Environmental monitoring device

• US 7,986,224 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Smith, David K., Slade, Boyd E., Primm, Michael R., Graczyk, Ronald, Joy, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/277,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 340/521, 340/520, 340/532, 340/534, 340/539.26, 340/539.27, 340/539.3, 340/568.2, 340/601, 340/602, 340/604, 340/606, 340/640, 340/655, 340/693.3, 340/691.6, 340/5.52, 340/5.54, 340/691.3
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a sensor device including processing circuitry, at least one sensor coupled to the processing circuitry, a serial data interface coupled to the processing circuitry and memory responsive to the processing circuitry. The memory includes a static unique identification number. The serial data interface provides access to retrieve the static unique identification number and sensed data measured with the at least one sensor from the memory.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a space comprising:

a sensor pod including;

a first housing;

at least one sensor coupled to the first housing;

a processing circuitry located within the first housing, the at least one sensor being responsive to the processing circuitry;

a memory responsive to the processing circuitry; and

a first serial interface coupled to the processing circuitry, the serial interface configured to provide access to measured data associated with the at least one sensor, and

a host device including;

a second housing;

a second serial interface; and

a circuit assembly located within the second housing and coupled to the second serial interface, the circuit assembly being configured to receive the measured data via the second serial interface, wherein the first housing is coupled to the second housing and the first serial interface is coupled to the second serial interface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first temperature sensor located external to the first housing, and wherein the at least one sensor includes a second temperature sensor and a humidity sensor that are located internal to the first housing.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an audio sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit assembly is configured to determine a dew point.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor includes a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor and the circuit assembly is configured to determine the dew point based on readings from the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a camera, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and an airflow sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first housing includes a first access point and the second housing includes a second access point and the first housing is coupled to the second housing by at least one docking pin retained by the first access point and the second access point.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the host device includes a card-edge connector.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the card-edge connector includes a data connection and a power connection.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a side of the second housing includes the second access point, the card-edge connector and a connector to the second serial interface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second serial interface includes a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit assembly is configured to receive a static identification number associated with the measured data from the sensor pod.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit assembly is configured to automatically configure the sensor pod.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the circuit assembly is configured to automatically configure the sensor pod by generating thresholds to compare against the measured data.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit assembly is configured to update program code inside the sensor pod.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the host device includes an interface configured to couple to a network.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit assembly is configured to send a notification as a result of a comparison between the measured data and a threshold.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the threshold is associated with a static identification number included in the measured data.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit assembly is configured to report failure of the sensor pod.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising another sensor pod coupled to the host device.