Sign sentry

• US 20040263340A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sign Sentry LLC
• Original Assignee: Joseph Pearson Jr, Timothy J. Riley
• Inventors: Riley, Timothy J., Pearson, Joseph Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,965,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/641
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00018 using phone lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0004 involved in a protection system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/21 of two or more light sources connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A Sign Sentry monitoring system for monitoring lighting. The Sign Sentry system includes a plurality of current sensors for inductively sensing current passing through each lighting circuit. The sign sentry system includes a monitoring panel mounted proximate the signage electrical panel (typically inside the building) which encloses a processor, memory, analog-to-digital transducers, and a modem (connected to a telephone line). A plurality of current sensors are deployed in the signage junction box and are connected from the junction box into the monitoring panel to transducers for converting the sensed current levels to digitized current levels. A software program sequentially polls the sensed current in each lighting circuit, and the current levels are compared to predetermined daytime and nighttime thresholds. If a fault condition is detected the processor generates and stores an error code in memory, the fault code comprising an indication of the site, affected lighting circuit, and nature of the fault. The processor then activates the modem to dial a central monitoring station and transmit the error code, whereby the fault can be reported out to responsible persons by telephone, voice mail, pagers, email and/or voice email.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring exterior signage at a site, comprising:

a monitoring panel enclosing a printed circuit board containing a processor in communication with memory, an analog-to-digital transducer, and a modem, said modem also being connected to a telephone line;

at least one current sensor inductively coupled to an existing lighting circuit of said exterior signage for sensing a current level therein, said current sensor being coupled to the analog-to-digital transducer in said monitoring panel for converting said sensed current level to a digitized current level;

a software program resident in said memory for instructing said processor to measure the digitized current level, determine whether said measurement is during a predetermined daytime interval or nighttime interval, if made during said daytime interval to compare said digitized current level to a predetermined minimal current threshold to ensure that said lighting circuit is off during said daytime interval, if said measurement is made during said nightime interval to compare said digitized current level to an upper current threshold and lower current threshold to ensure that said lighting circuit is on and drawing normal current during said nighttime interval, to generate and store an error code in said memory if said comparison fails, said fault code comprising an indication of the site, affected lighting circuit, and nature of the fault, and for activating said modem to dial a central monitoring station and transmit said error code thereto for reporting to appropriate persons responsible for said site.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one current sensor comprises a current amplified sensor for sensing current within a range of 0 to 30 amperes and for outputting a signal between 0 to 0.333 millivolts in proportion to the current range.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one remote current sensing module for monitoring remote exterior signage, said remote current sensing module further comprising a current sensor inductively coupled to an existing lighting circuit of said remote signage for sensing a current level therein, a current relay coupled to said current sensor for comparing said sensed current level to an upper current threshold and lower current threshold and for indicating a result, and an RF transmitter coupled to said current relay for transmitting said result to said monitoring panel;

said monitoring panel further enclosing an RF receiver coupled to said microprocessor receiving and communicating said comparison result thereto.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a thermostat connected to said monitoring panel and to said processor for communicating ambient indoor site temperature thereto;

said software program resident in said memory instructing said processor to compare said ambient indoor site temperature to a predetermined minimal temperature threshold during a predefined cold-weather cycle to ensure that site heating is functional, and to a predetermined maximum temperature threshold during a predefined warm-weather cycle to ensure that site air-conditioning is functional.

5. A monitoring system for monitoring exterior signage at a site, comprising:

a monitoring panel enclosing a printed circuit board containing a processor in communication with memory, an analog-to-digital transducer, and a modem, said modem also being connected to a telephone line;

a plurality of current sensor each inductively coupled to an existing lighting circuit of said exterior signage for sensing a current level therein, said current sensors each being coupled to a corresponding analog-to-digital transducer in said monitoring panel for converting said sensed current levels to digitized current levels;

a software program resident in said memory for instructing said processor to sequentially poll said analog-to-digital transducers to measure the digitized current levels at said current sensors, to determine whether said measurement are during a predetermined daytime interval or nighttime interval, if during said daytime interval, to compare said digitized current levels to predetermined minimal current thresholds for each of said lighting circuits to ensure that none of said lighting circuits are off during said daytime interval, or if said measurement is made during said nightime interval to compare each of said digitized current levels to an upper current threshold and lower current threshold established for each said lighting circuit to ensure that said lighting circuit is on and drawing normal current during said nighttime interval, to generate and store an error code in said memory if any of said comparisons fail, said fault code comprising an indication of the site, affected lighting circuit, and nature of the fault, and for activating said modem to dial a central monitoring station and transmit said error code thereto for reporting to appropriate persons responsible for said site.

6. The monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of current sensors each comprise a current amplified sensor for sensing current within a range of 0 to 30 amperes and for outputting a signal between 0 to 0.333 millivolts in proportion to the current range.

7. The monitoring system according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of remote current sensing modules for monitoring remote exterior signage, said remote current sensing modules each further comprising a current sensor inductively coupled to an existing lighting circuit of said remote signage for sensing a current level therein, a current relay coupled to said current sensor for comparing said sensed current level to an upper current threshold and lower current threshold and for indicating a result, and an RF transmitter coupled to said current relay for transmitting said result to said monitoring panel;

said monitoring panel further enclosing a corresponding plurality of RF receivers each coupled to said microprocessor receiving and communicating said comparison results thereto.

8. The monitoring system according to claim 5, further comprising a thermostat connected to said monitoring panel and to said processor for communicating ambient indoor site temperature thereto;

said software program resident in said memory instructing said processor to compare said ambient indoor site temperature to a predetermined minimal temperature threshold during a predefined cold-weather cycle to ensure that site heating is functional, and to a predetermined maximum temperature threshold during a predefined warm-weather cycle to ensure that site air-conditioning is functional.

9. A method for monitoring exterior signage at an interior junction box supplying current to said signage by use of a monitoring panel mounted proximate said junction box, said monitoring panel enclosing a printed circuit board containing a processor in communication with memory, at least one current sensor attached in said junction box and connected therefrom to said printed circuit board, and a modem connected to a telephone line, comprising the steps of:

programming said processor to distinguish a nighttime interval and a daytime interval;

operating said processor to test the lighting circuit of said exterior signage for both undercurrent and overcurrent conditions during said nighttime interval and to compile a nighttime fault code upon detecting a failure, said code comprising an indication of the site, affected lighting circuit, and nature of the fault;

operating said processor to test the lighting circuit of said exterior signage for a current condition during said daytime interval and to compile a daytime fault code upon detecting a failure said code comprising an indication of the site, affected lighting circuit, and nature of the fault;

operating said processor to activate said modem to dial a central monitoring station and transmit said fault code thereto for reporting to appropriate persons responsible for said site.