Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a method for providing power to a distributed sensor system, the method comprising providing power from at least one port of an interface unit to a first port of a first sensor unit of at least one of a plurality of sensor strings, powering up the first sensor unit, forwarding power from a second port of the first sensor unit to a first port of a second sensor unit of the at least one of the plurality of sensor strings, powering up the second sensor unit, monitoring the plurality of sensor strings for a fault condition, and in response to detecting a fault condition in a first sensor string of the plurality of sensor strings, providing power from a second one of the plurality of sensor strings to the first sensor string.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a method for providing power to a distributed sensor system, the method comprising providing power from at least one port of an interface unit to a first port of a first sensor unit of at least one of a plurality of sensor strings, powering up the first sensor unit, forwarding power from a second port of the first sensor unit to a first port of a second sensor unit of the at least one of the plurality of sensor strings, powering up the second sensor unit, monitoring the plurality of sensor strings for a fault condition, and in response to detecting a fault condition in a first sensor string of the plurality of sensor strings, providing power from a second one of the plurality of sensor strings to the first sensor string.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a distributed sensor network comprising an interface unit and a plurality of sensor strings, each sensor string comprising a plurality of sensor units coupled in series to a port of the interface unit, wherein each one of the plurality of sensor units is configured to be provided both power and network connectivity via a first cable from one of the interface unit and another sensor unit within the sensor string and also to provide both power and network connectivity via a second cable to another sensor unit within the sensor string, and wherein a first string of the plurality of sensor strings is configured to be coupled to a second string of the plurality of sensor strings and wherein at least one sensor unit within the first string is configured to provide power to a sensor unit within the second string.