Patent ID: 7830273

Claim:
A sensor network for monitoring of a pipeline, the network comprising: (a) first and second sensors disposed for monitoring of a pipeline, each sensor being configured to acquire data related to the pipeline and wirelessly communicate sensor data; (b) a first remote sensor interface (RSI) configured to, (i) receive the sensor data communicated from the sensors, and (ii) transmit data relating to the received sensor data; and (c) a data communications device configured to receive the data transmitted by the first RSI and transmit data related to the sensor data directly or indirectly to a network external to the sensor network; (d) wherein the sensor network comprises a common designation network; (e) wherein each of the first and second sensors are spatially separated from the first RSI along an extent of the pipeline; and (f) wherein each RSI transmitting data related to the sensor data such that said data propagates along the pipeline further adds additional information to said data, the additional information comprising an identification of the respective RSI such that the pathway through the common designation network is provided to the external network together with the data related to the sensor data.