Apparatus, system and method for monitoring a drying procedure

• US 9,068,778 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RM2 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RM2 Incorporated
• Inventors: Pedraza, Mark A., Lubeski, Richard G., O'Connell, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniel, Wu
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/140,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20080249654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,570 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 236/44.C, 236/44.A, 165/224, 344/18, 700/276
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/70 Drying or keeping dry, e.g. by air vents using damp-proof courses E04B1/644; using sealings, e.g. sealing masses or foils, E04B1/66; during erection E04G21/28
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0008 for air-humidification F24F11/30 takes precedence
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/14 by humidification; by dehumidification
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/22 Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/14 Calling by using pulses

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method provide drying procedure information through a user interface. A monitoring device transmits drying procedure data measured by sensors within a structure undergoing the drying procedure to a server. In response to requests received through a communication network from a user interface, the server transmits the drying procedure information that is presented through the user interface. A variety of information and services related to the drying procedure may be provided through the user interface.

Claims

1. A method for managing a drying procedure, the drying procedure performed at a building structure after exposure to water, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server through a communication network, drying procedure data obtained by one or more sensors at the building structure undergoing the drying procedure to remove moisture from at least a portion of a building material forming at least a portion of the building structure;

generating, by the server, first drying procedure information regarding the drying procedure based on the drying procedure data and a first access authorization level, at least a portion of the first drying procedure information being different from any portion of the drying procedure data, the first drying procedure information comprising at least one of timing information, moisture information, humidity information, temperature information, electrical power information, voltage information, current information, cost information, image information, thermal image information, audio information, and equipment information;

generating, by the server, second drying procedure information based on the drying procedure data and a second access authorization level, the second drying procedure information being different from the first drying procedure information and comprising at least one of timing information, moisture information, humidity information, temperature information, electrical power information, voltage information, current information, cost information, image information, thermal image information, audio information, and equipment information;

transmitting, by the server to a first user interface, the first drying procedure information;

receiving, at the server, a control instruction from the first user interface, the first user interface having the first access authorization level;

transmitting the control instruction through the communication network to equipment at the building structure;

and

transmitting, by the server the second drying procedure through the communication network to a second user interface having the second access authorization level, the second user interface being restricted, based on the second access authorization level, from transmitting any control instructions for controlling the equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the first drying procedure information to the first user interface through the communication network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the drying procedure data comprises moisture data indicating a moisture level of the at least the portion of the building material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the drying procedure data comprises at least one of a temperature at the building structure, an indoor humidity level at the building structure, an outdoor humidity level at the building structure, and a dissipated power value indicating power dissipated by the equipment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the control instruction comprises a command to configure drying equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control instruction comprises a command to configure a drying monitor device obtaining the drying procedure data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the control instruction comprises transmitting the control instruction through a packet switched network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the packet switched network is an Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the building material is selected from the group consisting of wood, plywood, drywall, brick, concrete, pressboard, plaster, carpet, and insulation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an estimated drying time for the drying procedure;

determining that the estimated drying time is inaccurate;

determining one or more reasons that the estimated drying time is inaccurate; and

providing, to at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface, information regarding the one or more reasons.

11. The method claim 1, wherein the first user interface is a first graphic user interface (GUI) generated by a web browser running on a first computer and the second user interface is a second graphic user interface (GUI) generated by a web browser running on a second computer.

12. A system for managing a drying procedure performed at a building structure after exposure to water, the system comprising:

a first user interface having a first access authorization level and configured to transmit, through a communication network, a control instruction;

a second user interface having a second access authorization level; and

a server configured to;

receive, through the communication network, drying procedure data obtained by one or more sensors at the building structure;

generate first drying procedure information regarding the drying procedure based on the drying procedure data and the first access authorization level, at least a portion of the first drying procedure information being different from any portion of the drying procedure data, the first drying procedure information comprising at least one of timing information, moisture information, humidity information, temperature information, electrical power information, voltage information, current information, cost information, image information, thermal image information, audio information, and equipment information;

generate second drying procedure information based on the drying procedure data and the second access authorization level, the second drying procedure information being different from the first drying procedure information and comprising at least one of timing information, moisture information, humidity information, temperature information, electrical power information, voltage information, current information, cost information, image information, thermal image information, audio information, and equipment information;

transmit the first drying procedure information through the communication network to the first user interface;

receive, through the communication network, the control instruction from the first user interface,

transmit the control instruction through the communication network, the control instruction configured to control equipment at the building structure undergoing the drying procedure to remove moisture from at least a portion of a building material forming at least a portion of the building structure; and

transmit the second drying information through the communication network to the second user interface, the second drying information based on the drying procedure data, the second drying information different from the first drying procedure information,

the second user interface configured to receive, through the communication network, the second drying procedure information, the second user interface being restricted, based on the second access authorization level, from transmitting control instructions through the communication network to equipment at the structure.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a third user interface, the server configured to transmit third drying procedure information through the communication network to the third user interface, the third drying procedure information based on the drying procedure data and being different from the first drying procedure information and the second drying procedure information, the third drying procedure information based on a third access authorization level associated with the third user interface.

