Time constrained sensor data retrieval system and method

[0002] This application claims benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/161,946, entitled Data Retrieval Scheme, filed Oct. 28, 1999.

[0003] The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for retrieving data from sensors. More specifically, the invention relates to systems and methods for the selective or time constrained collection of data from sensors.

[0004] Sensors are used in a large variety of systems and for a large variety of purposes, generally, to provide an indication of the current state or value of a given parameter. Accordingly, there are a variety of types of sensors, for sensing different types of parameters. For example, a sensor may sense temperature, pressure, force, voltage or current level, sound level, humidity, position, or movement.

[0005] In a typical application, a sensor is used to detect a state of a multi-state device or may be used to provide a reading of a quantifiable value. For example, in a car alarm system a sensor for the driver's door may have two states: open and closed. The corresponding driver's door sensor may be configured to detect whether the door is open or closed and provide a signal to the alarm system to sound an alarm when the door is opened and the alarm system is enabled. In another situation a temperature sensor may read the temperature of a device or a fluid and provide a signal to an analog or digital display indicative of the value of the temperature.

[0006] A sensor may also be part of a feedback (or closed-loop) system, wherein the indication provided by the sensor serves as an input to a system that is configured to provide a countervailing response. For example, in an automobile cooling system, if a sensor reads a temperature that is above a maximum threshold, the sensor outputs a parameter value indicative of the temperature (i.e., parameter) that causes a controller to start a cooling radiator fan. The fan stays on until the sensor outputs a temperature parameter value to the controller that is below the threshold value.

[0007] In such systems, sensors are part of a larger computer controlled system, wherein sensor outputs serve as inputs to one or more controllers in the computer controlled system. The values of such inputs cause certain corresponding outputs of the controllers, to which other components in the system are responsive. Additionally, like the other components, the sensors may be driven by controller outputs. For example, one or more sensors may be queried periodically by control logic as part of a set of tasks that need to be performed within a given period of time.

[0008] However, typically, when there are multiple sensors to be queried within a very small time frame, e.g., a fraction of a second, it may be difficult or even impossible to consistently and reliably obtain an accurate sensor parameter value for each parameter sought to be sensed. This reliance on inaccurate parameter values approximations can lead to system errors or even failures.

[0009] The present invention is a system and method for time constrained retrieval of sensor data from a plurality of sensors. A set of sensors is coupled to a device having a variety of variable parameters to be sensed at intervals within a given timeframe. Each sensor may be configured to sense one parameter and, therefore, has its own address. Sensing a parameter involves a sensor obtaining and providing a corresponding parameter value, which may be done in response to a request issued by a sensor monitor system. When the intervals are relatively short, it is difficult to obtain and provide a parameter value for each parameter of each device, particularly if there are other tasks to be performed within the interval.

[0010] If, among these parameters, some parameters (and their parameter values) are relatively stable within the intervals, i.e., a parameter value has a slow rate of change, the sensor monitor system may selectively request parameter values from only a subset of the sensors at one or more intervals, in accordance with the present invention. However, preferably, a parameter value is obtained for each parameter at least once within the timeframe. In such a case, a current set of parameter values includes the most recently obtained parameter values for, preferably, each parameter, regardless of the interval from which each parameter value was obtained. This current set of parameter values may be made available to an application (or host) system that, in most cases, includes the devices being sensed.

[0011] The sensor monitor system includes a sensor manager that includes logic for requesting parameter values (i.e., data) from each sensor. This logic may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware or some combination thereof and may vary depending on the number and types of devices and corresponding parameters to be sensed. A timeframe comprised of a plurality of intervals is defined as a function of the application system's needs to obtain parameter values at the intervals, the timing of those needs, and the physical or systemic limitations to meeting those needs. Selectively, at least some of the parameters are sensed during each interval. In a sense, the sensor manager can be thought of as providing a scheduling and management function over the sensors for obtaining parameter values. That is, the sensor manager may issue requests to sensors to return parameter values at certain intervals. In some cases, the sensor manager will be configured to implement logic that returns parameter values within a processing loop dictated to the sensor monitor system by an application (or host) system.

