Environmental Control System and Method

• US 20080120335A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alexei Dolgoff
• Original Assignee: Alexei Dolgoff
• Inventors: Dolgoff, Alexei
• Application Number:
  US10/580,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20080120335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration

Abstract

The sensors dialog box (100) can be used to serve two purposes, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. First, it can allow the user to specify and change most of the settings of the sensors used in the system. When the user selects a sensor from the list of available sensors (1002), the rest of the sensors dialog (100) fills with information that describes and relates to the selected sensor. The name, type calibration, and check period of the sensor can be entered into the edit boxes (1004), in the preferred embodiment, manual entry can occur as long as the sensor is not linked to the calendar from the sensor log generator dialog box. This embodiment can also include an apply button (1006) and change sensor color for graphics button (1008). When the sensor is of type “EQUATION”, the information in an equation window (1010) will be parsed to tell the program how to interpret what the reading of the sensor is at any given time.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a control process that provides for abstract linkages and relationships to be implemented among the linkable entities.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data processing device that is connected to the control computer via a communication link, and is capable of remotely interacting with the one or more sensors and the one or more devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine executable programs of instructions include a data manipulation process that can record and play back sequences of environmental conditions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine executable programs of instructions include a data manipulation process that provides editing functionality, including cutting, copying and pasting of environmental data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine executable programs of instructions include a data manipulation process providing drawing tool functionality that allows the user to graphically indicate desired environmental conditions.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the data manipulation process is effected by object-oriented programs of instructions.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system possesses an expandable nature characterized by the ability to add additional control-related elements without adding additional controllers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system possesses an expandable nature characterized by the ability to add additional control-related elements, and allow the control process to implement the added control-related elements along with the existing linkable entities.

9. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

wherein the system possesses an expandable nature characterized by the ability to add additional control-related elements, and allow the control process to implement the added control-related elements along with the existing linkable entities.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a data processing device that is connected to the control computer via a communication link, and is capable of remotely interacting with the one or more sensors and the one or more devices.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising machine executable programs of instructions including a data manipulation process that can record and play back sequences of environmental conditions.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising machine executable programs of instructions including a data manipulation process that provides editing functionality, including cutting, copying and pasting of environmental data.

13. The system of claim 9, further including machine executable programs of instructions include a data manipulation process providing drawing tool functionality that allows the user to graphically indicate desired environmental conditions.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the expandable nature is further characterized by integrating of the added control-related elements into the group of linkable entities that are available for abstract linkages and interrelationships.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the relationships and abstract linkages among the control-related elements can be reconfigured to be dependent upon any of the linkable entities.

16. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a data manipulation process that can record and play back sequences of environmental conditions.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, in conjunction with the data manipulation process, the sequences of environmental conditions are played back at a later time on a graphical user interface for manipulation by a user.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a data processing device that is connected to the control computer via a communication link, and is capable of remotely interacting with the one or more sensors and the one or more devices.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine executable programs of instructions include a process that provides editing functionality, including cutting, copying and pasting of environmental data.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine executable programs of instructions include a process providing drawing tool functionality that allows the user to graphically indicate desired environmental conditions.

21. The system of claim 16, further including zero or more variables, wherein the zero or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the expandable nature is further characterized by integrating of the added control-related elements into the group of linkable entities that are available for abstract linkages and interrelationships.

23. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions; and

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a graphics process that effects the display, on a graphical user interface, of sensor information in linear association/correspondence with device state data.

24. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions; and

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a graphics process that effects the display of sensor information on a graphical user interface in groups, wherein the group is comprised of sensor data pertaining to a desired relationship.

25. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions; and

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a graphics process including a zoom tool that allows a user, via a graphical user interface, to display relevant and/or different ranges of data.

26. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions; and

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a calendar process that effects the display of environmental information on a graphical user interface in association with the day it occurred, wherein a user can select a particular day to view the environmental information that transpired on that day.

27. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions; and

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a calendar process that enables user selection, via a graphical user interface, of a particular date to display the desired sensor information for that date.

28. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices;

a machine executable program of instructions that provides for abstract linkages to be created among the linkable entities; and

a machine executable program of instructions that provides a control routine process that evaluates the control-related entities and their linkages to determine if any action is necessary.

29. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices;

a machine executable program of instructions that provides for abstract linkages to be created among the linkable entities; and

a machine executable program of instructions that provides a control routine process that updates and maintains statistical information related to the linkable entities, and evaluates the control-related entities and their linkages to determine if any action is necessary.

30. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices;

a machine executable program of instructions that provides for abstract linkages to be created among the linkable entities; and

a machine executable program of instructions that provides a control routine process that implements relationships and provides for the creation of abstract entities among the linkable entities.

31. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

a machine executable program of instructions including a data manipulation process that can record and play back sequences of environmental conditions.

32. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

machine executable programs of instructions including a data manipulation process which provides drawing tool functionality that allows the user to graphically indicate desired environmental conditions.

33. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

wherein the system possesses an expandable nature characterized by the ability to add additional control-related elements without adding additional controllers.

34. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

wherein the system possesses an expandable nature characterized by integration of the added control-related elements into the group of linkable entities that are available for abstract linkages and interrelationships.

35. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control-related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

a machine executable program of instructions that provides for abstract linkages to be created among the linkable entities;

wherein the control computer includes machine executable programs of instruction including a data manipulation process that can record sequences of environmental conditions, and display the sequences at a later time on a graphical user interface allowing for user manipulation.

36. A system for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

control-related elements, including one or more sensors that may sense one or more environmental conditions, and one or more devices that may effect the one or more environmental conditions;

optionally, one or more variables, wherein the one or more variables and the control related elements are collectively referred to as linkable entities;

a control computer that manages sensor data and affects the state of the one or more hardware devices; and

a machine executable program of instructions that provides for abstract linkages to be created among the linkable entities;

wherein the relationships and abstract linkages among the control-related elements can be reconfigured to be dependent upon any of the linkable entities.

37. A method for controlling an agricultural operation, comprising:

sensing, by one or more sensors, one or more environmental conditions;

storing data corresponding to the one or more environmental conditions in a control computer that manages sensor data and may affect the state of one or more devices, wherein the one or more sensors and one or more devices are referred to as control related elements;

maintaining, in the control computer, a list of linkable entities, wherein the linkable entities are comprised of control-related elements and zero or more variables; and

processing machine executable programs of instructions including a control process that provides for abstract linkages and relationships to be implemented among the linkable entities.

38. An article of manufacture embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine, the program of instructions including instructions for:

sensing, by one or more sensors, one or more environmental conditions;

storing data corresponding to the one or more environmental conditions in a computer that manages sensor data and may affect the state of one or more devices, wherein the one or more sensors and one or more devices are referred to as control-related elements;

maintaining, in the computer, a list of linkable entities, wherein the linkable entities are comprised of control-related elements and zero or more variables; and

executing a control process that provides for abstract linkages and relationships to be implemented among the linkable entities.