A remote sensor including a first wireless interface for sending out data. The remote sensor has a second wireless interface arranged separate from the first wireless interface. The second wireless interface is configured for the wireless transmission of information between the remote sensor and an external device. The invention also relates to a method for communication between a remote sensor and an external device. The method involves creating a communication link between a wireless interface of the remote sensor and a wireless interface of the external device, as well as transmitting information between the remote sensor and the external device by the established communication link. This allows for simple configuration or maintenance of the remote sensor by the external device according to the exchanged information.

An infrastructure and methods for the analysis of flow in pipe systems. In a preferred form, the infrastructure and methods account for energy status of a sensor device and wear cost functions. The infrastructure comprises a controller and a plurality of sensor devices coupled to the pipe system to collect measurements related to one or more of the following: vibration, magnetic field, fluid pressure, temperature, humidity, chemical composition of the fluid, fluid flow or fluid throughput. The controller has access to a database containing one or both of—(i) current energy status of a sensor device and/or (ii) a cost allocation relating to use of a sensor device and assigns workloads using energy status and/or cost.

Embodiments described herein include an acoustic telemetry system for use with an apparatus configured to rotate. The acoustic telemetry system includes one or more sensor nodes and at least one receiver node. In at least one embodiment, the telemetry system also includes at least one hub node positioned on the apparatus. Each sensor node is attached to or embedded in the apparatus. Each sensor node obtains data related to one or more operating conditions of the apparatus and the environment surrounding the apparatus. The one or more sensor nodes encode and transmit the data to the hub node or the receiver node using ultrasonic acoustic waves. In at least one embodiment, the hub node transmits the data to the receiver node. The receiver node decodes the data and monitors the one or more operating conditions of the apparatus.

In some embodiments an apparatus includes a wireless sensor configured to be operatively coupled to a network gateway device that is configured to receive one of a first data packet or a second packet from the wireless sensor. The wireless sensor is configured to send the first data packet at a first time on a first frequency, the first data packet including a payload associated with a value of a measurement that was measured by the wireless sensor. The wireless sensor is configured to send the second data packet at a second time on a second frequency, the second data packet includes a payload associated with the value.

A wireless sensor is provided for use in near-to-zero or zero-power consumption applications. The sensor includes a sensing circuit, a modulator connected to the sensing circuit and configured to modulate an input signal using variations in input impedance produced by the sensing circuit to produce a modulated output signal, and a transmitting element such as an antenna to transmit the modulated output signal to a receiver. In some implementations, the sensor includes a pilot sequence generator that may be powered by a received signal from a transmitting node. The input signal is thus modulated by both pilot data and the input impedance. The input signal may be received from the transmitting node. Alternatively, a power source may be provided in the wireless sensor for generating the input signal and/or pilot data.

Disclosed herein is a telemetric fitting for a liquid-level gauge, the telemetric fitting configured to derive liquid-level information from the liquid-level gauge when attached thereto, and to wirelessly transmit at radio frequencies the liquid-level information.

A sensor assembly includes a capacitive probe, a resistive element, an electronic circuit and an optical interface. A capacitance of the capacitive probe and a resistance of the resistive element are indicative of characteristics of an environment. The electronic circuit is configured to convert the capacitance and the resistance into optical data. The optical interface is configured to provide the optical data to an optical link.

A terminal device has measurement sensors for measuring physical quantities of measurement targets. A storage unit stores information determining a mode for activating the measurement sensors. Based on the information stored in the storage unit, a control unit switches all or part of the measurement sensors from a non-activated state to an activated state when the measurement sensors are to be activated. An activation unit includes an activation sensor driven on the basis of environmental changes. The activation unit is configured to activate the control unit on the basis of detection results from the activation sensor when a physical quantity correlated with the physical quantity of the measurement target satisfies a given activation condition.

Systems and methods are described that collect spatio-temporal data using an RFID system that is capable of locating the spatial position of a sensor, which is typically unaware of its location. Such systems and methods can be contrasted with conventional RFID systems in that they are able to determine the location of sensors in space as opposed to with respect to read zones related to the underlying RFID reader infrastructure. One embodiment includes an RFID system having a plurality of read zones and configured to obtain the spatio-temporal state of sensors within a sensor cloud, where the spatio-temporal state of each sensor includes sensor information, a time stamp, and a spatial location specified independently of the read zones of the RFID system, a spatio-temporal database configured to store spatio-temporal state of a plurality of sensors over time, and an application server configured to trigger events based upon the detection of at least one condition by applying at least one filter to the data within the spatio-temporal database.

An apparatus for monitoring at least one physical or chemical process variable, comprising at least one sensor unit and an electronics unit for signal registration, evaluation and/or feeding, wherein the sensor unit is operated with alternating electrical current and/or communication between the electronics unit and the sensor unit occurs with alternating electrical current and/or alternating voltage. An explosion protection circuit with intrinsic safety, which includes a safety barrier, which has at least one unit for electrical current- and/or voltage limiting, is provided within the explosion protection circuit a unit for impedance matching, which unit for impedance matching includes at least one transformer.