Method for inspecting and monitoring building, structure, or facilities accompanying them

• US 7,427,916 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Kazuhiko, Aritsuka, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US11/115,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 340/511, 340/3.1, 340/506, 340/572.1, 340/520, 340/521, 340/524, 702/33, 370/254, 370/475, 370/453
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for performing maintenance inspection and monitoring of various structures and facilities by arranging a sensor on a moving portion of the facility of a building or a portion where wiring is difficult. The method includes a step of constructing a sensor network in accordance with the identification information on the facility, a step of acquiring the state of the facility by using the sensor network constructed, and a step of performing inspection or monitoring according to the acquired information on the state of the facility.

Claims

1. A facility inspection/monitoring method comprising:

acquiring identification information of a facility;

acquiring sensor node installation-place information and base station installation-place information corresponding to the acquired identification information of the facility from a control information database which stores the sensor node installation place information and the base station installation-place information correlating to the identification information of the facility;

constructing a sensor network which comprises at least one installed sensor node and at least one base station, in accordance with the acquired sensor node installation-place information and base station installation-place information;

acquiring information on a state of the facility by using the constructed sensor network; and

performing inspection or monitoring according to the acquired information on the state of the facility.

2. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a sensor node or a base station which can be used as the sensor network is already installed in the facility, and where an additional at least one sensor node or at least one base station that is required is further installed to constitute the sensor network.

3. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the identification information includes at least one of a device number, a manufacturing number, or an installation place of the facility and the identification information is stored in the control information database accompanying a system control device of the system performing inspection/monitoring of the facility.

4. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the sensor node installation place and the base station installation place can be shown in combination with a form of the facility on a display device connected to a mobile terminal.

5. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1,

comprising using radio frequency IDs (RFIDs) to record the at least one sensor node and the at least one base station to be installed and the RFIDs are attached to the installation place in advance, wherein a sensor node installation place and a base station installation place are searched by reading the RFIDs, and wherein the sensor node and the base station to be installed are recorded on the RFIDs and are installed on the searched sensor node installation place and the searched base station installation place.

6. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the identification information of the facility is read by an RFID or a barcode set on the facility in advance.

7. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a first position where a sensor node and a base station contained in the network are to be installed is compared to a second position of the sensor node and the base station after the installation, and wherein a unique ID is assigned to the sensor node and the base station when the first position is the same as the second position.

8. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 7,

wherein the second position after the installation is measured by a three-point measurement method.

9. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a unique ID is assigned in advance to the at least one sensor node and the at least one base station contained in the sensor network.

10. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the at least one sensor node or the at least one base station constituting the sensor network, can be removed entirely or partially.

11. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein the removal of the at least one sensor node or the at east one base station constituting the sensor network, is such that a smaller size sensor network than the aforementioned sensor network remains after the removal.

12. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 11,

wherein the smaller size sensor network is used for monitoring the facility.

13. A facility inspection/monitoring method comprising:

acquiring identification information of a facility;

contacting a control information database which stores sensor node installation-position information and base station installation-position information correlating to the acquired identification information of the facility;

constructing a sensor network which contains at least one installed sensor node and at least one base station, based on the sensor node installation-position information and the base station installation-position information contained within the control information database;

acquiring information on the state of the facility by using the constructed sensor network; and

performing inspection or monitoring according to the acquired information on the state of the facility.

14. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 13, comprising:

retrieving a sensor node attachment position and sensor node type stored in the database; and

acquiring, recording and transmitting device identification information of the facility.

15. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 14, comprising:

verifying that a correct type of the at least one sensor node was installed.

16. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 13.

17. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 16, comprising:

verifying that a correct type of the at least one sensor node was installed.

18. A facility inspection/monitoring method as claimed in claim 14, comprising:

verifying that a correct attachment position of the at least one sensor node was installed.