Wireless transceiver

• US 9,357,490 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• 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): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US14/168,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• 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 13/04 by breaking of glass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• 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 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• 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: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A low cost, robust, wireless sensor that provides an extended period of operability without maintenance is described. The wireless sensors are configured to communicate with a base unit or repeater. When the sensor unit detects an anomalous ambient condition (e.g., smoke, fire, water, etc.) the sensor communicates with the base unit and provides data regarding the anomalous condition. The sensor unit receives instructions to change operating parameters and/or control external devices.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and reporting on environmental conditions within a building, comprising:

a base unit in wireless communication with a wireless repeater, the base unit being operable to;

communicate with one or more components of the system using both wireless communication and power line communication;

receive messages from one or more sensor units that comprise smoke sensors via the wireless repeater;

receive, from a sensor unit via the wireless repeater, an emergency condition indicator indicating the existence of an emergency condition, the emergency condition indicator being generated by and communicated from the sensor unit in response to the sensor unit detecting, via a smoke sensor, an amount of smoke within the building that is outside of a threshold value for smoke, wherein the sensor unit includes a location identifier that identifies a location of the sensor unit within the building;

receive the location identifier, from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater when the emergency condition indicator is generated by and communicated from the sensor unit; and

communicate the location identifier to a computing device; and

the computing device communicatively coupled to the base unit and a user device located outside of the building, the computing device being operable to;

receive, from the base unit, information indicative of the emergency condition in response to and after the base unit receives the emergency condition indicator from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater;

receive the location identifier from the base unit;

access a stored list that relates locations with location identifiers;

communicate, to the user device and via the Internet, a notification of the emergency condition in response to and after receiving, from the base unit, the information indicative of the emergency condition; and

communicate, to the user device and via the Internet, information indicative of the location of the sensor unit as associated with the location identifier such that the user device receives an indication of the location of the sensor unit that detected the amount of smoke within the building that is outside of the threshold value for smoke.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor unit includes a carbon monoxide sensor;

the base unit is further operable to receive, from the sensor unit, a carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator, the carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator indicating that a level of carbon monoxide detected by the carbon monoxide sensor is outside of a threshold value for carbon monoxide; and

the computing device is further operable to receive, from the base unit, information indicative of the carbon monoxide emergency condition, and communicate a notification of the carbon monoxide emergency condition to the user device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit further includes:

a controller coupled to one or more sensors for sensing at least one environmental condition of the building, the one or more sensors including the smoke sensor; and

a transceiver coupled to the controller and operable to wirelessly communicate with the base unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sensor unit is capable of operating in:

a low-power mode during which the controller operates with the one or more sensors to sense the at least one environmental condition of the building and the transceiver is disabled such that it does not transmit data; and

an alert mode during which the controller operates with the one or more sensors to sense the at least one environmental condition of the building and the transceiver is enabled to facilitate wireless communication with the base unit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor unit is configured to operate in the alert mode during the existence of the emergency condition and to operate in the low-power mode when the emergency condition is non-existent.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit further includes a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit is operable to wirelessly communicate with the sensor unit at a frequency of substantially 900 MHz.

8. A method for monitoring and reporting on environmental conditions within a building, the method comprising:

communicating, by a base unit, with one or more components of an environmental condition monitoring system using both wireless communication and power line communication;

receiving, by the base unit, messages from one or more sensor units that comprise smoke sensors via the wireless repeater;

receiving, by the base unit, from a sensor unit via the wireless repeater, an emergency condition indicator indicating the existence of an emergency condition, the emergency condition indicator being generated by and communicated from the sensor unit in response to the sensor unit detecting, via a smoke sensor, an amount of smoke within the building that is outside of a threshold value for smoke, wherein the sensor unit includes a location identifier that identifies a location of the sensor unit within the building;

receiving, by the base unit, the location identifier, from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater when the emergency condition indicator is generated by and communicated from the sensor unit;

communicating, by the base unit, the location identifier to a computing device;

receiving, by the computing device from the base unit, information indicative of the emergency condition in response to and after the base unit receives the emergency condition indicator from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater, wherein the computing device is coupled to the base unit and a user device located outside of the building;

receiving, by the computing device, the location identifier from the base unit;

accessing, by the computing device, a stored list that relates locations with location identifiers;

communicating, to the user device and via the Internet, a notification of the emergency condition in response to and after receiving, from the base unit, the information indicative of the emergency condition; and

communicating, to the user device and via the Internet, information indicative of the location of the sensor unit as associated with the location identifier such that the user device receives an indication of the location of the sensor unit that detected the amount of smoke within the building that is outside of the threshold value for smoke.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the base unit from the sensor unit, a carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator, the carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator indicating that a level of carbon monoxide detected by the carbon monoxide sensor is outside of a threshold value for carbon monoxide; and

receiving, by the computing device, from the base unit, information indicative of the carbon monoxide emergency condition, and communicate a notification of the carbon monoxide emergency condition to the user device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

operating, by the sensor unit, in a low-power mode such that the sensor unit senses the at least one environmental condition of the building and a transceiver of the sensor unit is disabled such that it does not transmit data; and

operating, by the sensor unit, in an alert mode during which the transceiver is enabled to facilitate wireless communication with the base unit.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

operating, by the sensor unit, in the alert mode during the existence of the emergency condition; and

operating, by the sensor unit, in the low-power mode when the emergency condition is non-existent.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

communicating, between at the base unit and the sensor unit, wirelessly at a frequency of substantially 900 MHz.