[0012] As an example, an application system may require a value for each parameter of each device at an interval that is a fraction of a second. However, it may not be possible, or practical, to have all parameters sensed and parameter values available within such tight time constraints. As a result, the sensor manager efficiently orchestrates the gathering of parameter values from the sensors within the time constraints. If a subset of these parameters are not capable of or likely to significantly change within the interval, the control logic may be implemented to selectively abstain from obtaining parameter values for the entire subset during each interval. For example, if there are thirty devices each having the same three parameters to be sensed, but one of these parameters has a rate of change that is slow relative to the interval, than the sensor manager will be configured to obtain parameter values for only some of those slow changing parameters during each interval. However, preferably, each of those slow changing parameters will be sensed at least once during each timeframe.

[0013] Ultimately, the application system may require a complete current set of parameter values at each interval. In such a case, the sensor monitor system provides a current set of parameter values that includes the latest sensed parameter value of each parameter, even though some of these parameter values may have been obtained in previous intervals. Because only parameter values for slow changing parameters are taken from previous intervals, all parameter values in the current set of parameter values will be accurate within acceptable limits. This approach may be used in cases when all of the devices and their parameters are the same, or where there are a variety of devices having different types of parameters to be sensed. In either case, the present invention may distribute the sensing of slow changing parameter values over several intervals.

[0014] Additionally, the sensor monitor system may include logic that predicts whether certain parameters can be sensed less frequently than every interval or every timeframe. Such predictions may be based on historical parameter value data, wherein the sensor monitor system may be configured to store such historical data. Also, such predictions may be based on a relationship between various system parameters or events. For example, in an automobile, voltage of an electronics battery may be sensed every 100 ms interval when the car is running, but when the car is not running, voltage may be sensed every second, i.e., under conditions where the rate of change of the battery is slower than during normal operations.

[0015] The foregoing and other objects of this invention, the various features thereof, as well as the invention itself, may be more fully understood from the following description, when read together with the accompanying drawings, described:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system implementing a system and method for time constrained retrieval of sensor data from a plurality of sensors, in accordance with the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 is detailed block diagram of a portion of the system of FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 3 is block diagram depicting a top level generic addressing scheme used with the sensors of FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a table depicting the intervals in which the temperature parameters of each of 30 devices is sensed according to a control logic used with the system of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a table depicting the intervals in which a current set of parameter values is sensed, corresponding to the table of FIG. 4; and

[0021] FIG. 6 is an alternate embodiment of a system implementing a system and method for time constrained retrieval of sensor data from a plurality of sensors of different types and having different parameters, in accordance with the present invention.

[0022] For the most part, and as will be apparent when referring to the figures, when an item is used unchanged in more than one figure, it is identified by the same alphanumeric reference indicator in all figures.

[0023] The present invention is a system and method for time constrained retrieval of sensor data from a plurality of sensors. A set of sensors is coupled to a device having a variety of variable parameters to be sensed at intervals within a given timeframe. Each sensor may be configured to sense a single parameter. Sensing a parameter involves obtaining and providing a corresponding parameter value, which may be done in response to a request issued by a sensor monitor system. When the intervals are relatively short, it is difficult to obtain and provide a parameter value for each parameter of each device, particularly if there are other tasks to be performed within the interval.

[0024] If, among these parameters, some parameters (and their parameter values) are relatively stable within the intervals, i.e., a parameter value has a slow rate of change, the sensor monitor system may selectively request parameter values from only a subset of the sensors at one or more intervals, in accordance with the present invention. However, preferably, a parameter value is obtained for each parameter at least once within the timeframe. In such a case, a current set of parameter values includes the most recently obtained parameter values for, preferably, each parameter, regardless of the interval from which each parameter value was obtained. This current set of parameter values may be made available to an application (or host) system that, in most cases, includes the devices being sensed.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative system configuration 100 implementing the present invention. As is shown, a set of 1 to N devices is included, such as devices 101, 103, 105, 107, and 109. Each device has a variety of parameters that can be sensed. In the preferred form, each device is coupled to a corresponding set of sensors adapted to obtain parameter values associated with the parameters of each device. That is, a set of sensors 102 is configured to sense values of parameters of device 1101, a set of sensors 104 is configured to sense values of parameters of device 2103, and so on. Sensors 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110 are coupled to a sensor monitor system 150, which derives parameter values from the output signals received from the sensors and, in turn, makes the parameter values available to other devices, such as application system 140. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in other embodiments the sensors may be located at the sensor monitor system 150, particularly in the case of electrical devices, with conductive leads coupling the sensors to the devices.

