Systems and methods for dynamically configuring node behavior in a sensor network
View Patent ↗The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for controlling sensor networks. A sensor network has a plurality of sensor nodes, which have sensors for monitoring operational parameters of devices within an application-specific system. A wireless communication module is provided for each node to enable the node to wirelessly communicate with other nodes of the network. A user defines various scripts for controlling the behavior of one or more nodes, and the network distributes the scripts, as appropriate, to various nodes thereby implementing the behavior defined by the scripts. Accordingly, a user can easily and dynamically configure or re-configure the behavior of any node without having to physically access the node that is being configured or re-configured.
1. A wireless sensor network, comprising:
a first node configured to receive a first script defining a new behavior for the network, the first node configured to wirelessly transmit the first script via the network; and
a plurality of sensor nodes including at least a first sensor node and a second sensor node, each of the sensor nodes having at least one sensor, wherein the first sensor node is configured to receive the first script and to store event data indicative of an event for which the first script is to be invoked, the first sensor node configured to perform a comparison between the event data and sensor data from a sensor of the first sensor node and to invoke the first script based on the comparison thereby implementing the new behavior, wherein the second sensor node is configured to transmit a remote procedure call identifying the first script through the network to the first sensor node, and wherein the first sensor node is configured to invoke the first script in response to the remote procedure call.
2. The network of claim 1 , wherein running of the first script on the first sensor node causes the first sensor node to control an operational state of a device monitored by the sensor of the first sensor node.
3. The network of claim 1 , wherein the event data comprises a threshold, and wherein the comparison is based on the threshold.
4. The network of claim 1 , wherein running of the first script on the first sensor node causes the first sensor node to wirelessly transmit a notification to the first node.
5. The network of claim 1 , wherein the first node is configured to receive a second script and to wirelessly transmit the second script to the first sensor node, and wherein the first sensor node, by running the second script, updates the event data.
6. The network of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor node has a virtual machine, and wherein the first sensor node is configured to run the first script on the virtual machine.
7. A method for dynamically changing node behavior for a wireless sensor network, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of sensor nodes including at least a first sensor node and a second sensor node, each of the sensor nodes having at least one sensor;
receiving, at the first sensor node, a first script from another node of the network, the first script defining a new behavior for the first sensor node;
storing event data indicative of an event for which the first script is to be invoked;
receiving sensor data from a sensor of the first sensor node;
comparing the sensor data to the event data;
invoking the first script at the first sensor node based on the comparing step such that the new behavior is implemented by the first sensor node;
transmitting a remote procedure call identifying the first script through the network from the second sensor node to the first sensor node; and
invoking the first script at the first sensor node in response to the remote procedure call.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sensor data is indicative of an operational parameter of a device, and wherein the method further comprises the step of controlling an operational state of the device based on the invoked first script.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the event data comprises a threshold, and wherein the comparing step comprises the step of comparing the event data to the threshold.
10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of transmitting a notification through the network based on the invoked first script.
11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving a second script; and
updating the event data based on the second script.