Environmental data collection

• US 9,767,656 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Cold Chain LP
• Original Assignee: PakSense Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Jensen, Thomas P., Gruell, Kirk M., Lawler, Jr., Casimir E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERWIN, RYAN W
• Application Number:
  US14/599,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20150228166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/14 giving a distribution function of a value, i.e. number of times the value comes within specified ranges of amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/022 for recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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

Abstract

One computer readable medium embodiment includes computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a device to perform a method of environmental data collection. The method can include receiving environmental data and associated time data. The method can also include aggregating time data into categories of environmental data within, above, and below a range. The method can further include outputting the aggregated and categorized time data.

Claims

1. A system including:

an environmental sensing assembly including;

one or more environmental sensors collectively associated therewith;

a power source to provide power to the environmental sensing assembly; and

a power exchange interface,

the environmental sensing assembly configured to;

aggregate time data into categories of environmental data within, above, and below a range; and

output the aggregated and categorized time data,

wherein the aggregated and categorized time data is output as percentages of a total time over which the environmental data is measured by the one or more environmental sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an external probe device remote to the environmental sensing assembly, wherein the external probe device is not connected to the environmental sensing assembly except through a temporary physical connection with the power exchange interface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the external probe device includes a physical contact link to provide the power to the environmental sensing assembly via the power exchange interface.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the external probe device is only in physical contact with the environmental sensing assembly when providing power to the environmental sensing assembly.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the external probe device provides the power to the environmental sensing assembly without penetrating into the environmental sensing assembly.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a remote reader device configured to receive environmental data and associated time data from the one or more environmental sensors collectively associated with the environmental sensing assembly in response to the provided power.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the environmental data and associated time data is received by the remote reader device wirelessly from the environmental sensing assembly.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental sensing assembly is configured to receive power via electromagnetic coupling.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the power exchange interface comprises a set of contact points.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the environmental sensing assembly is configured to transfer data via the set of contact points.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

12. A system including:

an environmental sensing assembly including a power exchange interface, the environmental sensing assembly configured to;

aggregate time data into categories of environmental data within, above, and below a range; and

output the aggregated and categorized time data, wherein the aggregated and categorized time data is output as percentages of a total time over which the environmental data is measured by one or more environmental sensors collectively associated with the environmental sensing assembly.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a remote reader device, wherein the remote reader device receives environmental data and associated time data from the environmental sensing assembly in response to provided power from an external probe device, wherein the aggregated and categorized time data is output to a display of the remote reader device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote reader device receives additional environmental data and associated time data via a wireless communication link.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote reader device further sums a product for each of a plurality of alert events, each corresponding to environmental data that is out of the range by different amounts during each of the plurality of alert events, and displaying the sum.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote reader device further displays the product on a display of the remote reader device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the remote reader device further displays the environmental data out of the range.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the aggregated and categorized time data is output as hours and minutes for each of within, above, and below the range.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the environmental data includes one selected from a group including:

temperature data, humidity data, physical orientation data, proximity data, acceleration data, atmospheric pressure data, chemical data, chemical change data, shock data, vibration data, light data, and combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein a power source of the environmental sensing assembly otherwise powers the environmental sensing assembly without an external probe device.

21. The system of claim 12, further comprising an external probe device remote from the environmental sensing assembly, wherein the external probe device provides power to the environmental sensing assembly via the power interface in response to a power source within the environmental sensing assembly being exhausted or otherwise nonfunctional, wherein the external probe device temporarily contacts the power exchange interface to provide the power to the environmental sensing assembly.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the environmental sensing assembly is configured to receive power via electromagnetic coupling.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the power exchange interface comprises a set of contact points.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the environmental sensing assembly is configured to transfer at least one of the environmental data or the associated time data via the set of contact points.