Self-configuring sensing device

• US 10,008,106 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pella Corporation (EPR of Buffalo, Inc.), Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Howard, Bernhagen, Todd, Permenter, Andrew, Petrucci, Carlo Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mortell, John
• Application Number:
  US15/041,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20170236406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/20 Calibration, including self-calibrating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/24 Self-calibration, e.g. compensating for environmental drift or ageing of components

Abstract

A self-configuring sensor and method of operation of the sensor is described. In one embodiment, the self-configuring sensor comprises a first sub-sensor for determining a first status of a door or window, a second sub-sensor for determining a second status of the door or window, a wireless transmitter, a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, and a processor coupled to the first sub-sensor, the second sub-sensor, the wireless transmitter and the memory for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the sensor to monitor the first and second sub-sensors for detecting changes in a first sub-sensor state and a second sub-sensor state, respectively, and determine an installation configuration based on the changes in the first sub-sensor state and the second sub-sensor state, the installation configuration comprising a type of hardware where the self-configuring sensor has been installed.

Claims

1. A self-configuring sensor, comprising:

a first sub-sensor for determining a first status of a door or a window where the self-configuring sensor has been installed;

a second sub-sensor for determining a second status of the door or the window where the self-configuring sensor has been installed;

a wireless transmitter;

a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the first sub-sensor, the second sub-sensor, the wireless transmitter and the memory for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the sensor to;

monitor the first and second sub-sensors for detecting changes in a first sub-sensor state and a second sub-sensor state, respectively; and

determine an installation configuration based on the changes in the first sub-sensor state and the second sub-sensor state, the determined installation configuration comprising a type of the door or the window where the self-configuring sensor has been installed.

2. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a reed switch and the second sensor comprises a mechanical switch.

3. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions that cause the sensor to determine an installation configuration comprise instructions that causes the sensor to:

determine whether the first sub-sensor or the second sub-sensor is responsible for providing an open/closed status of the door or the window; and

transmit an alarm signal only if the sub-sensor responsible for providing an open/closed status of the door or window has changed state.

4. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions that cause the sensor to determine an installation configuration comprise instructions that causes the sensor to:

determine that the sensor is in a first installation configuration when the processor detects a state change in the first sub-sensor and that no state change was detected in the second sub-sensor.

5. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions that cause the sensor to determine an installation configuration comprise instructions that causes the sensor to:

determine that the sensor is in a multi-sensor configuration when the processor detects a state change in the first sub-sensor and a state change in the second sub-sensor.

6. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the sensor to:

determine that the sensor has been powered on; and

in response to determining that the sensor has been powered on, determine the installation configuration.

7. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the sensor to:

transmit a signal to a central control panel indicative of the installation configuration after the sensor has determined the installation configuration.

8. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores a sensor identification code, and the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the sensor to:

modify the sensor identification code when the sensor determines the installation configuration.

9. The self-configuring sensor of claim 8, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the sensor to:

transmit the modified sensor identification code after the sensor has determined the installation configuration.

10. A method, performed by a self-configuring sensor, having a first sub-sensor and a second sub-sensor, installed in association with a door or a window to determine an installation configuration, comprising:

monitoring, by a processor, the first sub-sensor and the second sub-sensor for changes in a first sub-sensor state and a second sub-sensor state, respectively; and

determining, by the processor, the installation configuration based on the changes in the first sub-sensor state and the second sub-sensor state, the determined installation configuration comprising a type of the door or the window where the self-configuring sensor has been installed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first sensor comprises a reed switch and the second sensor comprises a mechanical switch.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether the first sub-sensor or the second sub-sensor is responsible for providing an open/closed status of the door or the window; and

transmitting an alarm signal only if the sub-sensor responsible for providing an open/closed status of the door or window has changed state.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the sensor is in a single sensor configuration comprises:

determining that the sensor is in a first installation configuration when the processor detects a state change in the first sub-sensor and that no state change was detected in the second sub-sensor.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the sensor is in a single sensor configuration comprises:

determining that the sensor is in a multi-sensor configuration when the processor detects a state change in the first sub-sensor and a state change in the second sub-sensor.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the sensor has been powered on; and

in response to determining that the sensor has been powered on, determining the installation configuration.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a signal to a central control panel indicative of the installation configuration after the sensor has determine the installation configuration.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing a sensor identification code in a memory coupled to the processor; and

modifying the sensor identification code when the sensor determines the installation configuration.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting the modified sensor identification code after the sensor has determined the installation configuration.