System and method for monitoring and controlling remote devices

• US 6,437,692 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SIPCO LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Statsignal Systems Incorporated (Statsignal)
• Inventors: Petite, Thomas D., Huff, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/439,059
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 340/531, 340/539, 340/3.1, 340/426, 340/540, 340/521, 340/870.01, 340/870.03, 340/870.07, 340/870.08, 340/870.16, 340/870.17, 340/988, 700/108, 343/711, 343/700.R, 343/720, 702/56
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25198 Brouter: transfers data from wireless to wired networks, router: wired to wired
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31162 Wireless lan
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• 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 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• 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: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a system for monitoring a variety of environmental and/or other conditions within a defined remotely located region. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a system is configured to monitor utility meters in a defined area. The system is implemented by using a plurality of wireless transmitters, wherein each wireless transmitter is integrated into a sensor adapted to monitor a particular data input. The system also includes a plurality of transceivers that are dispersed throughout the region at defined locations. The system uses a local gateway to translate and transfer information from the transmitters to a dedicated computer on a network. The dedicated computer, collects, compiles, and stores the data for retrieval upon client demand across the network. The computer further includes means for evaluating the received information and identifying an appropriate control signal, the system further including means for applying the control signal at a designated actuator.

Claims

1. A system for remote data collection, assembly, and storage comprising:

a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that formats and stores select information for retrieval upon demand from a remotely located device, said computer integrated with a wide area network (WAN);

at least one wireless transmitter configured to transmit select information and transmitter identification information;

a plurality of relatively low-power radio-frequency (RF) transceivers dispersed geographically at defined locations configured to receive select information transmitted from at least one nearby wireless transmitter and further configured to transmit the select information, the transmitter identification information and transceiver identification information; and

at least one gateway connected to the wide area network configured to receive and translate the select information, the transmitter identification information, and transceiver identification information, said gateway further configured to farther transmit the translated information to the computer over the WAN.

2. The system defined in claim 1, the computer program further comprising:

a first segment for evaluating received information to identify an originating transmitter;

a second segment for evaluating the received information and identifying transceivers that relayed the select information from the originating transmitter to the gateway;

a third segment for evaluating the select information transmitted from the originating transmitter embedded within the received information; and

a fourth segment responsive to the first, second, and third segments for determining an action to be taken based upon the select information, the identified originating transmitter, and the identified transceivers.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein each wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a relatively low-power radio-frequency (RF) signal.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein each wireless transmitter is integrated with a sensor.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the RF signal transmitted by the transceiver contains a concatenation of information comprising select information and transmitter identification information from the originating transmitter and transceiver identification information for each transceiver that receives and repeats the RF signal.

6. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein the at least one transmitter is replaced by a transceiver, the transceiver further integrated with an actuator.

7. The system as defined in claim 6, wherein the transceivers are configured to communicate with the gateway via a RF signal.

8. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein the computer is further configured to respond to received select information by communicating a control signal to at least one transceiver, wherein the actuator integrated with the transceiver is responsive to the control signal.

9. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein select transceivers further include a microphone, a speaker, and means for communicating two-way voice information to the WAN via the transceivers.

10. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the gateway is permanently connected to the WAN.

11. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the gateway includes one selected from the group consisting of:

a modem for establishing a dial-up connection with a remote computer;

a network card for communicating across a local area network;

a network card for communicating across the WAN;

a DSL modem; and

an ISDN card to permit backup access to the computer.

12. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the gateway translates the select information, the transmitter identification, and the transceiver identification information into TCP/IP for communication over the WAN.

13. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the WAN is the Internet.

14. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the WAN is a dedicated Intranet.

15. The system as defined in claim 2, further including a first lookup table that is utilized by the first segment, wherein the first lookup table is configured to associate a plurality of unique transmitter identification numbers with a plurality of unique transmitter identifiers, wherein each transmitter identification number is uniquely associated with a unique transmitter identifier.

16. The system as defined in claim 15, further including a second lookup table that is utilized by the second segment, wherein the second lookup table is configured to associate a plurality of unique transceiver identification numbers with a plurality of unique geographic locations, wherein each transceiver identification number is uniquely associated with a unique geographic location.

17. The system as defined in claim 16, further including a third lookup table that is utilized by the third segment, wherein the first lookup table is configured to associate a plurality of unique transmitter codes with a plurality of unique information fields associated with the transmitter codes, wherein each transmitter code is uniquely associated with a unique information field.

