ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING SENSOR NODE

• US 20200132644A1
• Filed: 10/31/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarity Movement Co.
• Original Assignee: Clarity Movement Co.
• Inventors: Micalizzi, Paolo, Singh, Baljot, Talwar, Deepak, Lu, Dengjun
• Granted Patent: US 11,300,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0006 Calibrating gas analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A sensor node includes a sensor node printed circuit board, a sensor module, and a communication module. The sensor node printed circuit board manages power of the sensor node circuitry, the sensor module and the communication module such that power is provided from a primary power supply supplemented by a secondary power supply. The sensor module includes a plurality of air quality sensors to measure the concentration of air pollutants. The sensor module may be replaceable. The communication module may communicate air quality measurements to and receive configurations from a data management platform, which may perform processes to improve the accuracy of the air quality measurements.

Claims

1. A compact sensor apparatus comprising:

a power module configured to supply a reliable power supply from a primary power source supplemented by a secondary power source;

a sensor module configured to monitor a gas for one or more characteristics;

a communication module configured to establish a wireless communication channel over a network with a host;

a controller configured to manage the sensor module and to send measurement data to the host by way of the wireless communication channel;

a printed circuit board configured to interconnect the power module, the reliable power supply, the controller, and the communication module; and

an enclosure configured to house the printed circuit board, the power module, the sensor module, the communication module, and the controller.

2. The compact sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas is ambient air.

3. The compact sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power module comprises a power management circuit configured to monitor electrical load and maintain the reliable power supply by selectively supplying supplemental power from a battery in response to the primary power source supplying power below a threshold.

4. The compact sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary power source comprises one of a wired power supply and a solar power module and the secondary power source comprises a battery.

5. The compact sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a body and a lid, the lid comprising a gimbal fastener configured to connect a solar power module to the lid.

6. A system comprising:

an interchangeable sensor module configured to monitor an air sample for one or more characteristics;

an enclosure comprising the interchangeable sensor module, a power module configured to supply power, a communication module configured to establish a wireless communication channel over a network with a host, a controller configured to manage the interchangeable sensor module and to send measurement data to the host by way of the wireless communication channel; and

a universal mount configured to mount the enclosure in a plurality of mounting configurations.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the enclosure is configured to atmospherically isolate the interchangeable sensor module from the power module, the communication module, and the controller;

the system further comprising removable fasteners configured to engage the enclosure and the interchangeable sensor module.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the interchangeable sensor module comprises an inlet port and an outlet port and wherein the enclosure comprises a pair of openings, each opening sized and positioned to align with one of the inlet port and the outlet port.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein in the power module comprises a solar power module configured to supply current as a primary power source and a battery configured to selectively supply current as the primary power source and to supplement power supplied by the solar power module.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the enclosure comprises a battery compartment configured to receive the battery and to integrate the battery with the system and a gimbal fastener configured to engage the solar power module and to integrate the solar power module with the system.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the enclosure comprises two or more openings, a body, one or more seals, and a lid, the lid fastened to the body by way of removable fasteners;

wherein the seals, openings and lid are configured to engage the body to provide a liquid ingress protection rating greater than four.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the enclosure comprises a body and a lid, the lid permanently connected to the body, the enclosure comprising an opening and a door, the door configured to seal the opening from moisture ingress when the door is closed, the opening sized to slidably accept the interchangeable sensor module.

13. The system of claim 6, further comprising a printed circuit board configured to connect the power module, the communication module, and the controller, the printed circuit board further comprising an input/output connector configured to couple the interchangeable sensor module to the printed circuit board.

14. The system of claim 6, further comprising a second interchangeable sensor module configured to monitor one or more environmental characteristics, the second interchangeable sensor module configured to sit within the enclosure and configured to removably couple to the controller and the power module.

15. A method comprising:

placing a first sensor node near a reference monitor within a region;

placing a plurality of sensor nodes at various locations within the region;

gathering measurement data from the first sensor node, the reference monitor, and the plurality of sensor nodes;

determining a calibration profile for each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes based on measurement data from the reference monitor and the first sensor node; and

applying the calibration profile for each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes to measurement data from each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes to obtain calibrated measurement data for each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein applying the calibration profile comprises wirelessly communicating a calibration profile to each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes and wherein the first sensor node and reference monitor comprise a co-location pair.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the calibration profile comprises determining a calibration model for the first sensor node and determining a set of calibration constants for the first sensor node.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the calibration profile comprises applying the calibration model to measurement data for one or more of the plurality of sensor nodes to generate calibrated measurement data.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the calibration profile and applying the calibration profile for each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes are performed at a host in communication with the first sensor node, the reference monitor, and the plurality of sensor nodes by way of a network.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the calibration profile for each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes further comprises communicating the calibration profile for each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes to each of the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes such that the first sensor node and the plurality of sensor nodes apply the calibration profile to generate calibrated measurement data.