MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20070103324A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aeromesh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aeromesh Corporation
• Inventors: KOSUGE, Roy, MARIS, John, PITTMAN, Alan, CRANE, Pat
• Granted Patent: US 7,626,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/618
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 7/00 Other installations or implements for operating sewer systems, e.g. for preventing or indicating stoppage; Emptying cesspools
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture

Abstract

A monitoring system includes one or more monitoring devices, positioned in sewer manholes, storm drains, etc., and a remote monitoring station that communicates wirelessly therewith. The monitoring device may be an integrated unit, including sensors, a two-way telemetry unit, a power supply, a processor, and supporting hardware, all located in an enclosed, waterproof housing. The monitoring device is placed within a manhole cavity to obtain depth (e.g., water level) measurements, images, and other data, and report the measurements back to the remote monitoring station, which analyzes the data and responds to alert messages when a dangerous water level is detected. An additional sensor may monitor the manhole cover for security purposes. A distributed mesh network of wireless nodes may be used to relay communications from the monitoring devices along alternative paths, through bridge nodes that may connect to a public wireless or cellular network.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of monitoring devices disposed in sewer manholes, each of said monitoring devices comprising (i) a sensor configured to obtain depth measurements at periodic intervals, and (ii) a wireless transceiver;

a plurality of mesh nodes arranged in a distributed network, at least one of said mesh nodes in physical proximity to each of said monitoring devices for communicating wirelessly therewith; and

at least one bridge node configured to communicate wirelessly with said mesh nodes, and to transfer information between said mesh nodes and a remote monitoring station.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said mesh nodes each comprise a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with other mesh nodes, at least one of said monitoring devices, and said bridge node, according to a multiplexing technique.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said mesh nodes are configured to provide multiple redundant communication paths from said monitoring devices to said bridge node, each of said communication paths involving a different combination of mesh nodes.

4. The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said mesh nodes measure and store signal strength and/or quality metrics, and select a communication path based thereon.

5. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein said mesh nodes convey depth measurement data from the monitoring devices to the remote monitoring station, and convey instructions or other information from the remote monitoring station to the monitoring devices.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein said mesh nodes are configured to relay messages from other mesh nodes to said bridge node, and to relay return path messages from said bridge node to the other mesh nodes.

7. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein said bridge node comprises a first wireless transceiver for communicating with the mesh nodes according to a first protocol, and a gateway interface for communicating with said remote monitoring station via a second network.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said second network comprises a wireless network, and wherein said gateway interface comprises a second wireless transceiver for communicating with said remote monitoring station, said second wireless transceiver operating according to a different protocol than said first wireless transceiver.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said wireless network comprises a cellular network, and wherein said second wireless transceiver operates according to a cellular telephone protocol.

10. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least some of said mesh nodes are configured to be mounted on a utility pole.

11. The monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the mesh nodes mounted on a utility pole are configured to draw power directly from a power socket on the utility pole.

12. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said monitoring devices initially associate with the distributed network by transmitting an association request message, and receiving an acknowledgment message.

13. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said monitoring devices comprise multiple sensors monitoring different aspects of the sewer manhole, and are configured to transmit data obtained from said multiple sensors to the mesh nodes of said distributed network.

14. A method for monitoring a plurality of sewer manholes distributed over a large geographic region, comprising:

placing a plurality of monitoring devices in sewer manholes, each of said monitoring devices comprising (i) a sensor configured to obtain depth measurements at periodic intervals, and (ii) a wireless transceiver;

disposing a plurality of mesh nodes throughout a geographic region encompassing the sewer manholes, at least one of said mesh nodes in physical proximity to each of said monitoring devices for communicating wirelessly therewith, thereby forming a distributed mesh network;

disposing at least one bridge node in the distributed mesh network, said bridge node configured to communicate wirelessly with said mesh nodes;

conveying depth measurement data from said monitoring devices to a remote monitoring station via a plurality of communication paths including said mesh nodes and said bridge node of the distributed mesh network; and

