Monitoring System Supporting Proximity Based Actions

• US 20110012743A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Schubert, Clifford, Van Gorp, John C., Wynans, Arthur B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,223,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity

Abstract

A monitoring system includes a discoverable wireless device, a proximity monitor, and a monitoring server. The proximity monitor is configured to automatically discover the discoverable wireless device in response to the discoverable wireless device being within a wireless range of the proximity monitor. The monitoring server is communicatively connected to the proximity monitor via a communications network. The monitoring server is configured to i) receive proximity information associated with the discoverable wireless device from the proximity monitor, and ii) transmit an instruction signal based on the received proximity information to an electrical component located remotely from the proximity monitor. The instruction signal causes the electrical component to modify an operating parameter of the electrical component.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a discoverable wireless device;

a proximity monitor configured to automatically discover the discoverable wireless device in response to the discoverable wireless device being within a wireless range of the proximity monitor;

a monitoring server communicatively connected to the proximity monitor via a communications network, the monitoring server being configured to;

i) receive from the proximity monitor proximity information associated with the discoverable wireless device, and

ii) transmit an instruction signal based on the received proximity information to an electrical component located remotely from the proximity monitor, the instruction signal causing the electrical component to modify an operating parameter of the electrical component.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electrical component is a plurality of electrical components including power distribution equipment operating at or above 480 volts and the monitoring system is a power monitoring system.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the proximity monitor is further configured to monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the power distribution equipment, the proximity monitor being integral with one of the plurality of electrical components.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the operating parameter is an ON/OFF state of the electrical component.

5. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of electrical components includes a fan and the operating parameter is a temperature threshold of a second one of the plurality of electrical components.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electrical component includes a circuit breaker and the operating parameter is a trip threshold of the circuit breaker.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the discoverable wireless device is associated with a unique identifier that is automatically discovered by the proximity monitor in response to the discoverable wireless device being within the wireless range of the proximity monitor, the proximity information including the unique identifier.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the unique identifier of the discoverable wireless device is associated with a clearance level.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the instruction signal causes a user of the discoverable wireless device to be granted access to one or more restricted features of the electrical component, the proximity monitor, or both, based on the clearance level associated with the discoverable wireless device.

10. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the instruction signal causes a user of the discoverable wireless device to be granted physical access to the power distribution equipment.

11. A discoverable wireless device monitoring system for controlling a plurality of electrical components, the system comprising:

a discoverable wireless device;

a plurality of proximity monitors, each proximity monitor being configured to automatically discover the discoverable wireless device in response to the discoverable wireless device being within a respective wireless range of each one of the plurality of proximity monitors, at least one of the plurality of proximity monitors being configured to determine a distance of the discoverable wireless device from a first one of the plurality of electrical components in response to the discoverable wireless device being within at least two of the respective wireless ranges of the plurality of proximity monitors, the at least one proximity monitor being configured to transmit an instruction signal based on the determined distance to the first electrical component, the instruction signal causing the first electrical component to modify an operating parameter of the first electrical component.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein each proximity monitor is configured to measure a wireless signal strength produced by the discoverable wireless device at a predetermined time interval to determine the distance and a direction of movement of the discoverable wireless device relative to the first electrical component, the first electrical component being remote from the plurality of proximity monitors.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the instruction signal further causes the first electrical component to turn off in response to the distance of the discoverable wireless device from the first electrical component being less than a predetermined amount.

14. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the instruction signal further causes the first electrical component to grant a user of the discoverable wireless device access to restricted features of the first electrical component in response to the distance of the discoverable wireless device from the first electrical component being less than a predetermined amount.

15. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of electrical components comprises power distribution equipment, one or more fans, one or more pumps, one or more circuit breakers, one or more electrical panels, one or more power meters, or any combination thereof, two or more of the plurality of proximity monitors being configured to collectively determine the distance of the discoverable wireless device from the first electrical component.

16. A method of controlling a plurality of electrical components, comprising:

monitoring for a presence of discoverable wireless devices;

determining that a first one of the discoverable wireless devices is positioned within a wireless range of two or more proximity monitors;

estimating a location of the first discoverable wireless device with respect to a first one of the plurality of electrical components;

determining that the estimated location of the first discoverable wireless device is less than a predetermined distance from the first electrical component; and

in response to the determining that the estimated location is less than the predetermined distance, transmitting an instruction signal from at least one of the two or more proximity monitors to the first electrical component to cause the first electrical component to modify an operating parameter of the first electrical component, thereby switching the first electrical component from an ON state to a SAFETY state.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein in the SAFETY state the first electrical component is off.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein in the SAFETY state a trip threshold associated with the first electrical component is lowered, and wherein the first electrical component is an electronic circuit breaker.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein in the SAFETY state a current flow to the first electrical component is reduced.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

tracking the first discoverable wireless device via the two or more proximity monitors;

estimating an updated location of the first discoverable wireless device with respect to the first electrical component;

determining that the updated location of the first discoverable wireless device is greater than the predetermined distance from the first electrical component; and

in response to the determining that the updated location is greater than the predetermined distance, transmitting a second instruction signal from at least one of the two or more proximity monitors to the first electrical component to cause the first electrical component to modify the operating parameter of the first electrical component, thereby switching the first electrical component from the SAFETY state to the ON state a predetermined period of time after receiving the second instruction signal.