System and method for performing telemetric measurements

• US 7,486,198 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bruekers, Alphons Antonius Maria Lambertus, Van Der Veen, Minne
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr.; Timothy
• Application Number:
  US10/500,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,248 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.07, 370/466, 702/127, 379/106.03
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• 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

Abstract

System for performing telemetric measurements, comprising a plurality of mobile communication devices (100), each communication device (100) being provided with at least one sensor (110) and a sensor control section (120) for performing measurements, a cellular communication network structure for the mobile communication devices, a server provided with communication means for receiving measurement data from the plurality of mobile communication devices (100), and for sending measurement instructions to respective sensor control sections (120) of the mobile communication devices (100) wherein the sensor control sections (120) are programmable by the server.

Claims

1. A system for performing telemetric measurements, the system comprising:

a plurality of mobile communication devices, configured for use with a cellular communications network,

each mobile communication device comprising at least one sensor and a sensor controller for performing measurements; and

a server for receiving measurement data from said plurality of mobile communication devices, and for sending measurement instructions to respective sensor control sections of said plurality of mobile communication devices,

wherein the measurement instructions are only sent to sensor control sections of mobile communication devices actively communicating over the cellular communications network.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the sensor controllers is configured to perform a measurement at a predetermined point in time.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the sensor controllers is configured to perform a measurement in response to the measurement instructions received from the server.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the sensor controllers is configured to transmit the measurement data when the respective mobile communication device establishes a connection over the network.

5. A mobile communication device for use in a system according claim 1, comprising a communication section for communication over a cellular communications network, and at least one sensor and a sensor controller for performing measurements.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the measurement data is sent in real time.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the measurement instructions are only sent to sensor control sections of mobile communication devices within a specified area.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the measurement instructions comprise an instruction to measure at least one of a temperature, an air pressure, humidity and air pollution.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the sensor controllers is programmable by the server.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the sensor controllers is configured to perform a measurement at a predetermined point in time.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the sensor controllers is configured to transmit the measurement data when the respective mobile communication device establishes a connection over the network.

12. A method for performing telemetric measurements, the method comprising:

instructing a sensor controller of a mobile communication device to perform a measurement; and

retrieving measurement data resulting from the measurement from the mobile communication device through a cellular communication network,

wherein instructing the sensor controller to perform the measurement is at least based on a position of the mobile communication device within the cellular communication network.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the measurement data is retrieved when the mobile communication device is communicating over the cellular communication network via a communication signal.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the measurement data is encoded in the communication signal.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein instructing the sensor controller to perform the measurement is at least based on whether the mobile communication device is currently communicating over the cellular communication network.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the measurement data is retrieved in realtime when the mobile communication device is currently communicating over the cellular communication network.

17. A method for billing communication costs to a subscriber to a network communication service within a cellular communication network, the method comprising:

sending an instruction through the communication network to a mobile communication device associated with the subscriber to collect measurement data;

receiving the measurement data from the mobile communication device through the communication network; and

awarding credit towards billing information of the subscriber for receiving the measurement data from the mobile communication device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein sending the instruction to collect measurement data is based on at least one of a position of the mobile communication device within the communication network and whether the mobile communication device is currently communicating over the communication network.