Long Lifespan Wireless Sensors And Sensor Network

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing sensor information are disclosed. An example apparatus can comprise a power unit configured to collect energy, a sensor unit configured to receive sensor data from a sensor, a memory unit configured to store the sensor data, a communication unit configured to wirelessly broadcast the sensor data to one or more sensor nodes in a network of sensor nodes, and a processing unit. The processing unit can be configured to operate at least one of the sensor unit, the memory unit, and the communication unit after the energy collected in the power unit reaches a threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a power unit configured to collect energy;   a sensor unit configured to receive sensor data from a sensor;   a memory unit configured to store the sensor data;   a communication unit configured to wirelessly broadcast the sensor data to one or more sensor nodes in a network of sensor nodes; and   a processing unit configured to operate at least one of the sensor unit, the memory unit, and the communication unit after the energy collected in the power unit reaches a threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power unit comprises a capacitor configured to store the energy. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power unit comprises a solar cell configured to convert solar radiation into electrical energy. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is configured to receive sensor data from a first sensor node and transmit the sensor data from the first sensor node to a second sensor node, and wherein the first sensor node and the second sensor node are configured as nodes in the network of sensor nodes, and wherein the network of sensor nodes is configured to distribute the sensor data among the sensor nodes. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to operate at least one of the sensor unit, the memory unit, and the communication unit until the power unit is drained a threshold amount of energy. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a microphone, a color sensor, a distance sensor, a moisture sensor, and a penetration sensor, and wherein the processing unit is configured to determine at least one of a flood condition based on sensor data from the moisture sensor, a structure tilt based on sensor data from the accelerometer, vegetation growth based on sensor data from the color sensor, and a pipe leak based on sensor data from the microphone. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the memory unit comprises non-volatile memory configured to store the sensor data, and wherein the non-volatile memory comprises ferroelectric random access memory. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an analog value to a digital value, wherein the analog value comprises at least one of a voltage measurement of the energy and the sensor data from the sensor. 
     
     
         9 . A method for managing sensor information, comprising:
 collecting energy in an energy storage unit;   receiving sensor data from a sensor;   storing the sensor data in non-volatile memory;   broadcasting the sensor data for detection by a sensor node in a network of sensor nodes; and   receiving additional sensor data from the sensor node.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising discharging the energy from the energy storage unit after the energy decreases to a minimum energy threshold, and wherein collecting energy in the energy storage unit comprises collecting energy until at least one of a threshold of energy is reached and a predetermined time elapses. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising switching from a first power mode to a second power mode, wherein the sensor consumes more energy in the first power mode than in the second power mode, and wherein collecting energy in the energy storage unit comprises collecting energy in a capacitor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining, based on the sensor data, at least one of a flood condition, a structure tilt, vegetation growth, and a pipe leak. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising checking the sensor data for data transmission errors, wherein checking the sensor data for transmission errors comprises evaluating a checksum value associated with the sensor data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein collecting energy in the energy storage unit comprises receiving the energy from a solar cell configured to convert solar radiation into electrical energy, and wherein broadcasting the sensor data for detection by the sensor node in a network of sensor nodes comprises broadcasting the sensor data through a wireless transceiver. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising detecting an amount of the energy of the energy storage unit, wherein broadcasting the sensor data for detection by a sensor node in a network of sensor nodes comprises broadcasting the sensor data at a power level based on the detected amount of the energy of the energy storage unit. 
     
     
         16 . A method for managing a sensor network, comprising:
 providing a geographically distributed network of sensor nodes, wherein at least one of the sensor nodes comprises a wireless transceiver, a power unit configured to collect energy, and a sensor;   collecting energy at the sensor nodes;   detecting sensor data at the sensor nodes;   communicating the sensor data among at least a portion of the sensor nodes; and   receiving the sensor data from at least one of the sensor nodes.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein collecting energy at the sensor nodes comprises collecting energy at the at least one sensor node from a solar cell configured to convert solar radiation into electrical energy and store collected energy in a capacitor, and wherein the power unit comprises the capacitor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing the geographically distributed network of sensor nodes comprises distributing the sensor nodes such that at least one of the sensor nodes is within communication range of another of the sensor nodes, wherein the at least one sensor node is permanently encapsulated in at least one of glass and epoxy. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a microphone, a color sensor, a distance sensor, a moisture sensor, and a penetration sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein detecting the sensor data at the sensor nodes comprises storing the sensor data in non-volatile memory, and wherein the non-volatile memory comprises ferroelectric random access memory.