ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DEVICE

• US 20140266682A1
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leeo, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leeo, Incorporated
• Inventors: GETTINGS, Adam M., STEVENS, Andrew G., HOVLAND, Bjorn H.
• Application Number:
  US14/263,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/517
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/72 Signcrypting, i.e. digital signing and encrypting simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An environmental monitoring device that monitors the operation of a legacy electronic device is described. In particular, a sensor in the environmental monitoring device provides sensor data that represents an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device. This environmental condition is associated with the operation of the legacy electronic device in the external environment. The environmental monitoring device analyzes the sensor data and provides feedback about the operation of the legacy electronic device based on the analyzed sensor data. Moreover, the sensor provides the sensor data without or excluding communication and/or electrical coupling between the environmental monitoring device and the legacy electronic device. In this way, the environmental monitoring device facilitates monitoring, analysis and feedback of the sensor data without directly interacting with the legacy electronic device.

Claims

1. An environmental monitoring device, comprising:

a sensor configured to provide sensor data for an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the sensor data represents an environmental condition that is associated with operation of a legacy electronic device in the external environment;

wherein the environmental monitoring device is configured to analyze the sensor data and to provide feedback about the operation of the legacy electronic device based on the analyzed sensor data; and

wherein the sensor provides the sensor data without communication between the environmental monitoring device and the legacy electronic device.

2. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the environmental monitoring device further comprises:

a processor; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, which stores a program module configured to be executed by the processor, the program module including;

instructions for receiving the sensor data;

instructions for the analyzing; and

instructions for the providing.

3. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor provides the sensor data without electrical coupling between the environmental monitoring device and the legacy electronic device.

4. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes one of:

a particle count, a particle size, a concentration of a chemical, a composition of the chemical, temperature, humidity, acoustic information, video, thermal information, vibration information, acceleration information, motion information, microanalysis information, mass-spectrometry information, and chemical-analysis information.

5. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the environmental condition includes one of:

presence of an individual, presence of a chemical compound, presence of an allergen, presence of dust, presence of a fungus, a fire, presence of smoke, flooding, a water leak, a chemical leak, presence of an insect, presence of a rodent, availability of electrical power, a lighting condition, temperature deviating from a predefined target, and humidity deviating from a predefined target.

6. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the environmental monitoring device further comprises a physiological output device configured to provide sensory information;

and

wherein the feedback is provided via the physiological output device.

7. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the environmental monitoring device further comprises:

an antenna; and

an interface circuit, coupled to the antenna, configured to communicate with an aggregation electronic device that is other than the legacy electronic device, wherein the providing involves communicating the feedback to the aggregation electronic device via the interface circuit and the antenna.

8. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the legacy electronic device includes one of:

a smoke detector, a thermostat, a carbon-monoxide detector, an appliance, a clock, a security alarm, a humidifier, an air filter, a switch and a light.

9. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an environmental monitoring device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to provide feedback, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for receiving sensor data associated with a sensor in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the sensor data is for an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the sensor data represents an environmental condition that is associated with operation of a legacy electronic device in the external environment, and wherein the legacy electronic device is separate from the environmental monitoring device;

instructions for analyzing the sensor data; and

instructions for providing the feedback about the operation of the legacy electronic device based on the analyzed sensor data.

10. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the sensor provides the sensor data without communication between the environmental monitoring device and the legacy electronic device.

11. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the sensor data includes one of:

a particle count, a particle size, a concentration of a chemical, a composition of the chemical, temperature, humidity, acoustic information, video, thermal information, vibration information, acceleration information, motion information, microanalysis information, mass-spectrometry information, and chemical-analysis information.

12. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the environmental condition includes one of:

presence of an individual, presence of a chemical compound, presence of an allergen, presence of dust, presence of a fungus, a tire, presence of smoke, flooding, a water leak, a chemical leak, presence of an insect, presence of a rodent, availability of electrical power, a lighting condition, temperature deviating from a predefined target, and humidity deviating from a predefined target.

13. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the feedback is provided via a physiological output device in the environmental monitoring device that provides sensory information.

14. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the instructions for providing the feedback involves communication with an aggregation electronic device.

15. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the legacy electronic device includes one of:

a smoke detector, a thermostat, a carbon-monoxide detector, an appliance, a clock, a security alarm, a humidifier, an air filter, a switch and a light.

16. A processor-implemented method for providing feedback, wherein the method comprises:

receiving sensor data associated with a sensor in an environmental monitoring device, wherein the sensor data is for an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the sensor data represents an environmental condition that is associated with operation of a legacy electronic device in the external environment, and wherein the legacy electronic device is separate from the environmental monitoring device,

using the processor in the environmental monitoring device, analyzing the sensor data; and

providing the feedback about the operation of the legacy electronic device based on the analyzed sensor data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor provides the sensor data without communication between the environmental monitoring device and the legacy electronic device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor data includes one of:

a particle count, a particle size, a concentration of a chemical, a composition of the chemical, temperature, humidity, acoustic information, video, thermal information, vibration information, acceleration information, motion information, microanalysis information, mass-spectrometry information, and chemical-analysis information.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the environmental condition includes one of presence of an individual, presence of a chemical compound, presence of an allergen, presence of dust, presence of a fungus, a fire, presence of smoke, flooding, a water leak, a chemical leak, presence of an insect, presence of a rodent, availability of electrical power, a lighting condition, temperature deviating from a predefined target, and humidity deviating from a predefined target.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the legacy electronic device includes one of:

a smoke detector, a thermostat, a carbon-monoxide detector, an appliance, a clock, a security alarm, a humidifier, an air filter, a switch and a light.