18. A method for collecting information and providing data services comprising:

adaptively configuring at least one transmitter with a sensor wherein the transmitter generates an information signal consisting of a transmitter identification code and an information field;

placing a plurality of relatively low-power radio-frequency (RF) transceivers dispersed geographically wherein the information signal is received and repeated as required to communicate the information signal to a gateway, the gateway providing access to a WAN;

translating the information signal within the gateway into a WAN compatible data transfer protocol;

transferring the information signal via the WAN to a computer wherein the computer is configured to manipulate and store data provided in the information signal; and

granting client access to the computer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the WAN is the Internet.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the WAN is an Intranet.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the computer is configured to provide the information in hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

22. The method of claim 18, wherein clients access the information using a web browser.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of adaptively configuring at least one transmitter is modified to replace the sensor with a global positioning system receiver.

24. A method for controlling a system comprising:

remotely collecting data from at least one sensor;

processing the data into a radio-frequency (RF) signal;

transmitting the RF signal, via a relatively low-power RF transceiver, to a gateway;

translating the data in the RF signal into a network transfer protocol;

sending the translated data to a computer, wherein the computer is configured to appropriately respond to the data generated by the at least one sensor by generating an appropriate control signal;

sending the control signal via the network to the gateway;

translating the control signal from a network transfer protocol into a RF control signal;

transmitting the RF control signal;

receiving the RF control signal;

translating the received RF control signal into an analog signal; and

applying the analog signal to an actuator to effect the desired system response.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the RF signal contains a concatenation of information comprising encoded data information and transmitter identification information from an originating transmitter.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of transmitting the RF signal is further performed by at least one transceiver, wherein the transceiver is configured to concatenate a transceiver identification code to the RF signal.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of transmitting the RF control signal is further performed by at least one transceiver, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive and transmit the RF control signal.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the steps of translating and applying the received RF control signal are performed only by an identified transceiver electrically integrated with an actuator.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the network is the Internet.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the network is an Intranet.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the network transfer protocol is TCP/IP.

32. A system for monitoring remote devices comprising:

at least one sensor adapted to generate an electrical signal in response to a physical condition;

at least one wireless transmitter configured to encode the electrical signal, the wireless transmitter further configured to transmit the encoded electrical signal and transmitter identification information in a low-power radio-frequency (RF) signal;

at least one gateway connected a wide area network (WAN) configured to receive and translate the RF signal, the gateway further configured to deliver the encoded electrical signal and transmitter identification information to a computer on the WAN; and

a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that formats and stores select information responsive to the electrical signal for retrieval upon demand from a remotely located device.

33. The system defined in claim 32, the at least one computer program further comprising:

a first segment for evaluating received information to identify an originating transmitter;

a second segment for evaluating the received information and identifying transceivers that relayed the select information from the originating transmitter to the gateway;

a third segment for evaluating the select information transmitted from the originating transmitter embedded within the received information; and

a fourth segment responsive to the first, second, and third segments for determining an action to be taken based upon the select information, the identified originating transmitter, and the identified transceivers.

34. The system as defined in claim 32, wherein each wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a relatively low-power radio-frequency (RF) signal.

35. The system as defined in claim 32, wherein the at least one gateway is permanently connected to the WAN.

36. The system as defined in claim 32, wherein the gateway translates the encoded electrical signal, the transmitter identification, and the transceiver identification information into TCP/IP for communication over the WAN.

37. The system as defined in claim 32, wherein the WAN is the Internet.

38. The system as defined in claim 32, wherein the WAN is a dedicated Intranet.

39. The system as defined in claim 33, further including a first lookup table that is utilized by the first segment, wherein the first lookup table is configured to associate a plurality of unique transmitter identification numbers with a plurality of unique transmitter identifiers, wherein each transmitter identification number is uniquely associated with a unique transmitter identifier.

40. The system as defined in claim 39, further including a second lookup table that is utilized by the second segment, wherein the second lookup table is configured to associate a plurality of unique transceiver identification numbers with a plurality of unique geographic locations, wherein each transceiver identification number is uniquely associated with a unique geographic location.

41. The system as defined in claim 40, further including a third lookup table that is utilized by the third segment, wherein the first lookup table is configured to associate a plurality of unique transmitter codes with a plurality of unique information fields associated with the transmitter codes, wherein each transmitter code is uniquely associated with a unique information field.

42. A system for controlling remote devices comprising:

a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that generates at least one control signal responsive to a system input signal;

said computer integrated with a wide area network (WAN);

at least one gateway connected to the WAN configured to receive and translate the at least one control signal;

said gateway further configured to transmit a radio-frequency (RF) signal containing the control signal and destination information;

at least one wireless low-power RF transceiver configured to receive the RF signal from the gateway;

said wireless transceiver configured to translate the RF signal to an analog output signal, the wireless transceiver electrically coupled with an actuator; and

an actuator configured to receive the analog output signal from the wireless transceiver, the actuator further configured to translate the analog output signal into a response.

