Patent ID: 8346510

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 connection unit for connecting to any one of the adjacent network unit and the adjacent sensor unit; a sensor unit for outputting a detection signal in accordance with a physical quantity detected from an object; a time measuring unit for outputting a current time; a control unit for generating a determination signal upon comparing the detection signal with a predetermined threshold value, and transmitting the determination signal and current time obtained from the time measuring unit; a serial transmission unit for transmitting and receiving a serial signal including the determination signal output by the control unit and the current time, wherein the serial signal is constituted by a signal including a plurality of bits, 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 serial signal representing the determination signal of the sensor unit and time information, wherein the serial signal is constituted by a signal including a plurality of bits; a table memory for memorizing time information of the determination signal sent from each of the sensor units; and a control unit for receiving the determination signal sent from the coupled sensor unit, and storing, to the table memory, the time information of the change of the determination signal.