Monitoring system communication system and method

• US 7,945,471 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerry L Mckinney 2002 Trust
• Original Assignee: Jerry L Mckinney 2002 Trust
• Inventors: McKinney, Jerry L., Corey, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): NELSON, FREDA ANN
• Application Number:
  US10/871,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,524 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1- 2, 705/50, 705/73, 705/10, 705/412, 702/22, 702/182, 702/183, 73/530.1, 73/232, 340/870.07, 340/870.11, 340/539.19, 340/870.02, 713/175, 709/224, 380/278
• US Class Current: 340/870.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/02 of industrial processes; of machinery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

An electronic communication system and method that permits an environmental equipment system installer to install equipment without the need to run a data line such as a telephone line or other specialized data line thereby decreasing the cost and time required for installing the system. The electronic communication system comprises a first communication node to collect operating data and sensor data. A second communication node positioned proximate the first communication node may comprise a modern for connection to the Internet. A wireless or power line connection provides a node-to-node communication link.

Claims

1. A communication system for a plurality of environmental equipment systems positioned at a plurality of physical locations, said plurality of environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service entities, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for one or more payments related to said plurality of environmental equipment systems, each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems comprising one or more sensors for producing sensor data, said system comprising:

a plurality of first communication nodes wherein respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes are mounted physically proximate to respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes being operable for collecting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

a plurality of second communication nodes wherein respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes are mounted at a distance greater than zero yards and less than one hundred yards from said respective ones of said first communication nodes;

a communication link between each of said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes and said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes for transmitting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes to said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes, said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes receiving said sensor data only from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes;

one or more servers operable for receiving said sensor data from said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

transmission circuitry in said plurality of second communication nodes for communicating with said one or more servers.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said transmission circuitry comprises a modem.

3. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising a website for making available said sensor data from each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems for use by at least one of a regulatory body, said one or more service personnel from said one or more service entities, and said a plurality of responsible parties.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said first communication node is operable for transmitting a heartbeat signal, which does not contain sensor data to verify that said first communication node is operational if said sensor data is not transmitted for a selected time period.

5. A method for installing a plurality of environmental equipment systems, said plurality of environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service entities, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for one or more payments related to said plurality of environmental equipment systems, each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems comprising one or more sensors for producing sensor data, said method comprising:

physically mounting said plurality of environmental equipment systems at different physical locations;

positioning respective ones of a plurality of first communication nodes in physical proximity to respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

utilizing said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes for collecting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

utilizing respective ones of a plurality of second communication nodes for communicating with said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes, said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes being located greater than zero yards and less than one hundred yards from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes;

providing one or more servers operable for collecting said sensor data for said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

providing a communication link between each of said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes and said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes;

providing that said communication link comprises at least one of a power line or a low power transmitter wireless signal;

utilizing said communication link for communicating said sensor data to said one or more servers; and

providing that said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes receive said sensor data only from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising that said communication link utilizes a cordless phone connection to wirelessly transfer said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes to said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes, said cordless phone connection utilizing circuitry to communicate with a hard wired phone line to connect said plurality of second communication nodes with said one or more servers.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said communication link utilizes a wireless transmitter in a one quarter watt range or less.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing that said sensor data received by said one or more servers for said plurality of first environmental equipment systems is available for use by at least one of a regulatory body, said one or more service personnel from said one or more service entities, or said plurality of responsible parties.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing that said plurality of first communication nodes are master communication nodes, and further comprising providing that said plurality of second communication nodes are slave communication nodes responsive to said master communication nodes and connected thereto by said communication link.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said plurality of slave communication nodes comprise a plurality of modems.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising producing a heartbeat signal, which does not include said sensor data for determining whether said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes are operational if said sensor data is not transmitted from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes during a selected time interval.

12. A method for installing a plurality of environmental equipment systems, said plurality of environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service entities, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for one or more payments related to said plurality of environmental equipment systems, each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems comprising one or more sensors for producing sensor data, said method comprising:

utilizing respective ones of a plurality of first communication nodes positioned physically proximate to respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems for collecting said sensor data for said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

utilizing respective ones of a plurality of second communication nodes at a location physically spaced apart from respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes;

providing that said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes receive said sensor data only from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes; and

providing that said plurality of second communication nodes receives said sensor data and at least temporarily stores said sensor data from said plurality of first communication nodes.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising utilizing a communication link which comprises at least one of a power line or a wireless signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising producing a heartbeat signal which does not contain said sensor data to verify operation of said plurality of first communication nodes if there is no transmission of said sensor data for said plurality of first communication nodes during a selected time interval, and producing said heartbeat signal at predetermined intervals.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing one or more servers connected to an Internet connection operable for receiving said sensor data from said plurality of second communication nodes, said one or more servers being operable to collect and store sensor data for said plurality of environmental equipment systems.