[0026] In the preferred form, a sensor manager 120 generally controls the selective prompting of the sensors to provide parameter values. The selective prompting may be accomplished by sensor manager 120 issuing a request for a sensor to send data (i.e., a parameter value) or it may be accomplished by selectively reading a sensor that continually senses the parameter value. In either case, parameter values are provided when a sensor (e.g., sensor 102) provides a value signal across transmission path 112 (e.g., conductive wire, path, or bus) to sensor monitor system 150. Sensor monitor system 150 derives the parameter values from the value signals and stores each parameter value in memory, represented as database 130.

[0027] A clock (or timer) 160 may be included to impose a set of time intervals within a timeframe, wherein the sensor manager 120 selectively requests parameter values of at least some of the sensors at about each interval. The clock 160 may be provided in a variety of manners known in the art. For example, the clock may be provided by application system 140, within sensor monitor system 150, or external to both. If provided by application system 140, a clock signal may be provided over bus 122 to sensor monitor system 150.

[0028] In the embodiment of FIG. 2 devices 1 through N are 30 battery devices in series, each having a state of charge parameter and a temperature parameter. Bus 112 is a standard electronics “I²C-bus”, and bus 122 is a standard CAN-bus, both are know in the art. The I²C-bus is preferably in accordance with the April 1995 specification published by Phillips Semiconductor. As an example, the battery devices may be 10.8V batteries used in, among other things, automotive applications. Although, it is not necessary that the devices be the same type of device or that the parameters to be sensed be the same for each device. The state of charge parameter may include a voltage (V) parameter and a current (I) parameter, as is shown. The rate of change of these parameters indicates the state of charge of a corresponding battery. When the rate (or slope) is near zero, the battery is, for the most part, fully charged. With a relatively large number of devices and parameters, such as 30 batteries with three parameters each, it can be difficult to sense each parameter value within a relatively short interval, e.g., under 1 second. The interval is often dictated by the processing loop of the application system 140. For example, in the illustrative embodiment, an automotive system requires these ninety (i.e., 30×3) battery parameter values within a 100 milliseconds (ms) interval (or processing loop).

[0029] Continuing with FIG. 2, in order to facilitate independent requesting and reading of each parameter value, each parameter of each battery has its own address. That is, as is shown in FIG. 3, for device 1101, VI has address 1, I1-has address 2, T1 has address 3 and for device 2102, V2 has address 4, I2 has address 5 and T2 has address 6, and so on.

[0030] In the illustrative embodiment, the application system 140 expects or requires a parameter value for V, I, and T of each battery every 100 ms. Since the voltage and current parameter values can change very quickly relative to the 100 ms interval, it is preferable that these parameters be sensed within each 100 ms interval. It so happens that in the illustrative type of system, parameter values for each voltage and current parameter of each of the 30 batteries can be obtained relatively quickly, i.e., within the 100 ms interval. Although, it may take up to about 50 ms to calculate all I's, leaving insufficient time to determine each T. The temperature parameter values are not quickly obtainable, so it is extremely difficult to obtain and provide parameter values for all 30 temperature parameters, along with all 30 voltage and all 30 current parameters, in a single 100 ms interval.

