System and method for wireless heat detection
First Claim
1. A temperature monitoring system, comprising:
- a sensor for converting received heat energy to electric power and for generating a wireless signal representative of a temperature of an object, the sensor comprising a thermoelectric power component coupled to a transmitting circuit, the thermoelectric power component for receiving heat energy and for transforming the heat energy to electric power, the transmitting circuit for receiving the electric power from the thermoelectric power component for generating the wireless signal, the transmitting circuit configured to prevent electric energy below a predetermined threshold from being received by the transmitting circuit, the predetermined threshold corresponding to a predetermined temperature of the object; and
a communication module for receiving the wireless signal and for transmitting a corollary signal to a control module;
wherein the control module is configured to determine, from the corollary signal, if the temperature of the object is less than a predetermined alarm value, and to initiate an alarm when the temperature of the object is greater than the predetermined alarm value; and
wherein the control module is disposed in a fire panel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for wireless heat detection is disclosed. The system includes one or more heat sensors that convert sensed heat energy into electrical power for transmitting an alarm signals. A remote system may trigger an alarm based on the received alarm signals. The heat sensors may be placed at discrete locations within an interior of a building to monitor a condition of the infrastructure of the building. The remote system can include a communications module for receiving the signal and transmitting an alarm signal to an associated fire panel. The fire panel may analyze the signal, as well as signals generated from adjacent sensors, to determine whether a fire condition exists within a building. Appropriate notification devices may then be activated based on the determination. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
9 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A temperature monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for converting received heat energy to electric power and for generating a wireless signal representative of a temperature of an object, the sensor comprising a thermoelectric power component coupled to a transmitting circuit, the thermoelectric power component for receiving heat energy and for transforming the heat energy to electric power, the transmitting circuit for receiving the electric power from the thermoelectric power component for generating the wireless signal, the transmitting circuit configured to prevent electric energy below a predetermined threshold from being received by the transmitting circuit, the predetermined threshold corresponding to a predetermined temperature of the object; and a communication module for receiving the wireless signal and for transmitting a corollary signal to a control module; wherein the control module is configured to determine, from the corollary signal, if the temperature of the object is less than a predetermined alarm value, and to initiate an alarm when the temperature of the object is greater than the predetermined alarm value; and wherein the control module is disposed in a fire panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A temperature monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for converting received heat energy to electric power and for generating a wireless signal representative of a temperature of an object, the sensor comprising a thermoelectric power component coupled to a transmitting circuit, the thermoelectric power component for receiving heat energy and for transforming the heat energy to electric power, the transmitting circuit for receiving the electric power from the thermoelectric power component for generating the wireless signal, the transmitting circuit configured to prevent electric energy below a predetermined threshold from being received by the transmitting circuit, the predetermined threshold corresponding to a predetermined temperature of the object; and a communication module for receiving the wireless signal and for transmitting a corollary signal to a control module; wherein the control module is configured to determine, from the corollary signal, if the temperature of the object is less than a predetermined alarm value, and to initiate an alarm when the temperature of the object is greater than the predetermined alarm value; and wherein the system includes a plurality of said sensors, each of said sensors associated with a discrete location in or on a monitored structure, the system further comprising a memory associated with the control module, the memory including a database identifying the discrete location of each of said sensors.
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7. A temperature monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for converting received heat energy to electric power and for generating a wireless signal representative of a temperature of an object, the sensor comprising a thermoelectric power component coupled to a transmitting circuit, the thermoelectric power component for receiving heat energy and for transforming the heat energy to electric power, the transmitting circuit for receiving the electric power from the thermoelectric power component for generating the wireless signal, the transmitting circuit configured to prevent electric energy below a predetermined threshold from being received by the transmitting circuit, the predetermined threshold corresponding to a predetermined temperature of the object; and a communication module for receiving the wireless signal and for transmitting a corollary signal to a control module; wherein the control module is configured to determine, from the corollary signal, if the temperature of the object is less than a predetermined alarm value, and to initiate an alarm when the temperature of the object is greater than the predetermined alarm value; and wherein the sensor includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for generating the wireless signal, and the communication module includes a plurality of antenna for receiving the wireless signal. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method of monitoring an object, comprising:
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generating a wireless signal from a battery assisted radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the battery assisted RFID tag comprising a thermoelectric power component coupled to a transmitting circuit, the thermoelectric power component for receiving heat energy and for transforming the heat energy to electric power, the transmitting circuit for receiving the electric power from the thermoelectric power component and for generating the wireless signal; receiving, at a communication module, a wireless signal from a sensor, the wireless signal representative of a temperature to which the sensor is exposed; transmitting a corollary signal from the communication module to a control module of a fire panel, the corollary signal representative of the wireless signal received from the sensor; at the control module, processing the corollary signal received from the communication module to determine if an alarm condition exists at a monitored location associated with the battery assisted RFID tag; and generating an alarm when the control module determines that the alarm condition exists; and wherein the electric power is prevented from being received by the transmitting circuit when the electric power is less than a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A heat sensor comprising:
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a thermoelectric power component for receiving heat energy and for transforming the heat energy to electric power; a transmitting circuit coupled to the thermoelectric power component to receive the electric power therefrom to generate a wireless signal representative of a thermal condition of an object, the transmitting circuit comprising an RFID tag, and a fuse coupled between the transmitting circuit and the thermoelectric power component, the fuse sized to prevent electric energy below a predetermined threshold from being received by the transmitting circuit, the predetermined threshold corresponding to a predetermined temperature of the object. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A temperature monitoring system, comprising:
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a sensor for converting received heat energy to electric power and for generating a wireless signal representative of a temperature of an object, the sensor comprising a thermoelectric power component coupled to a transmitting circuit, the thermoelectric power component for receiving heat energy and for transforming the heat energy to electric power, the transmitting circuit for receiving the electric power from the thermoelectric power component for generating the wireless signal, the transmitting circuit configured to prevent electric energy below a predetermined threshold from being received by the transmitting circuit, the predetermined threshold corresponding to a predetermined temperature of the object; and a communication module for receiving the wireless signal and for transmitting a corollary signal to a control module; wherein the control module is configured to determine, from the corollary signal, if the temperature of the object is less than a predetermined alarm value, and to initiate an alarm when the temperature of the object is greater than the predetermined alarm value; and wherein the transmitting circuit includes a fuse for preventing electric energy below a predetermined threshold from being received by the transmitting circuit.
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Specification