Structural Foundation Monitoring Sensor Sytem

• US 20160340856A1
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aquadation, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aquadation, LLC
• Inventors: Conner, James Calvin, Copeland, Christopher Scott, Jackson, Patrick Edward, Krawl, DeWayne Ernest, Wesson, Davis S., Weston, Timothy R., Hakim, Omar Besim, Shumate, Scott William
• Granted Patent: US 10,526,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/01 Flat foundations
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/12 Pile foundations
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/34 Foundations for sinking or earthquake territories building constructions with protection arrangements against earthquakes E04H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/06 against corrosion by soil or water
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/10 against soil pressure or hydraulic pressure anchored foundations E02D27/50; joint sealings for use under hydraulic pressure E02D31/04
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 35/00 Straightening, lifting, or lowering of foundation structures or of constructions erected on foundations foundations for sinking territories with incorporated means for remedying settlement E02D27/34; lifting or moving buildings E04G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/04 Transmission means between sensing element and final indicator for giving an enlarged reading
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 21/00 Systems involving sampling of the variable controlled G05B13/00 - G05B19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for detecting a change in an orientation of a portion of a structure. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a processor, an energy storage unit, a location reporting unit, a wireless communication module and one or more inclination sensors. In some embodiments, each of the one or more inclination sensors is configured to measure inclination by measuring an orientation of the each of the one or more inclination sensors relative to a gravitational acceleration vector.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a change in an orientation of a portion of a structure:

processor;

energy storage unit;

one or more inclination sensors, wherein

each of the one or more inclination sensors is configured to measure inclination by measuring an orientation of the each of the one or more inclination sensors relative to a gravitational acceleration vector;

a location reporting unit; and

a wireless communication module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the one or more inclination sensors further comprise a plurality of accelerometers,

the structure is stationary with regard to location, and

the apparatus is rigidly attached to a fixed portion of the structure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is configured to periodically activate the wireless communication unit at intervals such that the inclination sensors remain powered less than 2.0% of a period that the apparatus is in use.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is configured to periodically activate the inclination sensors at intervals such that the inclination sensors remain powered less than 0.2% (2 tenths of one percent or 2 1000ths of a period that the apparatus is in use).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is configured to periodically activate the inclination sensors at intervals such that the inclination sensors remain powered less than 0.2% (2 tenths of one percent) or 2 1000ths of a period that the apparatus is in use.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the energy storage unit comprises a solar cell array, and

one or more capacitors connected to the solar cell array for storing power received from the solar cell array and delivering power to one or more components of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor for recording a temperature adjacent to the plurality of inclination sensors (define adjacent in the spec or die).

8. A method for detecting a change in an orientation of a portion of a structure, the method comprising:

measuring inclination by measuring an orientation of each of one or more inclination sensors relative to a gravitational acceleration vector; and

reporting the respective orientations of the each of the one or more inclination sensors relative to the gravitational acceleration vector.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

de-activating the activate the inclination sensors at intervals such that the inclination sensors remain powered less than 0.2% (2 tenths of one percent) or 2 1000ths of a period that an apparatus including the sensors is in use

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the reporting further comprises:

attempting to report the respective orientations of the each of the one or more inclination sensors to a local master control unit by radio;

responsive to the inability to report the respective orientations of the each of the one or more inclination sensors to the local master control unit over a short-range wireless network, attempting to report the respective orientations of the each of the one or more inclination sensors to a local peer sensor unit; and

responsive to the inability to report the respective orientations of the each of the one or more inclination sensors to the peer sensor unit, storing and queuing the respective orientations of the each of the one or more inclination sensors for communication in a subsequent attempt at a subsequent reporting interval.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

reporting location information of the one or more inclination sensors.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

reporting location information of the one or more inclination sensors, wherein the reporting location information comprises reporting a coordinate location on a fixed structure.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

reporting location information of the one or more inclination sensors, wherein the reporting location information comprises reporting a GPS coordinate location.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

recording a temperature adjacent to the plurality of inclination sensors; and

reporting the temperature adjacent to the plurality of inclination sensors.

15. A system, comprising

one or more sensor units configured to perform

measuring inclination by measuring an orientation of each of one or more inclination sensors relative to a gravitational acceleration vector, and

reporting the respective orientations of the each of the one or more inclination sensors relative to the gravitational acceleration vector;

and

a data aggregator configured to perform

reporting data received from the one or more sensor units to a remote data repository.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising

an irrigation controller for controlling application of water to a foundation of a structure based upon commands received from a remote command authority.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein

the controlling application of water to a foundation of a structure based upon commands received from a remote command authority further comprises controlling application of respective specified amounts of water to each of one or more specified irrigation zones adjacent to the foundation of the structure based upon the commands received from the remote command authority.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising

a remote processing system configured to perform receiving data from the one or more irrigation controllers;

determining, based at least in part upon the data, respective specified amounts of water for each of one or more specified irrigation zones adjacent to the foundation of the structure; and

generating irrigation controller commands for the controlling the application of the respective specified amounts of water to the each of the one or more specified irrigation zones adjacent to the foundation of the structure.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein

the determining, based at least in part upon the data, respective specified amounts of water for each of one or more specified irrigation zones adjacent to the foundation of the structure further comprises

determining, based at least in part upon the data and a foundation topography survey, respective specified amounts of water for each of one or more specified irrigation zones adjacent to the foundation of the structure.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein

the determining, based at least in part upon the data, respective specified amounts of water for each of one or more specified irrigation zones adjacent to the foundation of the structure further comprises

determining, based at least in part upon the data, historical feedback information related to results of previous commands, respective specified amounts of water for each of one or more specified irrigation zones adjacent to the foundation of the structure.