[0031] The sensor manager 120 includes control logic that takes advantage of the relatively slow rate of change of temperature parameter values by selectively obtaining and providing parameter values for subsets of the temperature parameter values for the 30 batteries in each 100 ms interval. That is, while V and I are read for each battery in each 100 ms interval, T is read according to the following illustrative algorithm, wherein steps 1 through 6 are accomplished for each timeframe and steps 2 through 6 are accomplished for each interval wherein a 100 ms interval concludes when n >30 in step 5:

[0032] step 1: n=7, where n indicates the device being sensed

[0033] step 2: read T(n), where T(n) is the temperature parameter of device n

[0034] step 3: n=n+7

[0035] step 4: if n>30, then

[0036] step 5: n=n−30

[0037] step 6: go to step 2

[0038] As is illustrated by the table 400 of FIG. 4, each temperature parameter is read once over seven 100 ms intervals, yielding a timeframe of 700 ms, wherein interval 4, for example, relates to the fourth pass through step 5 and is indicated as “I4” in table 400. It should be appreciated that in the illustrative system, battery temperatures are typically stable over several seconds, so the battery temperature parameter values could be read less frequently than is shown above, thereby extending the timeframe, possibly to several seconds, within which all temperature parameters must be read at least once. However, in the illustrative embodiment, the temperature parameters are sensed as frequently as possible.

[0039] As previously mentioned, in the illustrative embodiment the application system 140 expects or requires a parameter value for V, I, and T of each battery every 100 ms, even though each temperature parameter is not read in each 100 ms interval. In the preferred form, the sensor manager 120 “fools” the application system by storing the last updated version of each parameter value as a current set of parameter values. Because all parameters are not sensed within each interval, the current set of parameter values includes parameter values from previous intervals. FIG. 5 is a table 500 demonstrating a representative current set of parameter values for devices 1 through 30 at the conclusion of interval 7, using the algorithm above and table 400 of FIG. 4. As an example, for device #1, the voltage and current parameter values were obtained in interval 7, while the temperature parameter value was obtained in interval 4.

[0040] Typically, the application system is simply looking for parameter values for voltage, current, and temperature parameters of each device, and is unaware of within which intervals these values were obtained. As long as the V,I, and T values in the current set of parameter values are substantially correct, the application system 140 will not experience errors due to stale parameter values. This is ensured by reading each parameter value within a timeframe that is not longer than the time it takes for that parameter to adversely change, as dictated by that parameter's rate of change. The control logic may be implemented in a variety of manners, and tradeoffs made between speed and accuracy in obtaining and providing parameter values.

[0041] Additionally, the sensor monitor system 150 may include a prediction logic to predict at which intervals certain parameters may be sensed. In such a case, database 130 may store historical data used in the predictions. For example, historical data may show that V changes very little over two intervals, so the logic may be adjusted to sense V of the first 15 batteries in every odd interval (e.g., interval 1, interval 3, and so on) and then to sense V of the second 15 batteries in every even interval (e.g., interval 2, interval 4, and so on). In other embodiments, the prediction logic may be configured to detect relationships between parameters (or other system dynamics). That is, the prediction logic of the sensor monitor system 150 may determine (e.g., based on historical data) that when V and I are substantially constant, T is very slowly changing. In response, the control logic may be automatically adjusted to sense each T once every other timeframe when these other conditions are true, rather than once every time frame as described above.

[0042] In other embodiments, the system may include a variety of devices and a variety of sensors under the control of sensor monitor system 150. For example, FIG. 6 shows five different sets of sensors, each sensing different parameters of different devices, 601, 603, 605, 607, and 609. For example, devices 1601 and 2603 may be different types of batteries having V, I and T sensed for each battery, while device 3605 may be a device having pressure sensed, device 4607 may be a container having fluid level and temperature sensed and device 5609 may be an integrated circuit (IC) having only temperature sensed, but wherein the rate of change of temperature for the IC may be much greater than that of batteries 1601 and 2603 and the fluid in device 4607.

[0043] Depending on the impact of the changes in these various parameters of the various devices to application system 140, the sensor manager 120 may be configured to sense different parameters at different intervals within a timeframe or within different timeframes. The actual logic employed, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, may depend on a number of factors, such as rates of change of the various parameters, threshold device and application system parameters. That is, it may be essential for the system that the fluid level in device 4 never get below 3 quarts, or that the temperature of IC 5 never gets above 100 degrees C. As a result, with a 100 ms interval (or loop) example, the IC temperature parameter may get sensed every other interval, while the V and I of batteries 1 and 2 may get sensed at every interval, while fluid level in device 4 may get sensed only once in each timeframe, and so on.

[0044] The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by appending claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.