Abstract: A wireless sensor system includes wireless sensor nodes, each including a sensor interface that interfaces with sensing circuitry, a wireless interface to communicate with a wireless access point, at least one processor, and memory. The memory has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless sensor node to compare a group identifier received in a message at the wireless interface with a group identifier of the wireless sensor node. Based on determining that the group identifier received matches the wireless sensor node, a start time to trigger is set in the wireless sensor node according to a start time defined in the message. A local clock of the wireless sensor node is monitored. Based on determining that the local clock has reached the start time to trigger, sensor data are acquired through the sensor interface and transmitted on the wireless interface.

Abstract: A wireless sensor system includes a wireless sensor node with a sensor interface that interfaces with sensing circuitry, a wireless interface to communicate with a wireless access point, at least one processor, and memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless sensor node to set a heartbeat message rate to a first heartbeat message rate. Heartbeat messages are sent periodically at the first heartbeat message rate, and sensor data are acquired through the sensor interface. The heartbeat message rate increases to a second heartbeat message rate based on a determination that the sensor data have been acquired and are ready to transmit. The sensor data are transmitted in one or more heartbeat messages at the second heartbeat message rate until all sensor data have been transmitted, then the heartbeat message rate is returned to the first heartbeat message rate.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to predicting an amount of energy associated with a battery, by: storing, by a node, a value for an amount of energy drawn from the battery for each type of operation performed by the node, storing, by the node, a value for an amount of energy drawn from the battery when the node is active based on the stored amount of energy drawn for each type of operation, and transmitting, by the node, an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery in order to compute a prediction of the remaining battery energy.

Abstract: A wireless sensor system includes a wireless sensor node with a sensor interface that interfaces with sensing circuitry, a wireless interface to communicate with a wireless access point, at least one processor, and memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless sensor node to set a heartbeat message rate to a first heartbeat message rate. Heartbeat messages are sent periodically at the first heartbeat message rate, and sensor data are acquired through the sensor interface. The heartbeat message rate increases to a second heartbeat message rate based on a determination that the sensor data have been acquired and are ready to transmit. The sensor data are transmitted in one or more heartbeat messages at the second heartbeat message rate until all sensor data have been transmitted, then the heartbeat message rate is returned to the first heartbeat message rate.

Abstract: A wireless sensor system includes wireless sensor nodes, each including a sensor interface that interfaces with sensing circuitry, a wireless interface to communicate with a wireless access point, at least one processor, and memory. The memory has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless sensor node to compare a group identifier received in a message at the wireless interface with a group identifier of the wireless sensor node. Based on determining that the group identifier received matches the wireless sensor node, a start time to trigger is set in the wireless sensor node according to a start time defined in the message. A local clock of the wireless sensor node is monitored. Based on determining that the local clock has reached the start time to trigger, sensor data are acquired through the sensor interface and transmitted on the wireless interface.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to predicting an amount of energy associated with a battery, by: storing, by a node, a value for an amount of energy drawn from the battery for each type of operation performed by the node, storing, by the node, a value for an amount of energy drawn from the battery when the node is active based on the stored amount of energy drawn for each type of operation, and transmitting, by the node, an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery in order to compute a prediction of the remaining battery energy.

Abstract: A camera positioning for optimizing the field of view of a camera by adjusting the stop limits of the camera positioning system system in dependence upon the extent of the angle of view of the camera. If within a camera's field of view, there are areas devoid of useful information, the stop limit is dynamically changed each time the camera's angle of view is adjusted, so as to continually minimize the inclusion of such areas in the camera's field of view. Specifically, in a Pan/Tilt/Zoom camera positioning system, the Pan and/or Tilt stops are dynamically adjusted in dependence upon the Zoom.

Abstract: In a multiphase motor driver, each phase current is controlled by the ratio of measurements across a common sense element. By utilizing the same sense element for each phase, inaccuracies which result from the variance among multiple sense elements can be eliminated. The individual phase currents are controlled from a common clock generation device. By appropriately controlling each of the phase currents to assure that only one of the phase currents is flowing through the sense element at the time of measurement, the measurement is assured to be dependent on the individual current and the parametric value of the sense element only. Thereby, the control of the phase currents, via the ratio of the measured values across the common sense element, is independent of the parametric value of this common sense element.