14. The system in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

the first user interface is a contractor user interface for use by a contractor to control and monitor the drying procedure;

the second user interface is a structure owner user interface for use by an owner of the building structure; and

the third user interface is a third party user interface for use by an insurance company representative.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a monitoring device configured to transmit the drying procedure data from the structure to the server; and

drying equipment, the control instruction for configuring the drying equipment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control instruction comprise a power instruction to turn off the drying equipment.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring device comprises:

a communication interface configured to receive the control instruction through a wireless communication link.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a monitoring device configured to transmit the drying procedure data from the structure to the server, the control instruction for configuring the monitoring device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the building material is selected from the group consisting of drywall, brick, concrete, pressboard, plaster, carpet, wood, plywood, and insulation.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the first user interface is a first graphic user interface (GUI) generated by a web browser running on a first computer and the second user interface is a second graphic user interface (GUI) generated by a web browser running on a second computer.

21. A system for managing a drying procedure performed at a structure after exposure to water, the system comprising:

a server configured to generate and transmit, in accordance with a first access authorization level and through a communication network to a first user interface, first drying procedure information regarding the drying procedure based on drying procedure data acquired by one or more sensors at the structure undergoing the drying procedure to remove moisture from at least a portion of a building material forming at least a portion of the structure,

the server configured to receive, in accordance with a second access authorization level, control instructions from a second user interface to control equipment at the structure and to restrict, in accordance with the first access authorization level, the first user interface from transmitting the control instructions to the server,

the server configured to generate and transmit, through the communication network to the second user interface, second drying procedure information regarding the drying procedure based on the drying procedure data, the second drying procedure information being different from the first drying procedure information, at least a portion of the first drying procedure information being different from any portion of the drying procedure data, each of the first drying procedure information and the second during procedure information comprising at least one of timing information, moisture information, humidity information, temperature information, electrical power information, voltage information, current information, cost information, image information, thermal image information, audio information, and equipment information.

22. A system for managing a drying procedure performed at a building structure after exposure to water, the system comprising:

a server connected to a first user interface through a communication network and connected to a second user interface through the communication network;

a plurality of sensors positioned within a building structure undergoing the drying procedure to remove moisture from at least a portion of building material of the building structure;

drying equipment positioned within the building structure; and

a monitoring device comprising;

a data interface configured to receive signals from the plurality of sensors and to generate drying procedure data from the signals; and

a communication interface connected to the data interface and configured to receive the drying procedure data from the data interface and to the send the drying procedure data to the server,

the server configured to generate first drying procedure information based on the drying procedure data and to generate second drying procedure data from the drying procedure data, the second drying procedure information being different from the first drying procedure information, at least a portion of the first drying procedure information being different from any portion of the drying procedure data, each of the first drying procedure information and the second during procedure information comprising at least one of timing information, moisture information, humidity information, temperature information, electrical power information, voltage information, current information, cost information, image information, thermal image information, audio information, and equipment information,

the server configured to send, in accordance with a first access authorization level, the first drying procedure information, through the communication network, to the first user interface and to send, in accordance with a second access authorization level, the second drying procedure information, through the communication network, to the second user interface,

the server configured to receive control information from the first user interface and to send the control information to the data interface, the data interface configured to control the drying equipment in accordance with the control signal;

the second user interface being restricted, based on the second access authorization level, from transmitting any control information through the communication network to the server for controlling the drying equipment.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the server is configured to generate third drying procedure information from the drying procedure data and to send the third drying procedure information to a third user interface through the communication network, the third drying procedure information different from the first drying procedure information and the second drying procedure information, the third drying procedure information based on a third access authorization level associated with the third user interface.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the drying procedure data comprises moisture data indicating a moisture level of the at least the portion of the building material.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the drying procedure data comprises at least one of a temperature at the building structure, an indoor humidity level at the building structure, an outdoor humidity level at the building structure, and a dissipated power value indicating power dissipated by the drying equipment.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the building material is selected from the group consisting of wood, plywood, drywall, brick, concrete, pressboard, plaster, carpet, and insulation.