Monitoring system with power supply built therein

• US 6,725,179 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1999
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TLV Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: TLV Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nagase, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US09/417,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702/58, 702/59, 702/60, 702/182, 702/188, 735/92, 737/05, 731/46, 602/77, 600/587, 477/98, 379/106.06
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output

Abstract

A monitoring system with a power supply built therein, which is capable of setting installation expenses at low cost and obtaining a stable result of monitoring for a predetermined period. The monitoring system comprises a sensor unit having sensors and a power supply incorporated therein, and a portable data logger having a communication module and a power supply built therein. Physical quantities such as vibrations, temperatures, and pressure, of an object to be monitored are detected by the sensors, followed by transmission to the portable data logger, whereby the state of operation of the object is displayed.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a sensor unit for sensing at least one physical quantity to be monitored, the at least one physical quantity corresponding to at least one of a temperature, a pressure, a vibration, a sound, a conductance, a concentration, and a pH;

an arithmetic display unit for performing one of a determining operation and a deciding operation based on the at least one physical quantity sensed by the sensor unit in order to obtain an indication of whether an object to be monitored is functioning according to one of a status corresponding to a normal operation and a status corresponding to a failure in a near future;

a communication module for performing a wireless communication in order to transmit and receive a signal between the sensor unit and the arithmetic display unit;

a coupling portion for coupling the sensor unit and the communication module to each other;

a connection for a driving power supply capable of being arranged in at least one of the sensor unit, the arithmetic display unit, and the coupling portion, wherein;

the object to be monitored corresponds to one of a valve, a steam trap, and equipment with rotary machines in a plant, the object to be monitored including an interior for allowing a fluid to pass therethrough,

the sensor unit is mounted with respect to the object to be monitored in accordance with one of a direct mounting on the object to be monitored and a mounting in a vicinity of the object to be monitored,

the sensor unit includes a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors and the communication module being arranged according to a divided form,

the plurality of sensors are directly attached to the object to be monitored, and the communication module is mounted away from the plurality of sensors in a vicinity of the object to be monitored.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a limiter for providing a signal when one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a value detected by the sensor unit exceeds a predetermined set value.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is directly attached to a fastener including one of a bolt and a nut attached to the object to be monitored.

4. A monitoring system for monitoring at least one object exhibiting a physically measurable characteristic, comprising:

a sensor unit for detecting the at least one object and including;

at least one sensor,

a first processing device in communication with the at least one sensor and for producing information based on a detection operation performed by the at least one sensor,

a first communication device for transmitting the information produced by the first processing device, and a connection for accepting a power supply; and

a data collecting device for collecting the information produced by the first processing device and including;

a second communication device for receiving the information produced by the first processing device,

a second processing device,

a memory for storing the information produced by the first processing device, and

a third communication device for transmitting the information produced by the first processing device to a third processing device, wherein the first communication device draws from the power supply an energy for performing a transmission of the information produced by the first processing device after the first communication device receives an activation command.

5. The monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein:

the first communication device includes a communication module for performing a wireless communication in order to transmit and receive a signal between the sensor unit and the data collecting device,

the at least one object corresponds to one of a valve, a steam trap, and equipment with rotary machines in a plant, the at least one object including an interior for allowing a fluid to pass therethrough,

the sensor unit is mounted with respect to the at least one object in accordance with one of a direct mounting on the at least one object and a mounting in a vicinity of the at least one object,

the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors and the communication module being arranged according to a divided form,

the plurality of sensors are directly attached to the at least one object, and

the communication module is mounted away from the plurality of sensors in a vicinity of the object to be monitored.

6. A monitoring system for monitoring at least one object exhibiting a physically measurable characteristic, comprising:

a sensor unit for detecting the at least one object and including;

at least one sensor,

a connection for accepting a power supply,

a first processing device in communication with the at least one sensor and for producing information based on a detection operation performed by the at least one sensor, wherein the first processing device includes a timer for measuring a predetermined time period, and

a first communication device for transmitting the information produced by the first processing device, wherein the sensor unit is energized when the timer has measured the predetermined time period; and

a data collecting device for collecting the information produced by the first processing device and including;

a second communication device for receiving the information produced by the first processing device,

a second processing device,

a memory for storing the information produced by the first processing device, and

a third communication device for transmitting the information produced by the first processing device to a third processing device.

7. The monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein:

the first communication device includes a communication module for performing a wireless communication in order to transmit and receive a signal between the sensor unit and the data collecting device,

the at least one object corresponds to one of a valve, a steam trap, and equipment with rotary machines in a plant, the at least one object including an interior for allowing a fluid to pass therethrough,

the sensor unit is mounted with respect to the at least one object in accordance with one of a direct mounting on the at least one object and a mounting in a vicinity of the at least one object,

the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors and the communication module being arranged according to a divided form,

the plurality of sensors are directly attached to the at least one object, and

the communication module is mounted away from the plurality of sensors in a vicinity of the object to be monitored.

8. A monitoring system for monitoring at least one object exhibiting a physically measurable characteristic, comprising:

a sensor unit for detecting the at least one object and including;

at least one sensor,

a first processing device in communication with the at least one sensor and for producing information based on a detection operation performed by the at least one sensor,

a first communication device for transmitting the information produced by the first processing device, and

a connection for accepting a power supply;

a data collecting device for collecting the information produced by the first processing device and including;

a second communication device for receiving the information produced by the first processing device,

a second processing device,

a memory for storing the information produced by the first processing device, and

a third communication device for transmitting the information produced by the first processing device to a third processing device; and

a repeater unit including;

a fourth communication device, wherein the fourth communication device receives the information produced by the first processing device from the first communication device and transmits the information produced by the first processing device to the second communication device.

9. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein:

the first communication device includes a communication module for performing a wireless communication in order to transmit and receive a signal between the sensor unit and the data collecting device,

the at least one object corresponds to one of a valve, a steam trap, and equipment with rotary machines in a plant, the at least one object including an interior for allowing a fluid to pass therethrough,

the sensor unit is mounted with respect to the at least one object in accordance with one of a direct mounting on the at least one object and a mounting in a vicinity of the at least one object,

the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors and the communication module being arranged according to a divided form,

the plurality of sensors are directly attached to the at least one object, and

the communication module is mounted away from the plurality of sensors in a vicinity of the object to be monitored.