A distributed operating system for sensor transparency

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention introduces a distributed operating system specifically designed for wireless sensor networks, especially in contexts like smart homes. The operating system treats the entire sensor network as a single unified system, managed by a central 'kernel node' that handles communication, storage, and the coordination of sensor nodes. Applications run seamlessly across the distributed sensors, with processes and data being managed transparently, greatly simplifying programming and system management for complex sensor-based environments.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Smart home automation (lighting, heating, security, energy management)
• Large-scale environmental monitoring (temperature, humidity, motion) in buildings, factories, or campuses
• Smart office or smart building systems for occupancy and energy control
• Agricultural monitoring and automation (soil, climate, plant health sensors)
• Industrial IoT deployments for equipment monitoring and predictive maintenance
• Healthcare monitoring networks (patient vital and environment tracking in hospitals or homes)
• City-wide sensor networks for smart city initiatives (traffic, pollution, public safety)
• Wildlife or habitat monitoring in conservation projects

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Simplifies management and application development for sensor networks by abstracting hardware complexity and network details.
• Reduces energy consumption on sensor nodes, as they only perform essential functions, increasing battery life and reducing maintenance.
• Enables easy deployment and scaling of complex sensing and control applications without re-designing the system for each use-case.
• Improves robustness and reliability through centralized management, easier updates, and handling of node failures or communication issues.
• Offers a file-system-like interface for data storage and retrieval, making it familiar and accessible to software developers.
• Optimizes resource allocation, scheduling apps to appropriate sensor nodes based on their capabilities and status.
• Enhances system responsiveness and efficiency through intelligent communication protocols and caching.
• Supports heterogenous sensor hardware, future-proofing IoT and smart environments as new devices are developed.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of wireless sensor network management, in particular, focusing on a 'smart home' environment, where the entire home is seen as a single entity with the sensors acting as building blocks of the system. Using these building blocks, complex sensing and control applications can be designed. The system provides the functionalities required by the efficient functioning of the application utilising a system storage and a communication sub-system. The system comprises at least one kernel node managing the network as well as providing storage functionalities. The communication protocol enables neighbouring devices to reliably and efficiently deliver and collect information from the kernel node. The storage system provides a file-system-like interface enabling applications to store and retrieve information. The system manages the underlying infrastructure, hiding the complexity involved in storing and retrieving information, as well as those associated with communication.