Patent ID: 8237587

Claim:
A continuously-arranged sensor system comprising: a network unit connected to a host control apparatus; and at least one or more sensor units, wherein the network unit and any one of the sensor units are physically connected with each other, and the sensor units are physically connected with each other, wherein the sensor unit includes: a sensor unit for outputting a detection signal in accordance with a physical quantity detected from an object; a control unit for generating a determination signal upon comparing the detection signal with a predetermined threshold value, and receiving a command from the network unit, the control unit transmitting the determination signal and sensor information relating to the detection signal as a serial signal; a connection unit for connecting to the adjacent network unit or the adjacent sensor unit; a serial transmission unit for transmitting and receiving the serial signal; and a parallel transmission line for transmitting, in parallel, each of the determination signals generated by the control units of the sensor units, wherein the network unit includes: a connection unit for connecting to any one of the sensor units that is adjacent to the network unit; a serial transmission unit for transmitting and receiving a command, the determination signal, and the sensor information as a serial signal, wherein the command is transmitted to the sensor unit, and wherein the determination signal and the sensor information are transmitted from the sensor unit; a control unit for requesting to the coupled sensor unit for a current determination signal and current sensor information, and receiving the determination signal and the sensor information transmitted via the serial transmission unit; and a memory including a first area for storing a pair of the determination signal and the sensor information transmitted from the sensor unit via the serial transmission unit and a second area for storing the determination signal transmitted from each of the sensor units via the parallel transmission line.