Method and system for transmitting, receiving, and collecting information related to a plurality of working components

• US 7,254,372 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: van der Pol, Paul, Payne, Stephen C., Janusz, Gerald E., Prell, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cho; Un C.
• Application Number:
  US10/940,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20050054292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/11.1, 455/16, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/90.1, 455/88, 370/338, 340517-521, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.09, 340/870.16
• US Class Current: 455/88
• 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 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system for transmitting, receiving, and collecting information related to a plurality of working components, such as street lamps, allows for efficient and effective monitoring and controlling of working components through short-distance radio communications at low power levels. In a preferred implementation of the present invention, a communications network includes a plurality of transceiver modules, each of which is secured and operably connected to a working component. These transceiver modules transmit and receive radio communications or “messages” representative of the status of the working component from one another in a controlled manner, with each message ultimately being directed to an area control module. At the area control module, the messages are collected and transferred to a network support server, which analyzes the information and data contained in such messages, and then transfers such information and data to control and display units through a computer network for review by end users. The control and display units further allow for control of the working components by initiating transmission of radio communications containing instructions or programming code to one or more particular transceiver modules.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information related to a plurality street lamps from each such street lamp to a central location, comprising the steps of:

attaching and operably connecting a transceiver module to street lamp, said transceiver module including at least a microcontroller and a radio transceiver operating at a power level of no more than 500 mW; and

positioning an area control module in the vicinity of the plurality of street lamps, said area control module including at least a microprocessor and a radio transceiver, and said area control module being in communication with said central location;

wherein, upon occurrence of a predetermined event,

the microcontroller associated with one of said transceiver modules initiating transmission of a message through the radio transceiver, said message containing the identification of and the status of the street lamp;

the message being received by the radio transceivers associated with one or more neighboring transceiver modules;

each of said receiving transceiver modules making a decision as to whether to re-transmit said message based on a determination of whether the transceiver module is on a designated path between the transceiver module from which the message originated and the area control module;

re-transmission of the message continuing along said designated path until the message is received at the area control module; and

said area control module communicating said message to the central location.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, in which a control message containing instructions can be initiated from the central location, communicated to the area control module for subsequent transmission to one or more intended transceiver modules, said area control module transmitting the message to one or more receiving transceiver modules within its transmission range, each of the receiving transceiver modules making a decision as to whether to re-transmit said message based on a determination of whether the receiving transceiver module is on a designated path between the area control module and the one or more intended transceiver modules.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, in which the one or more intended transceiver modules, upon receipt of the control message, execute the instructions contained therein.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, in which each transceiver module further includes a switch component for operational control of the street lamp based on instructions contained in the control message.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, in which each transceiver module further includes one or more sensors for sensing various operational parameters representative of the status of the street lamp to which the transceiver module is secured, each such sensor communicating the status information to the microcontroller of the transceiver module for interpretation by a diagnostics processor integral to the microcontroller and then subsequent transmission through the radio transceiver.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, in which each transceiver module further includes a switch component for operational control of the street lamp based on instructions contained in the control message.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, in which said one or more sensors includes a current sensor.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, in which said one or more sensors includes a voltage sensor.

9. The method as recited in claim 5, in which each said transceiver module is attached and operably connected to a particular street lamp by interposing the transceiver module between a photocontrol socket of the street lamp and a photocontroller associated with the street lamp.

10. A system for communicating information related to a plurality of street lamps, comprising:

a plurality of transceiver modules, each such transceiver module being secured and operably connected to a street lamp, each such transceiver module including at least a microcontroller and a radio transceiver operating at a power level of no more than 500 mW; and

at least one area control module positioned in the vicinity of the plurality of transceiver modules, said area control module including at least a microprocessor and a radio transceiver;

a network support server in communication with said area control module; and

one or more display and control units in communication with said network support server;

wherein, upon occurrence of a predetermined event,

the microcontroller associated with one of said transceiver modules initiating transmission of a message through the radio transceiver, said message containing the identification of and the status of the street lamp;

the message being received by the radio transceivers associated with one or more neighboring transceiver modules;

each of said receiving transceiver modules making a decision as to whether to re-transmit said message based on a determination of whether the transceiver module is on a designated path between the transceiver module from which the message originated and the area control module;

re-transmission of the message continuing along said designated path until the message is received at the area control module;

said area control module communicating said message to the network support server; and

said network support server analyzing said message, and communicating the status information contained therein to the one or more display and control units for review by an end user.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, in which the end user can initiate a control message containing instructions through the display and control units, said message being communicated to the area control module through the network support server for subsequent transmission to one or more intended transceiver modules, said area control module transmitting the message to one or more receiving transceiver modules within its transmission range, each of the receiving transceiver modules making a decision as to whether to re-transmit said message based on a determination of whether the receiving transceiver module is on a designated path between the area control module and the one or more intended transceiver modules.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, in which the one or more intended transceiver modules, upon receipt of the control message, execute the instructions contained therein.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, in which each transceiver module further includes a switch component for operational control of the street lamp based on instructions contained in the control message.

