Environmental stabilization system and method for maintenance and inventory
First Claim
1. A business method for maintaining environmental stabilization for a plurality of vehicles, comprising the steps of:
- determining an ambient value of a relative humidity level present throughout the atmosphere within an interior portion of a storage site used for storing said plurality of vehicles, said ambient value including an average daily value of said relative humidity level and an expected annual range of variation of said relative humidity level;
determining a set of design parameters for an environmental stabilization system capable of regulating said relative humidity level, said design parameters based on said ambient value;
remotely controlling said environmental stabilization system from at least one remote monitoring station, said remote monitoring station communicating with said environmental stabilization system using an electronic network;
regulating said relative humidity level, using said environmental stabilization system and said remote monitoring station, such that said relative humidity level is maintained within a preferred range throughout the atmosphere within said interior portion of said storage site;
maintaining battery readiness for each said vehicle using a battery preservation power system;
collecting maintenance status information for each said vehicle using a radio frequency identification system, said radio frequency identification system including a portal antenna and communicating electronically with a site controller;
transmitting an alert indication to said remote monitoring station using said electronic network in response to a change in vehicle maintenance status, said alert indication used to inform service personnel of said change in said vehicle maintenance status; and
transmitting vehicle maintenance status to a central processing station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for maintaining environmental stabilization. In one embodiment, the system includes one or more controllers that communicate with air dehumidification units to control the relative humidity and temperature within a controlled facility. In another embodiment, a single vehicle environmental stabilization system includes a single vehicle unit attached to each vehicle to control relative humidity within the interior of the vehicle. In these embodiments, the system provides alert messages for out-of-range conditions and tracks and reports related maintenance status to local and remote users using an electronic network. A method of achieving environmental stabilization includes determining the ambient value of a relative humidity level at a site, determining a set of design parameters for an environmental stabilization system, selecting a preferred combination of design parameters and structural modifications, remotely controlling the system, and collecting vehicle maintenance status, information using a radio frequency identification system having a portal antenna.
70 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A business method for maintaining environmental stabilization for a plurality of vehicles, comprising the steps of:
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determining an ambient value of a relative humidity level present throughout the atmosphere within an interior portion of a storage site used for storing said plurality of vehicles, said ambient value including an average daily value of said relative humidity level and an expected annual range of variation of said relative humidity level;
determining a set of design parameters for an environmental stabilization system capable of regulating said relative humidity level, said design parameters based on said ambient value;
remotely controlling said environmental stabilization system from at least one remote monitoring station, said remote monitoring station communicating with said environmental stabilization system using an electronic network;
regulating said relative humidity level, using said environmental stabilization system and said remote monitoring station, such that said relative humidity level is maintained within a preferred range throughout the atmosphere within said interior portion of said storage site;
maintaining battery readiness for each said vehicle using a battery preservation power system;
collecting maintenance status information for each said vehicle using a radio frequency identification system, said radio frequency identification system including a portal antenna and communicating electronically with a site controller;
transmitting an alert indication to said remote monitoring station using said electronic network in response to a change in vehicle maintenance status, said alert indication used to inform service personnel of said change in said vehicle maintenance status; and
transmitting vehicle maintenance status to a central processing station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A business method for achieving and maintaining environmental stabilization for a plurality of vehicles, comprising the steps of:
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measuring an interior relative humidity level for each one of said vehicles, said interior relative humidity level being determined by atmospheric conditions present throughout an interior region of said vehicle, said interior region comprising a cavity formed by a plurality of body surfaces of said vehicle;
sealingly coupling an air dehumidification unit to each one of said vehicles, said air dehumidification unit provided in atmospheric communication with said interior region;
regulating said interior relative humidity level by periodically monitoring and adjusting an output of said air dehumidification unit to cause said air dehumidification unit to decrease said interior relative humidity level as required to maintain said interior relative humidity level within a preferred range;
maintaining vehicle maintenance status for said vehicle using an electronic network, said vehicle maintenance status including environmental status;
reporting said vehicle maintenance status to a central processing station using said electronic network;
storing said vehicle maintenance status at said central processing station in a maintenance status database; and
producing a compliance report at said central processing station based on said vehicle maintenance status contained in said maintenance status database. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification