Patent ID: 7319411

Claim:
A network of remote sensing node assemblies, each of which has a sensor element, the network comprising: (a) each of the sensor elements adapted for immersion within a liquid environment for sensing therewithin, a first and second of the sensing node assemblies to function, respectively, as a first and second parent node, each within an acoustic transmission range with at least one other of the sensing node assemblies; (b) each respective one of the node assemblies to comprise: a source of power for said respective node assembly; a transducer for receiving acoustic waves transmitted from a different one of the node assemblies while immersed within said liquid environment; acoustic-transducer circuitry for converting said acoustic waves received by said different node assemblies, into signals; a controller adapted for local processing of said signals within said respective node assembly; said transducer further adapted for emitting, for transmission through said liquid environment, sensor information collected about said liquid environment by the sensor element of said respective node assembly; (c) each said respective node assembly adapted for processing said sensor information collected about said liquid environment by the sensor element of said respective node assembly; and (d) a third one of the sensing node assemblies further adapted for transmitting said sensor information collected by said third node assembly to a remote host.