14. The system as recited in claim 10, in which each transceiver module further includes one or more sensors for sensing various operational parameters representative of the status of the street lamp to which it is secured, each such sensor communicating such status information to the microcontroller of the transceiver module for interpretation by a diagnostics processor integral to the microcontroller and then subsequent transmission through the radio transceiver.

15. The system as recited in claim 10, in which each said transceiver module is attached and operably connected to a particular street lamp by interposing the transceiver module between a photocontrol socket of the street lamp and a photocontroller associated with the street lamp.

16. A communications network for the monitoring and control of a plurality of independent street lamps, comprising:

a plurality of transceiver modules, each such transceiver module being secured and operably connected to one of said street lamps, each such transceiver module including at least a microcontroller for controlling operation and function of the transceiver module, and a radio transceiver;

at least one area control module positioned in the vicinity of the plurality of transceiver modules, said area control module including at least a microprocessor and a radio transceiver;

a network support server in communication with said area control module; and

one or more display and control units in communication with said network support server through an information network;

wherein a diagnostics message from one of said transceiver modules containing status information associated with the street lamp to which said one transceiver module is secured is (a) transmitted through the radio transceiver associated with the transceiver module, (b) received by one or more neighboring transceiver modules, (c) selectively re-transmitted by receiving transceiver modules until received by the area control module, and (d) communicated to the network support server by the area control module;

said network support server analyzing said message, and communicating the status information contained therein to the one or more display and control units for review by an end user.

17. The communications network as recited in claim 16, wherein a control message initiated by the end user through one of the control and display units, and containing instructions for one or more intended transceiver modules, is (a) communicated to the network support server, (b) communicated from the network support server to the area control module, (c) transmitted by the area control module to one or more receiving transceiver modules within its transmission range, (d) selectively re-transmitted by the receiving transceiver modules until received by the one or more intended transceiver modules;

each of the intended transceiver modules, upon receipt of the control message, executing the instructions contained therein.

18. A method for communicating information related to a plurality of street lamps from each such street lamp to a central location, comprising the steps of:

attaching and operably connecting a transceiver module to each street lamp, said transceiver module including at least a microcontroller and a radio transceiver operating in the 902 MHz to 928 MHz frequency band or the 2.40 GHz to 2.48 GHz frequency band; and

positioning an area control module in the vicinity of the plurality of street lamps, said area control module including at least a microprocessor and a radio transceiver, and said area control module being in communication with said central location;

wherein, upon occurrence of a predetermined event,

the microcontroller associated with one of said transceiver modules initiating transmission of a message through the radio transceiver, said message containing the identification of and the status of the street lamp;

the message being received by the radio transceivers associated with one or more neighboring transceiver modules;

each of said receiving transceiver modules making a decision as to whether to re-transmit said message based on a determination of whether the transceiver module is on a designated path between the transceiver module from which the message originated and the area control module;

re-transmission of the message continuing along said designated path until the message is received at the area control module; and

said area control module communicating said message to the central location.

19. A system for communicating information related to a plurality of street lamps, comprising:

a plurality of transceiver modules, each such transceiver module being secured and operably connected to a street lamp, each such transceiver module including at least a microcontroller and a radio transceiver operating in the 902 MHz to 928 MHz frequency band or the 2.40 GHz to 2.48 GHz frequency band; and

at least one area control module positioned in the vicinity of the plurality of transceiver modules, said area control module including at least a microprocessor and a radio transceiver;

a network support server in communication with said area control module; and

one or more display and control units in communication with said network support server;

wherein, upon occurrence of a predetermined event,

the microcontroller associated with one of said transceiver modules initiating transmission of a message through the radio transceiver, said message containing the identification of and the status of the street lamp;

the message being received by the radio transceivers associated with one or more neighboring transceiver modules;

each of said receiving transceiver modules making a decision as to whether to re-transmit said message based on a determination of whether the transceiver module is on a designated path between the transceiver module from which the message originated and the area control module;

re-transmission of the message continuing along said designated path until the message is received at the area control module;

said area control module communicating said message to the network support server; and

said network support server analyzing said message, and communicating the status information contained therein to the one or more display and control units for review by an end user.