Environment monitoring system

• US RE38,985 E1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PureChoice Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PureChoice Incorporated
• Inventors: Reichel, Bryan S., Boatman, Joey F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, KAMINI S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US09/833,269
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 702/188, 340/870.01, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 700/276, 700/278, 700/17, 707/1, 707/10, 379/102.01, 379/102.02
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 21/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21035 Identification with serial header
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2638 Airconditioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31205 Remote transmission of measured values from site, local to host
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/18 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/22 characterised by quality surveillance of production

Abstract

An environment monitoring system and method for systematically and continuously monitoring an environment. The system and method includes a data acquisition system which is programmed to systematically collect environment air quality environmental data and non-weather data for a site. The data acquisition system includes sensors coupled to a data storage device having a remote access device for electronic access from a remote system. Data may be uploaded to a remote database for storing environment data from many sites. The remote database includes a remote access device so that the data storage devices of various data acquisition sites can be electronically coupled to the remote database for centralized data collection and storage.

Claims

1. An air quality monitoring system comprising:

a data acquisition system for collecting air quality data at a data acquisition site, said data acquisition system including;

at least one sensor for measuring environmental air quality data;

a second plurality air quality sensor adapted to measure non-weather data;

a data storage device coupled to the sensor for storing data measured by the sensor;

a remote access device coupled to the data storage device for electronically accessing measured data stored on the data storage device from a remote system;

means for converting sensor data to an air quality measurement based upon sensor type;

a remote database for storing air quality data from a plurality of data acquisition systems;

a remote access device coupled to the remote database for electronically accessing the remote database for uploading and storing measured data from data acquisition sites; and

means for systematically and automatically uploading data from acquisition sites to the remote database.

2. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 including a plurality of sensors at a data acquisition site, said plurality of sensors being coupled to the data storage device.

3. The air quality monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the sensors are fixedly installed at distributed locations at a site and coupled to the data storage device.

4. The air quality monitoring system of claim 3 wherein the sensors output a voltage signal proportional to the measured air quality and a voltage to current converter is included to convert the voltage to current to transmit the measurement to a processing device for storage by a data storage device.

5. The air quality monitoring system of claim 4 wherein the remote database includes a system for converting the voltage to an air quality measurement.

6. The air quality monitoring system of claim 2 and including a site controller coupled to the sensors and programmed to systematically initiate collection of environment data at defined intervals from the sensors and storing said data to the data storage device.

7. The air quality monitoring system of claim 2 including a plurality of sensors which measure different air quality attributes coupled to a data storage device and means for converting the measurements to air quality data based upon the sensor type of the measured data.

8. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes an ionizing particle sensor device.

9. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.

10. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the air quality data is stored via a site identification number on the remote database.

11. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the remote database is coupled to a printer for generating reports of the air quality data.

12. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the remote database is coupled to a distributed wide area network for remote access to the database.

13. The air quality monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the environment data is stored by site and is accessible through the distributed wide area network by password codes.

14. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the site controller is programmed to initiate remote electronic communications with the remote database to upload data.

15. The air quality monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the remote database includes a controller programmed to initiate remote electronic communications with the data storage devices of various sites for uploading data from the various sites to the remote database.

16. A method for monitoring air quality comprising the steps of:

providing a data acquisition system at a data acquisition site including at least one sensor for measuring environmental air quality data and a second plurality air quality sensor adapted to measure non-weather data, both the at least one sensor and the second plurality air quality sensor coupled to a data storage device, said data storage device including a remote access device for electronic remote access to the data storage device;

providing a remote database for storing air quality data from various data acquisition sites, said remote database including a remote access device for electronically remotely accessing the database;

collecting a measurement from a sensor;

transmitting the measurement to the data storage device at the data acquisition site for storage;

automatically electronically connecting to the remote database and uploading the measurement data to the remote database for storage; and

converting measurements to air quality data based upon sensor type and storing the air quality data in the remote database .

17. The method for monitoring air quality of claim 16 wherein air quality data is uploaded to and stored in the remote database according to data acquisition site.

18. The method for monitoring air quality of claim 16 wherein the data acquisition site includes a plurality of sensors and including the steps of:

measuring air quality data via a plurality of sensors;

transmitting the air quality data from the sensors to the data storage device at the data acquisition site.

19. The method for monitoring air quality of claim 16 including the steps of:

generating measured air quality data reports by data acquisition site; and

printing measured air quality data reports.

20. The method of claim 16 sand including the steps of:

measuring a plurality of air quality attributes via a plurality of different sensors; and

converting the measurements to air quality data based upon the sensor type.

21. An air quality monitoring system comprising:

a data acquisition system programmed to collect air quality data at a data acquisition site, the data acquisition system comprising;

a first air quality sensor for measuring environmental data;

a second plurality air quality sensor adapted to measure non-weather data;

a data storage device coupled to the air quality sensor;

a first remote access device coupled to the data storage device adapted to provide remote electronic access to the air quality data in the data acquisition system;

a remote data collection system programmed to receive the air quality data from a plurality of data acquisition systems, the remote data collection system comprising;

a remote database programmed to store air quality data from the plurality of data acquisition systems;

a second remote access device; and

a controller programmed to systematically and automatically store air quality data from the data acquisition systems in the remote database.

22. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the air quality sensors are installed at distributed locations at the data acquisition site.

23. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the air quality sensor outputs a voltage signal proportional to a measured air quality.

