Remote location monitoring

• US 9,528,861 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La Crosse Technology IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: La Crosse Technology IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Haupt, Rolf, McCormick, Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US14/509,631
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.09, 340 101- 103, 702/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/00 Indicating measured values
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 2203/00 Real-time site-specific personalized weather information, e.g. nowcasting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• 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: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A remote location monitoring system, for example, a home monitoring or weather monitoring system may include one or more sensors and/or receivers at a remote location such as a residence or business to be monitored. The sensors and receivers may communicate with a central server via a gateway device, and may be controlled by users locally or remotely via the server. Users may register to receive remote notifications of weather events and other home monitoring events. Users may also access remotely sensors and receivers to configure alerts, notifications, and automatic responses for the devices and integrated appliances at the remote location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile computing device, a user input via an input component of the mobile computing device, the user input associated with a request by a user to monitor an output of a first sensor device;

activating, by the mobile computing device, at least one of a digital camera, scanner, or barcode reader in response to the user input, to capture sensor identifier data at the mobile computing device;

transmitting, by the mobile computing device, a sensor data request to a computer server, the sensor data request associated with the captured sensor identifier data;

receiving, by the mobile computing device and from the computer server, in response to the sensor data request, first sensor data collected by the first sensor device; and

displaying, by the mobile computing device, at least a portion of the first sensor data on a display screen of the mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the at least one of a digital camera, scanner, or barcode reader in response to the user input, to capture sensor identifier data comprises:

activating a digital camera of the mobile computing device in response to the user input;

capturing a digital image using the digital camera; and

executing image analysis software to identify a serial number of the first sensor device within the digital image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the at least one of a digital camera, scanner, or barcode reader in response to the user input, to capture sensor identifier data comprises:

activating a barcode reader of the mobile computing device in response to the user input; and

using the barcode reader to determine a sensor identifier of the first sensor device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the sensor data request to the computer server comprises:

determining that the user of the mobile computing device has activated a mobile application relating to monitoring outputs of sensor devices;

retrieving one or more sensor identifiers associated with at least one of the mobile application or the user; and

transmitting the sensor data request, wherein the sensor data request comprises the one or more sensor identifiers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device does not receive any data transmissions from the first sensor device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional user input at the mobile computing device, the additional user input defining one or more triggering conditions for receiving a notification based on the first sensor data;

comparing the first sensor data to the one or more triggering conditions; and

initiating a notification to the user based on the comparison of the first sensor data to the one or more triggering conditions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating the notification comprises one or more of:

sending an email to an email address associated with the user;

sending an SMS message to a mobile telephone number associated with the user;

or

triggering an alert via a mobile application on the mobile computing device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the additional user input defining the one or more triggering conditions for receiving a notification comprises:

receiving a first user selection of a first triggering condition associated with the first sensor device; and

receiving a second user selection of a second triggering condition associated with a second sensor device,

wherein the notification is initiated in response to a satisfaction of both the first and second triggering conditions.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data request comprises a request to subscribe to sensor data updates for the first sensor device.

9. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a processor controlling at least some operations of the mobile computing device;

one or more input components;

a display screen; and

memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile computing device to;

receive a user input via the one or more input components, the user input associated with a request by a user to monitor an output of a first sensor device;

activate at least one of a digital camera, scanner, or barcode reader in response to the user input, to capture sensor identifier data;

transmit a sensor data request to a computer server, the sensor data request associated with the captured sensor identifier data;

receive, from the computer server, in response to the sensor data request, first sensor data collected by the first sensor device; and

display at least a portion of the first sensor data on the display screen.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein activating the at least one of a digital camera, scanner, or barcode reader in response to the user input, to capture sensor identifier data comprises:

activating a digital camera in response to the user input;

capturing a digital image using the digital camera; and

executing image analysis software to identify a serial number of the first sensor device within the digital image.

11. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein activating the at least one of a digital camera, scanner, or barcode reader in response to the user input, to capture sensor identifier data comprises:

activating a barcode reader of the mobile computing device in response to the user input; and

using the barcode reader to determine a sensor identifier of the first sensor device.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein transmitting the sensor data request to the computer server comprises:

determining that a user has activated a mobile application relating to monitoring outputs of sensor devices;

retrieving one or more sensor identifiers associated with at least one of the mobile application or the user; and

transmitting the sensor data request, wherein the sensor data request comprises the one or more sensor identifiers.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein the mobile computing device is configured not to receive any data transmissions from the first sensor device.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 9, the memory storing further computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile computing device to:

receive additional user input defining one or more triggering conditions for receiving a notification based on the first sensor data;

compare the first sensor data to the one or more triggering conditions; and

initiate a notification based on the comparison of the first sensor data to the one or more triggering conditions.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein receiving the additional user input defining the one or more triggering conditions for receiving a notification comprises:

receiving a first user selection of a first triggering condition associated with the first sensor device; and

receiving a second user selection of a second triggering condition associated with a second sensor device,

wherein the notification is initiated in response to a satisfaction of both the first and second triggering conditions.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein the sensor data request comprises a request for a subset of sensor data collected by the first sensor device.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive a user input via an input component of the computing device, the user input associated with a request by a user to monitor an output of a first sensor device;

activate at least one of a digital camera, scanner, or barcode reader in response to the user input, to capture sensor identifier data at the computing device;

transmit a sensor data request to a computer server, the sensor data request associated with the captured sensor identifier data;

receive, from the computer server and in response to the sensor data request, first sensor data collected by the first sensor device; and

display at least a portion of the first sensor data on a display screen of the computing device.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, further comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive additional user input at the computing device, the additional user input defining one or more triggering conditions for receiving a notification based on the first sensor data;

compare the first sensor data to the one or more triggering conditions; and

initiate a notification to the user based on the comparison of the first sensor data to the one or more triggering conditions.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the receiving the additional user input defining the one or more triggering conditions for receiving the notification comprises:

receiving a first user selection of a first triggering condition associated with the first sensor device; and

receiving a second user selection of a second triggering condition associated with a second sensor device,

wherein the notification is initiated in response to a satisfaction of both the first and second triggering conditions.