REMOTE MONITORING UNIT WITH VARIOUS SENSORS

• US 20130300574A1
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Logimesh Ip LLC
• Original Assignee: Logimesh Ip LLC
• Inventors: Gillette, William J. II
• Application Number:
  US13/890,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300574A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.01
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/38 Devices for discharging contents containers formed by folding or erecting paper blanks B65D5/72 ; incorporated in removable or non-permanently secured closure members B65D47/00; for discharging thin flat articles B65D83/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/007 Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/085 with sensors measuring combustion processes, e.g. knocking, pressure, ionization, combustion flame
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/288 for performing a transformation into the frequency domain, e.g. Fourier transformation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/021 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 45/00 Electrical control not provided for in groups F02D41/00 - F02D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 7/006 Camshaft or pushrod housings
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 7/0068 Adaptations for other accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/102 by monitoring exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/12 by monitoring vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/025 Details with respect to the testing of engines or engine parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/22 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3254 using a flow detector G01M3/3245, G01M3/3272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/70 for vehicles, e.g. to determine permissible loading of ships , centre of gravity, necessary fuel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 : Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 : Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 : Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 : using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00032 : Systems characterised by the controlled or operated power network elements or equipment, the power network elements or equipment not otherwise provided for circuits specially adapted for remote switching of lighting via the power line H05B47/185
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 : characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/82 : Connection of interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 : With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid

Abstract

A sensor device can comprise at least one sensor operatively coupled to a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive a measured input from the at least one sensor; and a wireless communication device coupled to the controller. Further, the wireless communication device can be configured to communicate with a coordinator. In various embodiments, the at least one sensor can include a volume sensor, a flow meter sensor, a total dissolved solids sensor, an infrared thermal monitor, an air quality sensor, or any combination thereof.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

at least one sensor operatively coupled to a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive a measured input from the at least one sensor; and

a wireless communication device coupled to the controller, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to communicate with a coordinator.

2. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device further comprises a power source, such as solar power or thermal power.

3. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is coupled to a fluid holding tank.

4. The sensor device of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor is a volume sensor configured to determine the fluid volume in the fluid holding tank.

5. The sensor device of claim 4, wherein the volume sensor is a pressure transducer located near the bottom of the fluid holding tank.

6. The sensor device of claim 4, wherein data from the volume sensor is used to determine a fill rate of the fluid holding tank based on a rate of volume change.

7. The sensor device of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor is a flow meter sensor configured to determine the flow rate into in the fluid holding tank.

8. The sensor device of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is a total dissolved solids (TDS) sensor configured to monitor fluid composition in the fluid holding tank.

9. The sensor device of claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor is an infrared thermal monitor configured to monitor flumes from a tank vent of the fluid holding tank, wherein the infrared thermal monitor is configured for sensing volatile organic compounds.

10. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is an air quality sensor configured to measure air pollutants surrounding the fluid holding tank.

11. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to transmit data from the at least one sensor to the coordinator.

12. The sensor device of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to transmit using at least one of a satellite communication network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless mobile telephone network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a Personal Communication Service (PCS) network, and an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) network.

13. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is one of a plurality of sensor devices in a monitoring system.

14. The sensor device of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices is configured to communicate with at least one other sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices.

15. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device transmits data to the coordinator at regular intervals.

16. The sensor device of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication device further transmits data to the central server in response to the measured input exceeding a predetermined threshold.

17. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the coordinator is in communication with a central server, and wherein the coordinator is configured to transmit data from the at least one sensor to the central server.

18. The sensor device of claim 17, wherein the coordinator is configured to filter the data from the at least one sensor into reduced data prior to transmission to the central server.

19. The sensor device of claims 17-18, wherein the data is transmitted to the central server in real-time.

20. The sensor device of claims 17-18, wherein the data is transmitted to the central server in batch format.