Low-power user interface device for environmental monitoring system
First Claim
1. An environmental monitoring system for monitoring an environment, the environmental monitoring system comprising:
- a first environmental sensor unit configured to sense one or more environmental parameters;
an apparatus, wherein the apparatus is associated with the first environmental sensor unit and the apparatus is configured for use with at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the apparatus comprising;
a display;
a wireless receiver;
at least one processor; and
at least one storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising;
in response to detecting that a first period of time has passed,monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for a wireless transmission comprising a device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit, with which the apparatus is associated; and
in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit,
determining from the wireless transmission a value of an environmental parameter of the one or more environmental parameters, and
controlling the display to present information indicative of the value of the environmental parameter; and
wherein the first environmental sensor unit comprises;
at least one wireless transceiver;
at least one environmental sensor;
at least one second processor; and
at least one second storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the at least one second processor to carry out a second method comprising;
sensing the environmental parameter using the at least one environmental sensor;
in response to detecting that the first period of time has passed, transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit and the value of the environmental parameter sensed using the at least one environmental sensor,wherein the first environmental sensor unit further comprises;
an environmentally-sealed case in which the at least one wireless transceiver, the at least one second processor, and the at least one second storage medium are disposed; and
at least one external physical port, the at least one external physical port being communicatively connected to the at least one second processor and comprising an opening disposed on an exterior of the environmentally-sealed case, and one or more of the at least one environmental sensor are disposed outside of the environmentally-sealed case and connected to the at least one external physical port,wherein the at least one second storage medium stores an individual identifier for each of the at least one environmental sensors; and
wherein the second method further comprises;
transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second wireless transmission to the at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the at least one second wireless transmission comprising the value of the environmental parameter, the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, and the individual identifier for an environmental sensor of the at least one environmental sensor via which the value of the environmental parameter was determined; and
in response to receiving, via the at least one wireless transceiver and from the at least one computing device, a first message indicating that the value of the environmental parameter satisfies an alert condition, transmitting, to the apparatus and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second message comprising the value and indicating the alert,wherein transmitting the wireless transmission comprises transmitting the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit and further comprising an indication that the at least one second message is a broadcast transmission, andwherein;
the method further comprises in response to receiving the at least one second message comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining whether the at least one second message indicates the alert; and
controlling the display comprises, in response to determining that the at least one second message indicates the alert, controlling the display to present information indicative of the alert.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of an environmental monitoring system that mitigates complexities in installation and maintenance while complying with strict regulations on operations of the system. The environmental monitoring system may communicate wirelessly between components such as sensor units and display devices, enabling these components to be separately and easily installed in an environment without needing to install wires in the environment to connect them. In addition, in embodiments at least some of the components (e.g., sensor units and display devices) of the environmental monitoring system may be adapted to wirelessly and reliably communicate using specific wireless communication protocols, described in detail herein, that exchange few communications between the components and thereby decrease power consumption of these components. Further, in some embodiments, a display device may include hardware and/or execute software that drive and/or update a display only when a condition is met.
