System and method for monitoring and controlling remote devices

• US 7,468,661 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SIPCO LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hunt Techonologies Incorporated (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Huff, Richard M., Petite, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/395,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/539.17, 340/539.26, 340/531, 340/521, 340/870.01, 340/870.03, 340/870.07, 340/870.08, 340/870.16, 340/870.17, 340/988, 700/108, 702/56, 455/7, 370/238, 343/711, 343/700.R, 343/720
• 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, storage, and event detection and reporting, 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);

a plurality of transceivers dispersed geographically at defined locations, each transceiver electrically interfaced with a sensor and configured to receive select information and identification information transmitted from another nearby wireless transceiver electrically interfaced with a sensor in a predetermined signal type and further configured to wirelessly retransmit in the predetermined signal type the select information, the identification information associated with the nearby wireless transceiver, and transceiver identification information associated with the transceiver making retransmission; and

at least one gateway connected to the wide area network configured to receive and translate the select information, the identification information associated with the nearby wireless transceiver, and transceiver identification information associated with one or more retransmitting transceivers, said gateway further configured to further transmit the translated information to the computer over the WAN.

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

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

wherein the information signal is received by another nearby transmitter electrically interfaced with a sensor and repeated in the same signal type as received to additional transmitters each electrically interfaced with a sensor for communicating 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.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the WAN is the Internet.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of adaptively configuring at least one transmitter electrically interfaced with a sensor is modified to include a global positioning system receiver.

5. 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 electrically interfaced with the sensor and configured to encode the electrical signal, the wireless transmitter further configured to transmit the encoded electrical signal and transmitter identification information in a radio-frequency (RF) signal;

one or more additional wireless transmitters each electrically interfaced with a sensor and configured to receive the RF signal and retransmit the RF signal;

at least one gateway connected a wide area network (WAN) configured to receive and translate the retransmitted 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.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a relatively low-power radio-frequency (RF) signal.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one gateway is permanently connected to the WAN.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the gateway translates the encoded electrical signal, the transmitter identification, and the transceiver identification information into TCP/IP for communication over the WAN.

9. A system for controlling a remote device comprising:

a target remote device having an actuator to be controlled;

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);

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

a wireless transmitter coupled with the gateway for transmitting a wireless signal that contains the control signal;

a first wireless transceiver electrically interfaced with an actuator for receiving the wireless signal and further retransmitting the wireless signal to the target remote device; and

logic coupled to the target remote device for extracting the control signal from the retransmitted wireless signal and imparting an action on the actuator in response to the extracted control signal.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of additional wireless transceivers each coupled to an actuator and configured to receive the wireless signal and to retransmit the wireless signal, wherein one of the plurality of additional wireless transceivers receive the wireless signal from the wireless transmitter and another one of the plurality of the additional wireless transceivers retransmits the wireless signal to the first wireless transceiver.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of additional wireless transceivers each coupled to an actuator or a sensor and configured to receive the wireless signal and to retransmit the wireless signal, wherein one of the plurality of additional wireless transceivers receive the wireless signal from the wireless transmitter and another one of the plurality of the additional wireless transceivers retransmits the wireless signal to the first wireless transceiver.

12. A system for remote data collection, assembly, storage, and event detection and reporting, 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);

a plurality of non-earth orbiting transceivers dispersed geographically at defined locations, each transceiver integrated with a sensor and configured to receive select information and identification information transmitted from another nearby wireless transceiver in a predetermined signal type and further configured to wirelessly retransmit in the predetermined signal type the select information, the identification information associated with the nearby transceiver and transceiver identification information associated with the transceiver making retransmission; and

at least one gateway connected to the wide area network configured to receive and translate the select information, the identification information associated with the nearby wireless transceiver, and transceiver identification information associated with one or more retransmitting transceivers, said gateway further configured to further transmit the translated information to the computer over the WAN.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the at least one gateway is permanently connected to the WAN.

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