Smart endpoint and smart monitoring system having the same

• US 8,171,129 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Nien, Chin-Chung, Kuo, Vincent, Hsieh, Shyi-Shing
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afolabi, Mark O
• Application Number:
  US12/061,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20090216876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 709/233, 709221-249, 370/252, 370/389, 370/238, 705/14
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A smart endpoint and a smart monitoring system having the smart endpoint are provided. The smart endpoint includes a central processing unit (CPU), an interface module, a digital signal processing unit, and a memory module. The interface module is coupled to the CPU for receiving a plurality of heterogeneous monitoring signals and an identification code. The digital signal processing unit is coupled to the CPU for integrally considering the monitoring signals and the identification code to determine an abnormal event, and generate an abnormal event data thereby. The memory module is coupled to the CPU for recording the abnormal event data. As such, the present invention is adapted to determine an occurrence of an abnormal event, by which the passive monitoring can be upgraded to an active monitoring and analyzing, and thus achieving a smart monitoring.

Claims

1. A smart endpoint, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

an interface module, coupled to the CPU, further comprising

a video camera interface configured to receive external monitoring signal;

an rfid reader interface configured to receive external rfid code;

an input/output interface configured to receive external sensing signal; and

a network interface configured to communicate with other endpoint or server;

a digital signal processing unit coupled to the CPU and the interface module, is configured to be enabled by an rfid tag which has been operated to log in the smart endpoint, to receive and tag the signals in regard to the address of the rfid tag with its authorized rfid code, and identify these signals with previously recorded signals to determine whether there is an abnormal event, if yes, generate an event information, otherwise keep receiving, tagging and identifying the signals, wherein when sensing the rfid code of the rfid tag again, the digital signal processing unit suspends all monitoring operations;

a memory module coupled to the CPU, is configured to store the tagged signals and the event information; and

a power management unit configured to provide power to the smart endpoint.

2. The smart endpoint according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit for transmitting the event information to a user terminal corresponding to the rfid code.

3. A smart monitoring system comprising:

a server coupled to a network; and

at least one smart endpoint coupled to the server, further comprising;

a central processing unit (CPU);

an interface module coupled to the CPU, further comprising

a video camera interface configured to receive external monitoring signal;

a rfid reader interface configured to receive external rfid code;

an input/output interface configured to receive external sensing signal; and

a network interface configured to communicate with other endpoint or server;

a digital signal processing unit coupled to the CPU and the interface module, is configured to be enabled by an rfid tag which has been operated to log in the smart endpoint, to receive and tag the signals in regard to the address of the rfid tag with its authorized rfid code, and identify these signals with previously recorded signals to determine whether there is an abnormal event, if yes, generate an event information, otherwise keep receiving, tagging and identifying the signals, wherein when sensing the rfid code of the rfid tag again, the digital signal processing unit suspends all monitoring operations;

a memory module coupled to the CPU, is configured to store the tagged signals and the event information; and

a power management unit configured to provide power to the smart endpoint.

4. The smart monitoring system according to claim 3, further comprising a communication unit coupled to the network to transmit the event information to a user terminal corresponding to the rfid code.

5. A smart monitoring method, comprising the steps of:

using a rfid tag to log in a smart endpoint to enable a digital signal processing unit of the smart endpoint;

sensing an external rfid code of the rfid tag and identifying the rfid code whether is authorized, if yes, continue the next step, otherwise keep sensing;

receiving external signals corresponding to the address where the rfid code is sensed, and tagging these signals with the rfid code;

archiving these tagged signals;

identifying currently tagged signals with archived signals, and determining whether there is an abnormal even, if yes, generate an even information, otherwise keep identifying the signals; and

if the rfid code of the rfid tag is sensed again, suspending all monitoring operations.

6. The smart monitoring method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of p1 transmitting the event information to a user terminal corresponding to the rfid code.