108 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An environmental monitoring system for monitoring an environment, the environmental monitoring system comprising:
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a first environmental sensor unit configured to sense one or more environmental parameters; an apparatus, wherein the apparatus is associated with the first environmental sensor unit and the apparatus is configured for use with at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the apparatus comprising; a display; a wireless receiver; at least one processor; and at least one storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising; in response to detecting that a first period of time has passed, monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for a wireless transmission comprising a device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit, with which the apparatus is associated; and in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit,
determining from the wireless transmission a value of an environmental parameter of the one or more environmental parameters, and
controlling the display to present information indicative of the value of the environmental parameter; andwherein the first environmental sensor unit comprises; at least one wireless transceiver; at least one environmental sensor; at least one second processor; and at least one second storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the at least one second processor to carry out a second method comprising; sensing the environmental parameter using the at least one environmental sensor; in response to detecting that the first period of time has passed, transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit and the value of the environmental parameter sensed using the at least one environmental sensor, wherein the first environmental sensor unit further comprises; an environmentally-sealed case in which the at least one wireless transceiver, the at least one second processor, and the at least one second storage medium are disposed; and at least one external physical port, the at least one external physical port being communicatively connected to the at least one second processor and comprising an opening disposed on an exterior of the environmentally-sealed case, and one or more of the at least one environmental sensor are disposed outside of the environmentally-sealed case and connected to the at least one external physical port, wherein the at least one second storage medium stores an individual identifier for each of the at least one environmental sensors; and wherein the second method further comprises; transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second wireless transmission to the at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the at least one second wireless transmission comprising the value of the environmental parameter, the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, and the individual identifier for an environmental sensor of the at least one environmental sensor via which the value of the environmental parameter was determined; and in response to receiving, via the at least one wireless transceiver and from the at least one computing device, a first message indicating that the value of the environmental parameter satisfies an alert condition, transmitting, to the apparatus and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second message comprising the value and indicating the alert, wherein transmitting the wireless transmission comprises transmitting the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit and further comprising an indication that the at least one second message is a broadcast transmission, and wherein; the method further comprises in response to receiving the at least one second message comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining whether the at least one second message indicates the alert; and controlling the display comprises, in response to determining that the at least one second message indicates the alert, controlling the display to present information indicative of the alert. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for use with an environmental monitoring system to monitor one or more environmental parameters of an environment, the environmental monitoring system comprising a display device, at least one environmental sensor unit comprising at least one wireless transceiver and at least one environmental sensor to sense the one or more environmental parameters, and at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the display device comprising a display, and a wireless receiver, the method comprising:
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with the display device, and in response to detecting that a first period of time has passed, monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for a wireless transmission comprising a device identifier of a first environmental sensor unit, of the at least one environmental sensor unit, with which the display device is associated; and in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining from the wireless transmission a value of an environmental parameter of the one or more environmental parameters, and controlling the display to present information indicative of the value of the environmental parameter; and with the first environmental sensor unit; sensing the environmental parameter using the at least one environmental sensor; in response to detecting that the first period of time has passed, transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit and the value of the environmental parameter sensed using the at least one environmental sensor, transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second wireless transmission to the at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the at least one second wireless transmission comprising the value of the environmental parameter, the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, and an individual identifier for an environmental sensor of the at least one environmental sensor via which the value of the environmental parameter was determined; and in response to receiving, via the at least one wireless transceiver and from the at least one computing device, a first message indicating that the value of the environmental parameter satisfies an alert condition, transmitting, to the display device and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second message comprising the value and indicating the alert, wherein transmitting the wireless transmission comprises transmitting the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit and further comprising an indication that the at least one second message is a broadcast transmission, and wherein; the method further comprises, with the display device, in response to receiving the at least one second message comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining whether the at least one second message indicates the alert; and controlling the display comprises, in response to determining that the at least one second message indicates the alert, controlling the display to present information indicative of the alert.
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23. At least one computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method for use with an environmental monitoring system to monitor one or more environmental parameters of an environment, the environmental monitoring system comprising a display device, at least one environmental sensor unit comprising at least one wireless transceiver and at least one environmental sensor to sense the one or more environmental parameters, and at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the display device comprising a display, and a wireless receiver, the method comprising:
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with the display device and in response to detecting that a first period of time has passed, monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for a wireless transmission comprising a device identifier of a first environmental sensor unit, of the at least one environmental sensor unit, with which the display device is associated; and in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining from the wireless transmission a value of an environmental parameter of the one or more environmental parameters, and controlling the display to present information indicative of the value of the environmental parameter; and with the first environmental sensor unit; sensing the environmental parameter using the at least one environmental sensor; in response to detecting that the first period of time has passed, transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit and the value of the environmental parameter sensed using the at least one environmental sensor, transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second wireless transmission to the at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the at least one second wireless transmission comprising the value of the environmental parameter, the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, and an individual identifier for an environmental sensor of the at least one environmental sensor via which the value of the environmental parameter was determined; and in response to receiving, via the at least one wireless transceiver and from the at least one computing device, a first message indicating that the value of the environmental parameter satisfies an alert condition, transmitting, to the display device and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second message comprising the value and indicating the alert, wherein transmitting the wireless transmission comprises transmitting the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit and further comprising an indication that the at least one second message is a broadcast transmission, and wherein; the method further comprises, with the display device, in response to receiving the at least one second message comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining whether the at least one second message indicates the alert; and controlling the display comprises, in response to determining that the at least one second message indicates the alert, controlling the display to present information indicative of the alert.
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Specification