Remote sensing and communication system
First Claim
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1. A remote sensing system comprising:
- a housing having communication ports for sensors, the sensors monitoring parameters in the vicinity of the housing;
a microcontroller within the housing for communicating the parameters to a two-way radio wireless radio module through a digital connection;
a connector cable connected to the two-way radio wireless radio module which leads to an external antenna for transmitting the parameters to a communication device;
a power means for providing power to the housing; and
at least one sensor above or outside the manhole cover and sensing one or more parameter selected from the group consisting of;
street traffic, air quality, environmental parameters, or combinations thereof.
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Abstract
A remote sensing system and method for instrumenting the entries to manhole enclosures, in order to provide a platform and means for sensing environmental parameters within and around the enclosures and wirelessly transmitting those parameters to a distant site. The system comprises a housing with sensor for monitoring environmental parameter in the vicinity of the manhole. A microcontroller in the housing sends the parameters to a radio module, which transmits the parameters to a communication device for alerting a user that a manhole has been tampered with.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A remote sensing system comprising:
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a housing having communication ports for sensors, the sensors monitoring parameters in the vicinity of the housing; a microcontroller within the housing for communicating the parameters to a two-way radio wireless radio module through a digital connection; a connector cable connected to the two-way radio wireless radio module which leads to an external antenna for transmitting the parameters to a communication device; a power means for providing power to the housing; and at least one sensor above or outside the manhole cover and sensing one or more parameter selected from the group consisting of;
street traffic, air quality, environmental parameters, or combinations thereof.
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2. A remote sensing system comprising:
- a housing connected to a manhole cover, the housing having communication ports for sensors, the sensors monitoring parameters in the vicinity of the housing;
a microcontroller within the housing for communicating the parameters to a two-way radio wireless radio module through a digital connection;
a connector cable connected to the two-way radio wireless radio module which leads to an external antenna for transmitting the parameters to a communication device to provide rapid and reliable communications from the manhole cover to a real-time receiver;
an alarm inside the housing which communicates to the communication device when pre-determined thresholds of the sensors have been exceeded; and
a battery for providing power to the housing,wherein the microcontroller sends self-generated maintenance messages based on pre-set conditions. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- a housing connected to a manhole cover, the housing having communication ports for sensors, the sensors monitoring parameters in the vicinity of the housing;
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23. A remote sensing system comprising:
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a housing connected to a manhole cover, the housing having communication ports for sensors, the sensors monitoring parameters in the vicinity of the housing; a microcontroller within the housing for communicating the parameters to a two-way radio wireless radio module through a digital connection; a connector cable connected to the two-way radio wireless radio module which leads to an external antenna for transmitting the parameters to a communication device to provide rapid and reliable communications from the manhole cover to a real-time receiver; an alarm inside the housing which communicates to the communication device when pre-determined thresholds of the sensors have been exceeded; a battery for providing power to the housing; and at least one sensor normally in a first state, wherein if the sensor is read in the first state, then the microcontroller waits a time interval greater that the cycle time of the microprocessor and subsequently reads the sensor again, and if the sensor is read in a second state, then the sensor is immediately read at least once again and must again return a second state reading before any communication is sent to the communication device, thereby reducing the chance of a false positive reading.
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Specification