Electronic switching apparatus and method for switching autonomous intervention means for automatically redressing malfunctions

• US 7,899,560 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company
• Original Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company
• Inventors: Eck, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett; Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US11/971,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 700/21, 700/79
• US Class Current: 700/21
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

The invention proposes an electronic switching apparatus (11) and an appropriate method for electronically switching two autonomous emergency intervention systems (10, 12) for automatically redressing malfunctions in locally arranged installations, where a sensor system (301, 302, 303, 304) in an installation is used to detect a malfunction event in the installation and where transmitted malfunction parameters are taken as a basis for selecting and activating dedicated intervention means (101, . . . , 105) for specific operation and faults using the first emergency intervention system (10). Upon activation, the intervention means (101, . . . , 105) are used to automatically redress the malfunction in the affected installation. When synchronized signal threshold values for a fault memory module are detected, the enabling of the emergency intervention system (10/12) is changed and adapted for specific installations and users by means of an activation apparatus (112) in the electronic switching apparatus (11).

Claims

1. A method for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems that are configured to redress malfunctions for a local device having a sensor system, the sensor system configured to detect a malfunction event in the local device and to send malfunction parameters to an electronic switching apparatus, at least one of the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention system able to select a intervention device from a plurality of intervention devices that are configured to redress the malfunction event of the local device, the electronic switching apparatus having an incremental stack memory and a fault stack memory, and being in bi-directional connection with the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention systems, the method comprising:

synchronizing switching signal parameters for the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention system by the electronic switching apparatus, the switching signal parameters including a first and second synchronized signal threshold parameters;

allocating the local device to the incremental stack memory of the electronic switching apparatus;

periodically transmitting activation parameters from the local device to the electronic switching apparatus via an interface module of the electronic switching apparatus;

incrementing the incremental stack memory of the electronic switching apparatus based on the activation parameters received from the local device;

detecting a stack memory level of the incremental stack memory by a switching module of the electronic switching apparatus;

enabling the first autonomous emergency intervention system to address the malfunction event of the local device, by using activation signals of the switching module of the electronic switching apparatus, if the detected stack memory level reaches a predetermined threshold;

allocating a part of the incremental stack memory to the second autonomous emergency intervention system as the fault stack memory based on the switching signal parameters;

decrementing the fault stack memory level of the fault stack memory based on dedicated activation signals, the dedicated activation signals being weighted based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system;

interrupting the first autonomous emergency intervention system by a first activation apparatus of the electronic switching apparatus, and enabling the second autonomous emergency intervention system by a second activation apparatus of the electronic switching apparatus, in a case where the decremented fault stack memory level reaches the first synchronized signal threshold parameter; and

interrupting the second autonomous emergency intervention system by the second activation apparatus of the electronic switching apparatus, and enabling the first autonomous emergency intervention system by the first activation apparatus of the electronic switching apparatus, in a case where the decremented fault stack memory level reaches the second synchronized signal threshold parameter.

2. The method of electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

generating an electronic activation signal by at least one of the first and the second activation apparatuses of the electronic switching apparatus, based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system; and

transmitting the electronic activation signal to at least one of the plurality of intervention devices and to at least one of the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention system.

3. The method of electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

generating chronologically coupled malfunction parameters based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system with a history module at the electronic switching apparatus that are synchronous with the first synchronized signal threshold parameter of the switching signal parameters of the electronic switching apparatus.

4. The method of electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

generating chronologically coupled malfunction parameters based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system with a history module at the electronic switching apparatus that are synchronous with the second synchronized signal threshold parameter of the switching signal parameters of the electronic switching apparatus.

5. The method of electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

assigning a cash sum value as a protected data token to the activation parameters of the local device.

6. The method of electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting clearing data to a clearing module of the electronic switching apparatus, the clearing data calculated based on a value of the malfunction parameters,

wherein the clearing data further comprises settlement data for said enabling the second autonomous emergency intervention system by a second activation apparatus, and the clearing data is further associated with the first autonomous emergency intervention system.

7. The method of electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 6, the method further comprising:

enabling the second autonomous emergency intervention system by the clearing module only based on the clearing data.

8. The method of electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting electronically signed settlement receipts when the activation signals of the electronic switching apparatus are used.

9. An electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems that are configured to redress malfunctions for a local device having a sensor system, the sensor system configured to detect a malfunction event in the local device and to send malfunction parameters to the electronic switching apparatus, at least one of the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention system able to select a intervention device from a plurality of intervention devices that are configured to redress the malfunction event of the local device, the electronic switching apparatus comprising:

an incremental stack memory;

a fault stack memory;

a switching module; and

a communication interface module to be in bi-directional connection with the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention systems,

the electronic switching apparatus configured

to synchronize switching signal parameters for the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention system, the switching signal parameters including a first and second synchronized signal threshold parameters;

to allocate the local device to the incremental stack memory;

to periodically receive activation parameters from the local device via the communication interface module;

to increment the incremental stack memory based on the activation parameters received from the local device;

to detect a stack memory level of the incremental stack memory by the switching module;

to enable the first autonomous emergency intervention system to address the malfunction event of the local device, by using activation signals of the switching module, if the detected stack memory level reaches a predetermined threshold;

to allocate a part of the incremental stack memory to the second autonomous emergency intervention system as the fault stack memory based on the switching signal parameters;

to decrement the fault stack memory level of the fault stack memory based on dedicated activation signals, the dedicated activation signals being weighted based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system;

to interrupt the first autonomous emergency intervention system by a first activation apparatus of the electronic switching apparatus, and to enable the second autonomous emergency intervention system by a second activation apparatus of the electronic switching apparatus, in a case where the decremented fault stack memory level reaches the first synchronized signal threshold parameter; and

to interrupt the second autonomous emergency intervention system by the second activation apparatus, and to enable the first autonomous emergency intervention system by the first activation apparatus, in a case where the decremented fault stack memory level reaches the second synchronized signal threshold parameter.

10. The electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 9, the electronic switching apparatus further configured

to generate an electronic activation signal by at least one of the first and the second activation apparatuses, based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system;

and

to transmit the electronic activation signal to at least one of the plurality of intervention devices and to at least one of the first and the second autonomous emergency intervention system.

11. The electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 9, the electronic switching apparatus further including a history module, and further configured

to generate chronologically coupled malfunction parameters based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system with the history module that are synchronous with the first synchronized signal threshold parameter of the switching signal parameters.

12. The electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 9, the electronic switching apparatus further including a history module, and further configured

to generate chronologically coupled malfunction parameters based on the malfunction parameters send by the sensor system with the history module that are synchronous with the second synchronized signal threshold parameter of the switching signal parameters of the electronic switching apparatus.

13. The electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 9, the electronic switching apparatus further configured

to assign a cash sum value as a protected data token to the activation parameters of the local device.

14. The electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 9, the electronic switching apparatus further including a clearing module, and further configured

to transmit clearing data to the clearing module, the clearing data calculated based on a value of the malfunction parameters,

wherein the clearing data further comprises settlement data for said enabling the second autonomous emergency intervention system by a second activation apparatus, and the clearing data is further associated with the first autonomous emergency intervention system.

15. The electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 14, the electronic switching apparatus further configured

to enable the second autonomous emergency intervention system by the clearing module only based on the clearing data.

16. The electronic switching apparatus for electronically switching first and second autonomous emergency intervention systems according to claim 9, the electronic switching apparatus further configured

to transmit electronically signed settlement receipts when the activation signals of the electronic switching apparatus are used.