Environmental monitoring module and method

• US 20050140510A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kendro Laboratory Products LP (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kendro Laboratory Products LP (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elwood, Bryan, Tipton, Walter, Bair, Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/735,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20050140510A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206

Abstract

To remotely diagnose and control equipment, a sensor attached the equipment is queried. This sensor generates a signal in response to an environmental condition of the equipment. In addition, the signal is received and a value is calculated based on the signal and a response curve of the sensor. Furthermore, the calculated value is compared to a range between a first value and a second value and a backup system attached to the equipment is modulated in response to the calculated value being outside the first value and the second value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring equipment comprising:

a first sensor attached to the equipment for sensing an environmental condition of the equipment; and

a node configured to receive signals from the first sensor, wherein in response to the environmental condition falling outside a range between a first value and a second value, the node is further configured to control a backup system to substantially return the environmental condition to between the first value the second value, wherein the node is detachably coupled in the immediate proximity of the equipment.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a file stored to the node, wherein the node stores the environmental conditions of the equipment to the file.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm to emit at least one of a visual and auditory signal, the alarm being activated by the node in response to the environmental condition being outside the range between the first value and the second value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a network; and

a controller to communicate with the node across the network.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller queries the node for the environmental conditions.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a display device attached to the controller to display the environmental conditions.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

an input device attached to the controller to provide a user with the capability to program the controller.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a computer code to control the actions of the node, wherein the controller updates the computer code across the network.

27. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the node is further comprises a power supply, a central processing unit, a transceiver and plurality of sensor inputs.

28. The apparatus as in claim 27, wherein the node is configured to communicate with a computer network.

29. The apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the node is configured to communicate with another node.

30. The apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the node communicates with the computer network through RS-485 communications protocol.

31. The apparatus as in claim 30, wherein a controller is attached to the computer network.

32. The apparatus as in claim 31, wherein the controller is capable of configuring the node and the sensor.

33. The apparatus as in claim 31, further comprising a second senor attached to the equipment.

9. An apparatus to remotely monitor equipment, the apparatus comprising:

means for sensing an environmental condition of the equipment, wherein the means for sensing is attached to the equipment; and

node means that is attached to the equipment, the node means comprises;

means for receiving the signal;

means for calculating a value based on the signal and a response curve of the sensor;

means for comparing the calculated value to a range between a first value and a second value; and

means for modulating a backup system attached to the equipment in response to the calculated value being outside the first value and the second value.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for generating a file in the node means.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for storing a unique identifier associated with the equipment to the file.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for monitoring the node means across a network.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for updating a computer code in response to receiving code across the network.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for querying the node across the network for the environmental conditions; and

means for receiving the environmental conditions in response to the query.

15. A method that provides remote diagnostic and control capability for equipment, the method comprising:

detachably attaching a node to the equipment;

querying a sensor attached the equipment from the node, the sensor generating a signal in response to an environmental condition of the equipment;

receiving the signal at the node;

calculating a value based on the signal and a response curve of the sensor at the node;

comparing the calculated value to a range between a first value and a second value at the node; and

modulating a backup system attached to the equipment in response to the calculated value being outside the first value and the second value at the node.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

generating a file on the node.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

storing a unique identifier associated with the equipment to the file.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

monitoring the node across a network.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

updating a computer code in response to receiving code across the network.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

querying the node across the network for the environmental conditions; and

receiving the environmental conditions in response to the query.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)