Gregory R Burks

US Patent:

6002996, Dec 14, 1999

Filed:

Nov 26, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/979266

Inventors:

Gregory L. Burks - Columbia MD
Dennis E. Fort - Silver Spring MD
Erika L. S. Spencer - Columbia MD
Hans P. Widmer - Columbia MD

Assignee:

The Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore MD

International Classification:

G06F 1740

US Classification:

702188

Abstract:

A networked sensor system that simultaneously acquires, processes, and transmits sensor data under the control of a central processing unit. The system includes sensors connected to sensor processing modules. The sensor processing modules are serially coupled together and to the central processing unit by a fiber optic network. The central processing unit can change the sensor sampling rate by changing a global clock rate, can describe the number and layout of sensor processing modules and their associated sensors allowing for reconfiguration in accordance with a desired application, and can download code to the sensor processing modules for modifying processing functions for a given application. The global clock also allows for synchronous sampling throughout the network. Sensor gain in the sensor processing modules is dynamically programmed by the central processing unit.