24. The air quality monitoring system of claim 23 wherein the voltage signal comprises the air quality data.

25. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 comprising a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

26. The air quality monitoring system of claim 25 wherein the processing device is programmed to convert a voltage signal generated by the air quality sensor to air quality data.

27. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the air quality sensor further comprises a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

28. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

29. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the remote data collection system comprises a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

30. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a site controller programmed to systematically collect air quality data from the air quality sensors at defined intervals and to store the air quality data in the data storage device.

31. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a site controller programmed to transmit air quality data to the remote data collection system.

32. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein each air quality sensor comprises a sensor identification number.

33. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein air quality data is associated with a sensor identification number.

34. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the remote database is accessible through a distributed wide area network.

35. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the data acquisition system is programmed to initiate remote electronic communications with the remote data collection system.

36. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the remote data collection system is programmed to initiate remote electronic communications with the data acquisition system.

37. The air quality monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the first and second remote access devices comprise a distributed wide area network.

38. An air quality monitoring system comprising:

a data acquisition system programmed to collect air quality data at a data acquisition site, the data acquisition system comprising least one air quality sensor for measuring environmental data, a second plurality air quality sensor adapted to measure non-weather data and a data storage device coupled to the air quality sensor;

a remote data collection system programmed to receive the air quality data from a plurality of data acquisition systems, the remote data collection system comprising a remote database programmed to store air quality data from the plurality of data acquisition systems; and

a communication system coupled to the data acquisition system and the remote data collection system and programmed to systematically and automatically transmit air quality data from the plurality of data acquisition systems to the remote data collection system for storage in the remote database.

39. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 comprising a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

40. The air quality monitoring system of claim 39 wherein the processing device is programmed to convert a voltage signal generated by the air quality sensor to air quality data.

41. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a site controller programmed to systematically collect air quality data from the air quality sensors at defined intervals and to store the air quality data in the data storage device.

42. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a site controller programmed to transmit air quality data to the remote data collection system.

43. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein each air quality sensor comprises a sensor identification number.

44. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein air quality data is associated with a sensor identification number.

45. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein the remote database is accessible through a distributed wide area network.

46. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein the communication system comprises a distributed wide area network.

47. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein the data acquisition system is programmed to initiate remote electronic communications with the remote data collection system.

48. The air quality monitoring system of claim 38 wherein the remote data collection system is programmed to initiate remote electronic communications with the data acquisition system.

49. An air quality monitoring system comprising:

a data acquisition system programmed to collect air quality data at a data acquisition site, the data acquisition system comprising at least one air quality sensor for measuring environmental data, a second plurality air quality sensor adapted to measure non-weather data and a data storage device coupled to the quality sensor;

a remote database;

a remote access device adapted to couple the remote database to the data acquisition system; and

a controller programmed to systematically and automatically transmit data from data acquisition sites to the remote database and to store air quality data in the remote database.

50. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the air quality sensor outputs a voltage signal proportional to a measured air quality.

51. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 comprising a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

52. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the air quality sensor further comprises a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

53. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a processing device programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

54. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the controller is programmed to convert sensor data to air quality data.

55. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a site controller programmed to systematically collect air quality data from the air quality sensors at defined intervals and to store the air quality data in the data storage device.

56. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the data acquisition system comprises a site controller programmed to transmit air quality data to the remote data collection system.

57. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein each air quality sensor comprises a sensor identification number.

58. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein air quality data is associated with a sensor identification number.

59. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the remote database is accessible through a distributed wide area network.

60. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the data acquisition system is programmed to initiate remote electronic communications with the remote data collection system.

61. The air quality monitoring system of claim 49 wherein the remote access device comprise a distributed wide area network.

62. A method for monitoring air quality comprising the steps of:

locating, a data acquisition system at a data acquisition site including at least one air quality sensor for measuring environmental data and a second plurality air quality sensor adapted to measure non-weather data, both being coupled to a data storage device, the data storage device including a first remote access device providing remote electronic access to the data storage device;

providing a remote data collection system comprising a remote database programmed to store air quality data from various data acquisition sites, the remote data collection system comprising a second remote access device providing remote electronic access to the data acquisition system;

collecting air quality data from the air quality sensors in the data storage device;

automatically connecting the remote database to the data acquisition system and transferring the air quality data to the remote database for storage; and

storing the air quality data in the remote database.

63. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of distributing the air quality sensors at locations at the data acquisition site.

64. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of generating a voltage signal from the air quality sensor proportional to a measured air quality.

65. The method of claim 62 wherein the voltage signal comprises the air quality data.

66. The method of claim 62 wherein the data acquisition system converts a voltage signal generated by the air quality sensor to air quality data.

67. The method of claim 62 wherein the remote data collection system converts a voltage signal generated by the air quality sensor to air quality data.

68. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of systematically collecting air quality data from the air quality sensors at defined intervals and storing the air quality data in the data storage device.

69. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of systematically and automatically uploading air quality data from the data acquisition system and storing the air quality data in the remote database.

70. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of collecting in the data storage device a sensor identification number along with air quality data.

71. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of associating air quality data with a sensor identification number.

72. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of accessing the remote database through a distributed wide area network.

73. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of initiating remote electronic communications with the remote data collection system at the data acquisition system.

74. The method of claim 62 comprising the step of initiating remote electronic communication with the data acquisition system at the remote data collection system.

75. The method of claim 62 wherein the first and second remote access devices communicate through a distributed wide area network.