System for controlling an ambient air parameter

• US 9,014,859 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Isaksson, Alf, Brannstrom, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US13/246,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 455/7, 455/426.2, 455/404.1, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 1/02 Test models analogue computers therefor G06G7/50
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/80 for controlling the temperature of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1932 to control the temperature of a plurality of spaces

Abstract

A control system for controlling at least one environmental parameter in an operating area in response to sensor signals. The system includes a central control unit, actuators and mobile sensor units, and also at least one, preferably a plurality, of communication nodes which are placed in the operating area. Each one of the communication nodes is configured to mediate signals between the sensor units and the central control unit in a monitoring area by wirelessly receiving sensor signals from sensor units located within its monitoring area and forwarding the sensor signals to the central control unit. A monitoring area of a communication node is defined by the signal coverage of the communication node.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling at least one environmental parameter in an operating area in response to sensor signals, the system comprising a central control unit, actuators and mobile sensor units, wherein:

the central control unit communicates with the actuators and the sensor units, and is configured to send control signals to the actuators based on the sensor signals from the sensor units,

the actuators are placed in the operating area or in a vicinity to the operating area and are configured to receive the control signals from the central control unit and operate to affect the at least one environmental parameter in the operating area,

the mobile sensor units being configured to measure the at least one environmental parameter in the operating area when the sensor units are located in said operating area,

characterized in, that the control system also comprises at least one, preferably a plurality, of communication nodes which are placed in the operating area, wherein each one of the communication nodes is configured to mediate signals between the sensor units and the central control unit in a monitoring area by wirelessly receiving the sensor signals from the sensor units located within the monitoring area and forwarding the sensor signals to the central control unit, wherein the monitoring area of at least one communication node is defined by the signal coverage of said at least one communication node.

2. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that the central control unit is configured to automatically configure at least one of the sensor units moving into the monitoring area, so that the sensor unit automatically can be put to use, and to automatically remove the at least one sensor unit moving out from the monitoring area from the control system, wherein said configuration of the sensor unit is based on the location of the sensor unit and an identity tag carried by the sensor unit.

3. The control system of claim 2, characterized in that the identity tag comprises information about the type of the sensor unit and the calibration status of the sensor unit carrying said identity tag.

4. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that the central control unit is configured to identify in which monitoring area a sensor unit is located based on which communication node that receives the sensor signal from said sensor unit and adapt the control signal to the actuators according to the location of the sensor unit.

5. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that the central control unit is configured to send control signals wirelessly to the actuators.

6. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that the operating area is a mine, at least some of the actuators are fans configured to provide fresh air to the mine and the sensor units comprise at least one gas sensor configured to measure the concentration of a certain gas affecting the quality of the air in the mine.

7. The control system of claim 6, characterized in that the sensor units are carried by vehicles or people working in the mine.

8. The control system of claim 6, characterized in that when a gas sensor detects a deterioration in the air quality in a monitoring area, the central control unit is configured to respond to the sensor signal from the gas sensor by sending a control signal to a fan, or a group of fans, operating in said monitoring area, wherein the control signal orders the fan or the group of fans to increase the ventilation in said monitoring area.

9. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the actuators are temperature regulating actuators configured to regulate the temperature in the operating area and that the sensor units comprise at least one temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature in the operating area.

10. The control system of claim 9, characterized in that at least some of the temperature sensors are carried by machines, people or workpieces in the operating area, or are objects stored in the operating area.

11. The control system of claim 9, characterized in that the temperature regulating actuators comprise a heater.

12. The control system of claim 9, characterized in that the temperature regulating actuators comprise a cooler.

13. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that the at least one environmental parameter comprises temperature.

14. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that the at least one environmental parameter comprises air quality.

15. The control system of claim 6, characterized in that the certain gas comprises carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen, or nitrogen oxide.

16. The control system of claim 8, characterized in that the deterioration in the air quality comprises a certain level of oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide or nitrogen oxide.

17. The control system of claim 11, characterized in that the heater comprises an oven element or heating fan.

18. The control system of claim 12, characterized in that the cooler comprises a refrigerator element or cooling fan.

19. The control system of claim 1, characterized in that the at least one environmental parameter comprises at least two environmental parameters that are measured by different types of sensors.