Self-configuring sensing device

• US 10,304,321 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• 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): Mortell, John F
• Application Number:
  US16/013,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20180301021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 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;

a second sub-sensor;

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;

determine, by the processor, based on signals received from both the first sub-sensor and the second sub-sensor whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on a door or a window.

2. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions cause the self-configuring 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.

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

4. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein, subsequent to the processor determining whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window, the processor-executable instructions cause the self-configuring sensor to select one of the first sub-sensor or the second sub-sensor to determine an open/closed status of the door or the window and transmit an alarm signal only if the selected sub-sensor has changed state.

5. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine that the self-configuring sensor is in a first installation configuration when the processor detects a state change in the first sub-sensor and that no state change has been detected in the second sub-sensor.

6. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine that the self-configuring 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.

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

determine that the sensor has been powered on; and

in response to determining that the sensor has been powered on, determine whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window the installation configuration.

8. The self-configuring sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the self-configuring sensor to transmit a signal to a central control panel indicative of the whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window.

9. 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 self-configuring sensor to modify the sensor identification code after the processor determines whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window.

10. The self-configuring sensor of claim 9, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the self-configuring sensor to transmit the modified sensor identification code to a central control panel after the self-configuring sensor has determined whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window.

11. A method, performed by a self-configuring sensor having a first sub-sensor, a second sub-sensor, and a processor in communication with the first sub-sensor and the second sub-sensor, comprising:

determining, by the processor, based on signals received from both the first sub-sensor and the second sub-sensor whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on a door or a window.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring, by the processor, the first and second sub-sensors for detecting changes in a first sub-sensor state and a second sub-sensor state, respectively.

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

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising, subsequent to the processor determining whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window, selecting, by the processor, either the first sub-sensor or the second sub-sensor to determine an open/closed status of the door or window and transmitting, by a transmitter coupled to the processor, an alarm signal only if the selected sub-sensor changes state.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining, by the processor, that the self-configuring sensor is in a single sensor 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.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining, by the processor, that the self-configuring 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.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining, by the processor, that the self-configuring sensor has been powered on and, in response to determining that the self-configuring sensor has been powered on, determining by the processor whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting, by a transmitter coupled to the processor, a signal to a central control panel indicative of whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing a sensor identification code in a memory coupled to the processor and modifying the sensor identification code after the processor determines whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting, by a transmitter coupled to the processor, the modified sensor identification code to a central control panel after the processor has determined whether the self-configuring sensor is installed on the door or the window.