Patent ID: 8154598

Claim:
An unattended sensor with relay capability, comprising: a detector that generates an electrical signal in response to a physical stimulus proximate to the sensor; a signal processor adapted to receive the electrical signal from the detector and operable to generate event messages based on the electrical signal; a transceiver operable to send and receive messages over a wireless radio link; a channel access mechanism operable to negotiate access to the radio link in accordance with an access protocol; an encryption module interposed between the signal processor and the channel access mechanism and operable to encrypt and decrypt messages sent over the radio link; a power source operably coupled to the detector, the signal processor and the transceiver; and a controller in data communication with the detector, the signal processor and the transceiver and operable to configure the sensor in either a sensor mode or a relay mode, wherein the detector and signal processor are operational and the transceiver is conditionally operational when configured in the sensor mode, and the transceiver is operational and the detector and signal processor are non-operational when configured in the relay mode.