System, Method and Apparatus for Managing Disruption in a Sensor Network Application

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for managing disruption in a sensor network application. Nodes in the sensor network can include a storage memory to store collected data during disruptions that impact communication in the sensor network. The sensor network can be configured to continue to collect sensor data during the communication disruptions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 storing, by a wireless node device, request configuration information that enables the wireless node device to generate a plurality of requests to obtain sensor data from a wired device connected to the wireless node device via a wired communication link, wherein the request configuration information is based on at least one configuration update packet received from a gateway device via a wireless communication protocol;   detecting, by the wireless node device, that network communication between the wireless node device and the gateway device is disrupted;   periodically generating, by the wireless node device, a request to obtain sensor data identified by the request configuration information from the wired device, wherein a plurality of requests for the sensor data identified by the request configuration information are generated within a time period following the detection;   storing, by the wireless node device, sensor data based on a plurality of responses by the wired device to the plurality of requests in a memory of the wireless node device; and   transmitting, by the wireless node device, the stored sensor data to the gateway device upon a determination that the network communication between the wireless node device and the gateway device is operational.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication is based on IEEE 802.15.4. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gateway device is located in a building in which the wireless node device is installed. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of requests are based on the Modbus communication protocol. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of requests are based on the BACnet communication protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storing sensor data comprises storing sensor data in association with timestamp data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the gateway device, the at least one configuration update packet based on information received from one or more servers in an operation center. 
     
     
         8 . A collection device, comprising
 a memory storage;   a wireless transceiver that receives one or more configuration update packets from a gateway device via wireless communication; and   a controller that generates a plurality of digital communication protocol requests in a time period following a detection of a disruption of communication between the collection device and the gateway device, the plurality of digital communication protocol requests generated based on the one or more configuration update packets and transmitted to a wired device connected to the collection device via a wired communication link, the controller configured to store sensor data based on wherein a plurality of responses corresponding to the plurality of digital communication protocol requests in the memory storage until restoration of communication between the collection device and the gateway device.   
     
     
         9 . The collection device of  claim 8 , wherein the wireless communication is based on IEEE 802.15.4. 
     
     
         10 . The collection device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of digital communication protocol requests is based on the Modbus communication protocol. 
     
     
         11 . The collection device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of digital communication protocol requests is based on the BACnet communication protocol. 
     
     
         12 . The collection device of  claim 8 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit the stored sensor data upon restoration of network communication between the collection device and the gateway device. 
     
     
         13 . The collection device of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor data is stored in association with timestamp data. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a wireless node device, one or more configuration update packets from a gateway device via wireless communication;   storing, by the wireless node device, digital communication protocol request configuration information by the wireless node device based on at least one of the one or more configuration update packets;   generating, by the wireless node device using the digital communication protocol request configuration information, a digital communication protocol request for transmission to a wired device connected to the wireless node device via a wired communication link, the digital communication protocol request configured to retrieve a sensor measurement stored at the wired device, the generating occurring periodically over a period of time to produce a plurality of digital communication protocol requests for updated sensor measurements stored at the wired device, the period of time between two digital communication protocol requests determined based on a polling frequency parameter contained in at least one of the one or more configuration update packets; and   transmitting, by the wireless node device to the gateway device, a plurality of sensor measurements obtained from the wired device via the plurality of digital communication protocol requests.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the wireless communication is based on IEEE 802.15.4. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the gateway device is located in a building in which the wireless node device is installed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of digital communication protocol requests are based on the Modbus communication protocol. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of digital communication protocol requests are based on the BACnet communication protocol. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting sensor measurements in association with timestamp data. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the gateway device, the one or more configuration update packets based on information received from one or more servers in an operation center.