16. A method for installing a plurality of environmental equipment systems, said plurality of environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service entities, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for one or more payments related to said plurality of environmental equipment systems, each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems comprising one or more sensors for producing sensor data, said method comprising:

utilizing respective ones of a plurality of first communication nodes in physical proximity to respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems for collecting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

utilizing respective ones of a plurality of second communication nodes for communicating with said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes, said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes being located at a position greater than zero yards and less than one hundred yards from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes;

providing that said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes receive said sensor data only from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes;

utilizing one or more servers for collecting said sensor data for said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

utilizing a communication link between said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes and said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes wherein said communication link comprises at least one of a power line or a wireless signal; and

utilizing said plurality of second communication nodes for communicating said sensor data to said one or more servers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said communication link utilizes a wireless transmitter in a one quarter watt to five watt range.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing that each said communication link receives information only from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising utilizing a cordless phone connection for said communication link, and further comprising utilizing a wired phone line for said cordless phone connection to communicate said sensor data to said one or more servers.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising producing a heartbeat signal, which does not include said sensor data for determining whether said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes are operational if said sensor data is not transmitted from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes during a selected time interval.

21. A method for installing a plurality of environmental equipment systems, said plurality of environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service entities, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for one or more payments related to said plurality of environmental equipment systems, each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems comprising one or more sensors for producing sensor data, said method comprising:

utilizing respective ones of a plurality of node pairs with respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said respective ones of said plurality of node pairs comprising respective ones of a plurality of first communication nodes and respective ones of a plurality of second communication nodes which are spaced apart by a distance greater than zero yards and less than fifty yards, said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes receiving said sensor data only from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes;

utilizing said respective ones of said plurality of node pairs for collecting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

utilizing one or more servers operable for receiving said sensor data, said one or more servers being operable to collect and store said sensor data for said plurality of environmental equipment systems; and

utilizing said respective ones of said plurality of node pairs to transfer said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems to said one or more servers.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising utilizing a wireless cordless phone connection for said respective ones of said plurality of node pairs.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

producing a heartbeat signal which does not include said sensor data for determining whether said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes are operational if said sensor data is not transmitted from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes during a selected time interval.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing that said plurality of second communication nodes receives said sensor data and at least temporarily stores said sensor data.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing that said plurality of second communication nodes utilizes a hard wired phone line to transmit said sensor data to said one or more servers.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising utilizing a power line for communication of said plurality of node pairs.

27. A communication system for a plurality of environmental equipment systems positioned at a plurality of physical locations, said plurality of environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service entities, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for one or more payments related to said plurality of environmental equipment systems, each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems comprising one or more sensors for producing sensor data, said system comprising:

a plurality of first communication nodes wherein respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes are mounted physically proximate to respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes being operable for collecting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems;

a plurality of second communication nodes wherein respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes are positioned at a distance greater than zero yards and less than one hundred yards from said respective ones of said first communication nodes;

a communication link between each of said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes and said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes for transmitting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes to said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes, said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes receiving said sensor data only from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes;

one or more servers operable for receiving said sensor data from said plurality of environmental equipment systems; and

transmission circuitry in said plurality of second communication nodes for transmitting said sensor data for receipt by said one or more servers.

28. The communication system of claim 27, wherein said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes are positioned within respective ones of a plurality of buildings, said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes being mounted outside of said respective ones of said plurality of buildings.

29. The communication system of claim 27, wherein at least said plurality of first communication nodes are operable for transmitting a heartbeat signal which does not include said sensor data to said one or more servers for detecting whether said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes is operational if said sensor data is not transmitted during a selected time interval.

30. The communication system of claim 27, wherein said communication link comprises a cordless phone connection operable for wireless communication between said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes and said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes, and wherein said transmission circuitry is operable for communicating through a hard wired phone line connection.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said communication link comprises a power line, said power line carrying power for said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems.