Remote Monitoring System

• US 20090287457A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JELD-WEN Incorporated (JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JELD-WEN Incorporated (JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.)
• Inventors: WALKER, Michael Shayne, CORWIN, Wallace Dale, BEATTY, Budd William
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A remote monitoring system is disclosed. In one such embodiment, a system may comprise a first measuring unit disposed within a structure, a first processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit, and a second processor disposed within the structure. The first measuring unit may comprise a first sensor adapted to detect a first parameter. The first measuring unit may be adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter. The first processor may be adapted to receive the first signal and to control the first measuring unit. The second processor may be disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the first processor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first measuring unit disposed within a building structure, the first measuring unit comprising a first sensor disposed within a cavity of an exterior wall of the building structure and adapted to detect a first parameter, the first measuring unit adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter; and

a first processor disposed remotely from the building structure and in operative communication with the first measuring unit, the first processor adapted to receive the first signal and to remotely control at least one measurement parameter of the first measuring unit, wherein the first processor is adapted to assess a potential loss of structural integrity of the building structure resulting from exposure of the building structure to an environmental condition related to the first parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second processor disposed within the building structure, the second processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the first processor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second processor comprises a gateway adapted to transmit the first signal to the first processor.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second measuring unit disposed outside of the building structure and in operative communication with the first processor, the second measuring unit comprising a second sensor adapted to detect a second parameter, the second measuring unit adapted to output a second signal associated with the second parameter.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first processor is adapted to receive the second signal from the second measuring unit and to control the second measuring unit.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the second sensor is coupled with an exterior surface of the building structure.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the first processor is adapted to compare the first and second signals.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the first processor is adapted to control sampling of data by the first and second sensors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is disposed in communication with a window disposed in the exterior wall.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is disposed in communication with a door coupled with the exterior wall.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the first measuring unit further comprises a third sensor adapted to detect a third parameter, the first measuring unit adapted to output a third signal associated with the third parameter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical property comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second parameter comprises a physical property related to that of the first parameter.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the third parameter comprises a physical property different than that of the first parameter.

59. The system of claim 1 wherein control of the at least one measurement parameter comprises adjusting the time intervals between data acquisition time periods.

15. A system comprising:

a plurality of first measuring units disposed within a building, each one of the plurality of first measuring units comprising a first sensor disposed within a cavity of a wall of the building and adapted to detect a first parameter, each one of the plurality of first measuring units adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter;

a wireless network disposed in communication with the plurality of first measuring units; and

a remote processor disposed remotely from the building and in communication with the wireless network, the remote processor adapted to receive the first signal from the wireless network and to remotely control at least one measurement parameter of the plurality of first measuring units, and wherein the remote processor is adapted to assess a potential loss of structural integrity of the building resulting from an environmental condition related to the first parameter.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless network comprises a router and a local processor comprising a gateway.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless network is disposed substantially within the building.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a second measuring unit disposed outside of the building and in communication with the remote processor, the second measuring unit comprising a second sensor adapted to detect a second parameter, the second measuring unit adapted to output a second signal associated with the second parameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote processor is adapted to receive the second signal from the second measuring unit and to control the second measuring unit.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote processor is adapted to compile and analyze data communicated from the plurality of first measuring units and the second measuring unit.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the remote processor is adapted to control sampling of data by the plurality of first measuring units and the second measuring unit.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the wall comprises an exterior wall.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units is coupled with a window disposed in the exterior wall.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units is coupled with a door disposed in the exterior wall.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units comprises a third sensor adapted to detect a third parameter, the at least one first measuring unit adapted to output a third signal associated with the third parameter.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical property comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second parameter comprises a physical property related to that of the first parameter.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the third parameter comprises a physical property different than that of the first parameter.

29. A method comprising:

detecting by a first sensor disposed in a cavity of an exterior wall of a building structure a first parameter prognostic of a potential loss of integrity of the building structure;

generating by a first measuring unit a first signal associated with the first parameter, the first sensor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit;

communicating the first signal to a remote processor operable to remotely control at least one measurement parameter of the first measuring unit, the remote processor disposed remotely from the building structure and in operative communication with the first measuring unit; and

assessing by the remote processor the potential loss of integrity of the building structure.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a local processor in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the remote processor, wherein the local processor is disposed in an interior of the building structure and is adapted to communicate the first signal to the remote processor.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the potential loss of integrity of the building structure results from exposure of the building structure to an environmental condition related to the first parameter.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

detecting by a second sensor a second parameter, the second sensor disposed in operative communication with the remote processor;

generating by a second measuring unit a second signal associated with the second parameter, the second sensor disposed in communication with the second measuring unit; and

communicating the second signal to the remote processor, the remote processor disposed in operative communication with the second measuring unit.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the local processor is disposed in operative communication with the second measuring unit, the local processor adapted to communicate the second signal to the remote processor.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the second sensor is disposed outside of the building structure.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the second sensor is coupled with an exterior surface of the building structure.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

detecting by a third sensor a third parameter, the third sensor disposed in communication with the first measuring unit;

generating by the first measuring unit a third signal associated with the third parameter; and

communicating the third signal to the remote processor.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical property comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, and motion.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the second parameter comprises a physical property related to that of the first parameter.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the third parameter comprises a physical property different than that of the first parameter.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the remote processor is adapted to compare the first and second signals and to generate an alarm signal if the compared first and second signals trend toward a predetermined set point.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the remote processor is adapted to control sampling of data by the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor.

42. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

recording a first value in a database, the first value associated with the first parameter;

updating the database with a second value associated with the first parameter; and

forecasting the potential loss of integrity of the building structure based at least in part on the first and second values associated with the first parameter.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising generating an alarm signal when the second value exceeds a predetermined set point.

44-58. -58. (canceled)

60. A system comprising:

a plurality of first measuring units disposed within at least two buildings, each one of the plurality of first measuring units comprising a first sensor disposed within a cavity of a wall of each of the buildings and adapted to detect a first parameter, each one of the plurality of first measuring units adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter; and

a remote processor disposed remotely from the buildings and in operative communication with the first measuring units, the remote processor adapted to receive the first signal from the first measuring units and to remotely control at least one measurement parameter of the plurality of first measuring units, and wherein the remote processor is adapted to compare data related to the first parameter in a first building with data related to the first parameter in at least one additional building.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the data related to the first parameter in the first building is compared with data related to the first parameter in a plurality of additional buildings.

62. The system of claim 60, further comprising a plurality of second measuring units disposed outside of the buildings and in communication with the remote processor, the second measuring units each comprising a second sensor adapted to detect a second parameter, each of the second measuring units adapted to output a second signal associated with the second parameter.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the remote processor is adapted to receive the second signal from the second measuring units and to control the second measuring units.