Environmental sensing systems having independent notifications across multiple thresholds

• US 8,963,727 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2014
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US14/329,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/007 with forced flow using ducting systems F24F7/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0006 Calibrating gas analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0065 using more than one threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/107 for detecting light-scattering due to smoke
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/11 using an ionisation chamber for detecting smoke or gas
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/26 by updating and storing reference thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques

Abstract

A sensor unit that includes at least one sensor configured to measure an ambient condition is described. The controller can be configured to receive instructions, to report a notice level when the controller determines that data measured by the at least one sensor fails a report threshold test corresponding to a report threshold value. The controller can also be configured to obtain a plurality of calibration measurements from the at least one sensor during a calibration period and to adjust the threshold based on the calibration measurements. The controller can be configured to compute a first threshold level corresponding to background noise and a second threshold level corresponding to sensor noise, and to compute the report threshold value from the second threshold. In one embodiment, the sensor unit adjusts one or more of the thresholds based on ambient temperature.

Claims

1. A wireless device, comprising:

a smoke sensor configured to obtain measurement data regarding a level of smoke;

a wireless transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving information to and from an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device;

a power source for powering operation of the wireless device; and

a controller operatively coupled to the smoke sensor, wireless transceiver, and the power source, and configured to;

operate the wireless device in a sleep mode while the smoke sensor obtains the measurement data, wherein power consumption of the wireless device from the power source is lower when the wireless device operates in the sleep mode as compared to when the wireless device operates in an awake mode;

determine, from the measurement data, whether the level of smoke has exceeded a reporting threshold; and

in response to determining that the level of smoke has exceeded the reporting threshold;

determine a notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level based on;

the level of smoke, and/or

a rate of rise of the level of smoke;

determine whether the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded; and

communicate a signal indicative of the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level being exceeded when it is determined that the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate the signal while the wireless device is operating in the awake mode.

3. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine whether the level of smoke has exceeded the reporting threshold while operating the wireless device in the sleep mode; and

temporarily switch the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to determining that the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded; and

communicate the signal indicative of the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level being exceeded while operating the wireless device in the awake mode.

4. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to temporarily switch the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode periodically.

5. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to communicate the measurement data obtained by the smoke sensor while the wireless device is operating in the awake mode.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine, prior to communicating the signal, an available wireless frequency channel; and

communicate the signal on the available wireless frequency channel.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate the signal a plurality of times until the wireless device receives an acknowledgement that the signal has been received.

8. The wireless device of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to communicate the signal a plurality of times, based on a priority of the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level.

9. A method of operating a wireless device, comprising:

powering the wireless device with a power source;

operating the wireless device in a sleep mode, wherein power consumption of the wireless device from the power source is lower when the wireless device operates in the sleep mode as compared to when the wireless device operates in an awake mode;

obtaining, while operating the wireless device in the sleep mode and from a smoke sensor of the wireless device, measurement data regarding a level of smoke;

determining, from the measurement data, whether the level of smoke has exceeded a reporting threshold; and

in response to determining that the level of smoke has exceeded the reporting threshold;

determining a notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level based on;

the level of smoke, and/or

a rate of rise of the level of smoke;

determining whether the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded; and

communicating, to an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device and via a wireless transceiver of the wireless device, a signal indicative of the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level being exceeded when it is determined that the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded.

10. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 9, further comprising communicating the signal using spread-spectrum techniques.

11. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 10, further comprising receiving a unique identifier for the wireless device from another wireless device during a configuration period, the unique identifier distinguishing the wireless device from other wireless device in a network.

12. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 11, further including embedding, in the signal and prior to communicating the signal, the unique identifier of the wireless device.

13. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 9, wherein communicating the signal occurs while the wireless device is in the awake mode, and the method further comprises:

after communicating the signal, listening for instructions while in the awake mode and before returning back to the sleep mode.

14. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to determining that the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded;

controlling operation of a fuel and/or power source.

15. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 14, wherein controlling operation of a fuel and/or power source includes controlling a gas shutoff valve to shut off gas supply to a water heater and/or furnace.

16. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 9, further comprising:

listening for one or more instructions that are addressed to a unique identifier associated with the wireless device while operating in the awake mode, and, in response to receiving the one or more instructions, perform one or more functions requested by the one or more instructions, the one or more instructions being selected from the group consisting of;

an instruction for the wireless device to wake up, an instruction for the wireless device to report its battery status, and an instruction for the wireless device to change its wake-up interval; and

ignoring any instructions that are not addressed to the unique identifier associated with the wireless device.

17. A wireless device for smoke detection, comprising:

means for powering the wireless device;

means for operating the wireless device in a sleep mode, wherein power consumption of the wireless device from the means for powering the wireless device is lower when the wireless device operates in the sleep mode as compared to when the wireless device operates in an awake mode;

means for obtaining, while operating the wireless device in the sleep mode, measurement data regarding a level of smoke;

means for determining, from the measurement data, whether the level of smoke has exceeded a reporting threshold;

means for determining a notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level based on;

the level of smoke, and/or

a rate of rise of the level of smoke;

means for determining whether the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded; and

means for wirelessly communicating, to an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device, a signal indicative of the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level being exceeded when it is determined that the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded.

18. The wireless device for smoke detection of claim 17, wherein:

the means for determining a notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level includes means for determining an alarm level for a level of smoke that is relatively high and a rate of rise of the level of smoke is relatively high;

the means for determining whether the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded includes means for determining whether a measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively high level of smoke associated with the alarm level and whether a rate of rise of the measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively high rate of rise of the level of smoke associated with the alarm level; and

the means for wirelessly communicating the signal includes means for wirelessly communicating the signal indicative of the alarm level being exceeded when it is determined that the measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively high level of smoke associated with the alarm level and when it is determined that a rate of rise of the measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively high rate of rise of the level of smoke associated with the alarm level.

19. The wireless device for smoke detection of claim 18, wherein:

the means for determining a notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level includes means for determining a notice level for a level of smoke that is relatively low as compared to the alarm level and a rate of rise of the level of smoke is relatively low as compared to the alarm level;

the means for determining whether the notice level, warning level, and/or alarm level has been exceeded includes means for determining whether the measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively low level of smoke associated with the notice level and whether a rate of rise of the measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively low rate of rise of the level of smoke associated with the notice level; and

the means for wirelessly communicating the signal includes means for wirelessly communicating the signal indicative of the notice level being exceeded when it is determined that the measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively low level of smoke associated with the notice level and when it is determined that a rate of rise of the measured level of smoke exceeds the relatively low rate of rise of the level of smoke associated with the notice level.

20. The wireless device for smoke detection of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining a fault condition of the wireless device after initialization if the wireless device, the fault condition being selected from the group consisting of;

activation of a tamper sensor, low battery, and internal fault; and

means for wirelessly communicating information indicative of the fault condition from the wireless device to the electronic device located remote from the wireless device.