conveying information from said remote monitoring station to said monitoring devices, via said mesh nodes and said bridge node of the distributed mesh network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said mesh nodes dynamically select said communication paths based upon the signal strength and/or quality of the signals received at said mesh nodes.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said mesh nodes provide redundant communication paths from said monitoring devices to said bridge node, each of said communication paths involving a different combination of mesh nodes.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one mesh node utilizes the same wireless transceiver to communicate with other mesh nodes, one of the monitoring devices, and said bridge node, according to a multiplexing technique.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said mesh nodes measure and store signal strength and/or quality metrics, and select a communication path based thereon.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of conveying information from the monitoring devices to the remote monitoring station via said mesh nodes, and conveying instructions or other information from the remote monitoring station to the monitoring devices via said mesh nodes.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said mesh nodes relay messages from other mesh nodes to said bridge node, and relay return path messages from said bridge node to the other mesh nodes.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said bridge node comprises a first wireless transceiver for communicating with the mesh nodes according to a first protocol, and a gateway interface for communicating with said remote monitoring station via a second network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said second network comprises a wireless network, and wherein said gateway interface comprises a second wireless transceiver for communicating with said remote monitoring station, said second wireless transceiver operating according to a different protocol than said first wireless transceiver.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said wireless network comprises a cellular network, said method further comprising the step of operating said second wireless transceiver according to a cellular telephone protocol.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of mounting a plurality of said mesh nodes on utility poles.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing power from said utility poles to the mesh nodes mounted thereon, by drawing power directly from a power socket on the utility pole.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of initially registering said monitoring devices with the distributed network by transmitting an association request message from a monitoring device desiring to associate with the distributed network, and receiving an acknowledgment message at the monitoring device in return.

27. A method for monitoring a plurality of depth measurement devices distributed over a geographic region, comprising:

disposing a plurality of stationary monitoring devices in different geographic locations, each of said monitoring devices comprising (i) a sensor configured to obtain depth measurements at periodic intervals, and (ii) a wireless transceiver;

disposing a plurality of stationary mesh nodes throughout the geographic region, said mesh nodes configured to communicate wirelessly with said monitoring devices using a low power radio frequency (RF) communication technique, thereby forming a distributed mesh network;

disposing at least one bridge node in the distributed mesh network, said bridge node configured to communicate wirelessly with said mesh nodes;

conveying depth measurement data from said monitoring devices to a remote monitoring station via said bridge node, across a plurality of communication paths dynamically selected by said mesh nodes, each of said communication paths capable of including a plurality of said mesh nodes; and

conveying information from said remote monitoring station to said monitoring devices via the distributed mesh network.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of disposing said monitoring devices in sewer manholes spread over the geographic region.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said mesh nodes dynamically select said communication paths based upon the signal strength and/or quality of the signals received at said mesh nodes.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said mesh nodes provide redundant communication paths from said monitoring devices to said bridge node, each of said communication paths involving a different combination of mesh nodes.

31. The method of claim 30, said mesh nodes each utilize a single wireless transceiver to alternate communications with other mesh nodes, one of the monitoring devices, and said bridge node, according to a multiplexing technique.

32. A monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of depth measurement devices distributed over a geographic region, comprising:

a plurality of wireless mesh nodes arranged in a distributed network, a subset of said wireless mesh nodes each located in physical proximity to one of a plurality of wireless depth monitoring devices configured to obtain depth measurements at periodic intervals; and

at least one bridge node configured to communicate with said wireless mesh nodes, and to transfer information between said wireless mesh nodes and a remote monitoring station;

wherein said wireless mesh nodes provide redundant communication paths from said depth monitoring devices to said bridge node, each of said communication paths involving a different combination of mesh nodes;

whereby selected depth measurements from said wireless depth monitoring devices are conveyed to said remote monitoring station.

33. The monitoring system of claim 32, wherein each of said subset of wireless mesh nodes utilizes the same wireless transceiver for alternating communications with other wireless mesh nodes, a locally proximate one of the depth monitoring devices, and said bridge node, according to a multiplexing technique.

34. The monitoring system of claim 32, wherein said wireless mesh nodes measure and store signal strength and/or quality metrics based on signals received from other nodes, and select a communication path based thereon.

35. The monitoring system of claim 32, wherein said bridge node comprises a first wireless transceiver for communicating with the wireless mesh nodes according to a first protocol, and a gateway interface for communicating with said remote monitoring station via a second network.

36. The monitoring system of claim 35, wherein said second network comprises a wireless network, and wherein said gateway interface comprises a second wireless transceiver for communicating with said remote monitoring station, said second wireless transceiver operating according to a different protocol than said first wireless transceiver.

37. The monitoring system of claim 36, wherein said wireless network comprises a cellular network, and wherein said second wireless transceiver operates according to a cellular telephone protocol.

38. The monitoring system of claim 32, wherein said monitoring devices are disposed in a plurality of sewer manholes over the geographic region.

39. The monitoring system of claim 38, wherein a plurality of the wireless mesh nodes in said subset of wireless mesh nodes are configured to be mounted on utility poles and draw power directly therefrom.