Wireless mesh network gas detection real time location system

• US 10,089,849 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, James, Hsi, Peter, Zhao, Pengjun, Ren, Kai, Li, Xiaoxiong
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Point, Rufus
• Application Number:
  US15/557,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20180075728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for isolating a base station beacon and gas reading transmission channel(s) based on a single radio wireless gas detection system. A gas detector may communicate on a first channel (e.g. a beacon channel) constantly listening to the base station beacon information. At a pre-defined interval (e.g. every 60 seconds), the gas detector radio may switch to a second channel (e.g. a data channel) to transmit gas reading data as well as the base station information to a central server. Software on the server may complete a triangulation algorithm to determine the location of the gas detector, using information obtained by the detector from the beacons.

Claims

1. A communication system for use in a facility comprising hazardous or harmful gas, the communication system comprising:

a central server configured to receive information from a plurality of devices;

one or more access points located throughout the facility, wherein the access points communicate wirelessly with other devices within the facility;

at least three beacons located within the facility, wherein the beacons transmit location information;

one or more detector devices located within the facility, wherein the detector device is configured to communicate with the beacons and the access points via wireless radio channels, and wherein the detector device comprises a single radio configured to switch between two or more radio channels,

wherein;

a first channel is used by the detector device to receive location data information from the one or more beacons, wherein the detector device communicates with the beacon when the detector device is in the range for that specific beacon; and

a second channel is used by the detector device to communicate data to the central server via the one or more of the access points.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server is connected to a user interface configured to display the information received from the plurality of devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the access points are located in fixed locations within the facility.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the access points communicate over a wired connection with other devices within the facility.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least three beacons are incorporated into at least three of the access points, and wherein the access point comprises a first radio for communicating over a first channel and a second radio for communicating over a second channel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector device switches between the first and second channels using direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel is a default channel, and wherein the detector device spends a majority of the time receiving information from one or more beacons.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data communicated from the detector device comprises gas sensor data, location data, identification data, time of use data, as well as any other data which is acquired by the detector device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the location data comprises the data received by the detector device from the one or more beacons.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the location data comprises beacon identification (ID), received signal strength indication (RSSI), time difference of arrival (TDOA), and angle of arrival (AoA).

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the central server is configured to:

receive the data from the detector device, analyze the data, and process the data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the central server uses the location information to perform a triangulation algorithm to determine the actual location of the detector device within the facility.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the data sent by the detector device to the central server is associated with a time stamp or time frame.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server is part of a central monitoring station.

15. A communication System for use in a facility comprising hazardous or harmful gas, the communication system comprising:

a central server configured to receive information from a plurality of devices;

one or more access points located throughout the facility, wherein the access points communicate wirelessly with other devices within the facility;

at least three beacons located within the facility, wherein the beacons transmit location information;

one or more detector devices located within the facility, wherein the detector device is configured to communicate with the beacons and the access points via wireless radio channels, and wherein the detector device comprises a single radio configured to switch between two or more radio channels,

wherein;

the detector device uses a first channel to receive location data information from the one or more beacons, wherein the detector device communicates with the beacon when the detector device is in the range for that specific beacon;

the detector device uses a second channel to communicate data to the central server via the one or more of the access points;

the detector device switches from the first channel to the second channel at a first pre-set time interval, and switches back to the first channel after a second pre-set time interval;

the data communicated from the detector device comprises gas sensor data, location data, identification data, time of use data, as well as any other data which is acquired by the detector device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system comprises a plurality of detector devices.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the detector devices comprise one of gas detector devices and location tag devices.

18. A method for communicating data from a detector device comprising a single radio to a central server, the method comprising:

receiving, by the detector device, location data from one or more beacons over a first radio channel;

switching, by the detector device, from the first radio channel to a second radio channel at a pre-set time interval;

sending, by the detector device, data via the second radio channel to an access point, wherein the data is then sent to a central server; and

switching, by the detector device, from the second radio channel to the first radio channel at a pre-set time interval.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method is repeated for the duration of the time the detector device is in operation.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the data sent by the detector device comprises gas sensor data, location data, identification data, time of use data, as well as any other data which is acquired by the detector device.