System and method for sensor module power management

Abstract

A method for power management for a retrofit sensor system for a vehicle, the retrofit sensor system including a sensor module that includes a sensor, an energy storage module, an energy harvester, and a wireless communication module. The method includes: determining a driving state predictive of a driving event; operating the sensor module in a mid-power mode; receiving a trigger; operating the sensor module in a high-power mode; wirelessly transmitting data at the sensor module; and operating the sensor module in a low-power mode.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for power management for a retrofit sensor system for a vehicle, the method comprising:
 at a control center attached to the vehicle, determining a driving state, the driving state predictive of a driving event;   in response to determining the driving state, at the control center, wirelessly transmitting a first command to operate in a mid-power mode to a sensor module attached to the vehicle, the sensor module comprising: a sensor, an energy storage module, an energy harvester, and a wireless communication module;   in response to receiving the first command, at the sensor module, operating the wireless communication module in a mid-power communication mode;   at the control center, receiving a trigger from the vehicle;   in response to receiving the trigger, at the control center, wirelessly transmitting a second command to the sensor module to operate in a high-power mode;   in response to wirelessly transmitting the second command, at the sensor module:
 operating the sensor in a high-power sensor mode, comprising sampling a data set; 
 operating the wireless communication module in a high-power communication mode, the high-power communication mode comprising transmitting data above a threshold data transfer rate; and 
 transmitting the data set to the control center while operating in the high-power communication mode; 
   at the control center, wirelessly transmitting the data set to a user device within the vehicle;   after wirelessly transmitting the data set to the user device, at the control center, wirelessly transmitting a third command to the sensor module to operate in a low-power mode; and   in response to receiving the third command, at the sensor module:
 operating the sensor in a low-power sensor mode; and 
 operating the wireless communication module in a low-power communication mode comprising transmitting data below the threshold data transfer rate.