the at least one power management device to monitor an amount of energy stored in the energy storage device and to couple power from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the energy storage device responsive to the monitored amount of energy stored in the energy storage device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor network comprises at least one sensor network gateway and a respective power management device connected to each sensor network gateway, the respective power management device being connected between a powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network and its respective sensor network gateway, the method comprising operating the respective power management device to couple power according to a respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to its respective sensor gateway. 
     
     
         17 . A power management device for use in a sensor network, the power management device comprising:
 a power input interface for connection to a powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network;   at least one sensor interface for connection to at least one sensor of the sensor network; and   a controller operable to couple power according to a respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The power management device of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is operable:
 to monitor power needs of the at least one sensor; and   to couple power responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one of the sensors.   
     
     
         19 . The power management device of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is operable:
 to monitor power needs of the at least one of the sensors; and   to cause the at least one sensor to reduce power demand responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy.   
     
     
         20 . The power management device of  claim 17 , further comprising an energy storage device, wherein the controller is operable to monitor an amount of energy stored in the energy storage device and to couple power from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the energy storage device responsive to the monitored amount of energy stored in the energy storage device. 
     
     
         21 . A method of operating a power management device in a sensor network, the method comprising:
 connecting a power input interface of the power management device to a powered node of at least one network other than the sensor network;   connecting at least one sensor interface of the power management device to at least one sensor of the sensor network; and   coupling power according to a respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising:
 monitoring power needs of the at least one sensor; and   coupling power responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the at least one of the sensors.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising:
 monitoring power needs of the at least one of the sensors; and   causing the at least one sensor to reduce power demand responsive to the monitored power needs and the respective power management policy.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the power management device further comprises an energy storage device, the method further comprising monitoring an amount of energy stored in the energy storage device and coupling power from the powered node of the at least one network other than the sensor network to the energy storage device responsive to the monitored amount of energy stored in the energy storage device.