Pervasive Network for Environmental Sensing

• US 20080183389A1
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Generac Power Systems Incorporated (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rajput, Nitendra, Chainer, Timothy J., Rogowitz, Bernice E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/00 Electric or magnetic prospecting or detecting; Measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination, deviation
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology

Abstract

Data pertaining to environmental information is acquired using sensors on a multiplicity of networked pervasive devices, and analyzed to determine occurrence of at least one environmental event. Such data can be obtained, for example, from an inventive wireless communications device including an antenna, transmit circuitry coupled to the antenna for transmission of radio frequency radiation therefrom, at least one environmental sensor configured to obtain environmental data, and a communications module coupled to the at least one environmental sensor and configured to cause transmission of a representation of the data via the antenna and the transmit circuitry.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring environmental conditions, comprising the steps of:

acquiring data pertaining to environmental information using a multiplicity of sensors on a multiplicity of networked pervasive devices; and

analyzing said data to determine occurrence of at least one environmental event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said acquiring step comprises substantially continuous monitoring by said multiplicity of networked pervasive devices to obtain said data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said acquiring step further comprises acquiring indications regarding geographic coordinates at which at least some of said data was acquired.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said acquiring step further comprises acquiring indications regarding a time at which at least some of said data was acquired.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing step is performed by a centralized server which obtains said data from said multiplicity of networked pervasive devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing step is performed by at least one of said multiplicity of networked pervasive devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing step comprises determining a statistical probability of occurrence of said at least one environmental event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing step comprises at least one of artificial intelligence and pattern recognition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one environmental event has occurred in a past time, and wherein said analyzing step comprises determining past occurrence of said at least one environmental event.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one environmental event is occurring in real time, and wherein said analyzing step comprises determining real-time occurrence of said at least one environmental event.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one environmental event is likely to occur in a future time, and wherein said analyzing step comprises predicting future occurrence of said at least one environmental event.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional step of providing notification of said environmental event.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said notification is provided to at least one user of at least one of said multiplicity of networked pervasive devices.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said notification is provided to at least one individual situated within one of:

a geographic region in which said environmental event is determined to be currently occurring; and

a geographic region which may be subsequently affected by said environmental event.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said notification is provided to at least one emergency responder.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein said notification is provided to at least one subscribe.

17. An article of manufacture for monitoring environmental conditions, comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

acquiring data pertaining to environmental information using at least one sensor on at least one networked pervasive device; and

analyzing said data to determine occurrence of at least one environmental event.

18. A networked pervasive device associated with a network, said device comprising:

at least one environmental sensor configured to obtain environmental data; and

a communications module coupled to said at least one environmental sensor and configured to cause transmission of a representation of said data via said network in a from for subsequent data mining within said network.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said device comprises a wireless communications device, further comprising:

an antenna; and

transmit circuitry coupled to said antenna for transmission of radio frequency radiation therefrom;

wherein said representation of said data is transmitted through said network via said antenna and said transmit circuitry.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said device comprises a cellular telephone, further comprising receive circuitry coupled to said antenna and said communications module, wherein said transmission is responsive to a polling signal received by said receive circuitry.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein said transmission is responsive to a signal generated locally by said communications module.

22. A method of providing a service for monitoring environmental conditions, comprising the steps of:

facilitating offering said monitoring service on a subscription basis;

facilitating receiving subscriptions to said service from a plurality of subscriber'"'"'s;

facilitating acquisition of data pertaining to environmental information using at least one sensor on at least one networked pervasive device;

facilitating analysis of said data to determine occurrence of at least one environmental event;

facilitating notification of at least one of said subscribers of said occurrence of said event.