43. The system defined in claim 42, the system input signal comprising:

a concatenation of information including data from a sensor, transceiver identification information from the originating transceiver, and transceiver identification information for each transceiver that receives and repeats the RF signal.

44. The system defined in claim 42, at least one computer program further comprising:

a first segment for evaluating a system input signal to identify an originating transceiver;

a second segment for evaluating the system input signal and identifying transceivers that relayed the system input from the originating transceiver to the gateway;

a third segment for evaluating the system input signal transmitted from the originating transceiver; and

a fourth segment responsive to the first, second, and third segments for determining an action to be taken based upon the data from a sensor, the identified originating transceiver, and the identified transceivers.

45. The system as defined in claim 42, wherein the at least one gateway is permanently connected to the WAN.

46. The system as defined in claim 42, wherein the gateway translates the RF signal and the RF control signal into TCP/IP for communication over the WAN.

47. The system as defined in claim 42, wherein the WAN is the Internet.

48. The system as defined in claim 42, wherein the WAN is a dedicated Intranet.

49. A system for managing an arrangement of application specific remote devices comprising:

a computer configured to execute a multiplicity of computer programs, each computer program executed to generate at least one control signal in response to at least one application system input, said computer integrated with a wide area network (WAN);

at least one gateway connected to the WAN configured as a two-way communication device to receive and translate the at least one control signal and the at least one application system input;

said gateway further configured to translate and transmit a radio-frequency (RF) signal containing the control signal and destination information, said gateway further configured to receive and translate the at least one application system input and source information;

at least one wireless relatively low-power RF transceiver per computer program configured to receive the RF signal from the gateway;

said wireless transceiver configured to translate the RF signal to an analog output signal, the wireless transceiver electrically coupled with an actuator and a sensor;

an actuator configured to receive the analog output signal from the wireless transceiver, the actuator further configured to translate the analog output signal into a response; and

a sensor configured to translate a physical condition into an analog version of the application system input.

50. The system as defined in claim 49, wherein the at least one gateway is permanently connected to the WAN.

51. The system as defined in claim 49, wherein the at least one gateway translates the RF signal and the RF control signal into TCP/IP for communication over the WAN.

52. The system as defined in claim 49, wherein the WAN is the Internet.

53. The system as defined in claim 49, wherein the WAN is a dedicated Intranet.

54. The system as defined in claim 49, wherein the at least one gateway is connected to the WAN by a network selected from the group consisting of a telecommunications network, private radio-frequency network, and a computer network.

55. A method for collecting information and providing data services comprising:

adaptively configuring a data translator at the output of a local controller, wherein the data translator converts the output data stream into an information signal consisting of a transmitter code and an information field;

adaptively configuring at least one transmitter with the data translator, wherein the transmitter converts the information signal into a low-power RF signal;

placing a plurality of relatively low-power radio-frequency (RF) transceivers dispersed geographically wherein the low-power RF signal is received and repeated as required to communicate the information signal to a gateway, the gateway providing access to a WAN;

translating the low-power RF signal within the gateway into a WAN compatible data transfer protocol;

transferring the translated low-power RF signal via the WAN to a computer wherein the computer is configured to manipulate and store data provided in said signal; and

granting client access to the computer.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the WAN is the Internet.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the WAN is an Intranet.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the computer is configured to provide the information in hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

59. The method of claim 55, wherein clients access the information using a web browser.

60. A method for controlling an existing control system with a local controller comprising:

adaptively configuring a data translator disposed between and in communication with both a local controller and a wireless transceiver, wherein the data translator is configured to translate the local controller data stream into an information signal consisting of a transceiver identification code and a concatenation of function codes, the data translator further configured to translate control signals from the wireless transceiver into local controller recognized control signals;

remotely collecting data from at least one relatively low-power radio-frequency (RF) transceiver integrated with the data translator;

processing the data into a RF signal;

transmitting the RF signal to a gateway;

translating the data in the RF signal into a network transfer protocol;

sending the translated data to a computer, wherein the computer is configured to appropriately respond to the data generated by at least one sensor by generating an appropriate control signal;

sending the control signal via the network to the gateway;

translating the control signal from a network transfer protocol into a RF control signal;

transmitting the RF control signal;

receiving the RF control signal;

translating the received RF control signal into a local controller recognized control signal; and

applying the local controller recognized control signal via a local controller to effect the desired system response.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of transmitting the RF control signal is further performed by at least one transceiver, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive and transmit the RF control signal.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the network is the Internet.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein the network is an Intranet.

64. The method of claim 60, wherein the network transfer protocol is TCP/IP.