Monitoring terminal device

• US 20040239525A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Ikutaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/004 using portable personal devices hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellent gases or chemicals F41H9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/00 Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/12 Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems

Abstract

A monitoring terminal device is provided which is capable of reducing its power consumption to a minimum and of being fully operated even indoors by using a solar cell as a power source. In the monitoring terminal device including a sensor unit, the transmitting unit to transmit, by wireless, a sensor monitoring output, and a control unit which control the sensor unit and the transmitting unit, further including a power supply section, when only state change of object to be monitored, that is, a output of the sensor unit is detected the control unit and the transmitting unit are started to transmit monitoring information by the sensor unit. When the sensor unit and the generating section are not activated supply of power to the sensor unit and the generating section is stopped and the control unit by itself is put into standby state, which enables reduction of power consumption to a minimum. This ensures a operation of the monitoring terminal device even in an environment in which power is not supplied from the outside

Claims

1. A monitoring terminal device comprising:

a sensor unit;

a wireless transmitting unit to transmit, by wireless, an output from said sensor unit;

a control unit to control said wireless transmitting unit; and

a power source managing unit to start and control said wireless transmitting unit and said control unit in response to said output from said sensor unit.

2. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said power source managing unit to start and control said wireless transmitting unit and said control unit in response to state change of said output from said sensor unit.

3. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said power source managing unit supplies power to said wireless transmitting unit and said control unit while a specified period of time after starting.

4. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 3, wherein said specified period of time is long enough for said wireless transmitting unit to transmit information.

5. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 4, wherein said power source managing unit stops power supply for components other than said sensor unit and said timer after said specified period of time has passed.

6. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 1, wherein power consumption of said sensor unit is zero in standby state.

7. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 6, wherein said sensor unit is a lead switch or a mercury switch.

8. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 7, wherein said power source managing unit starts in response to a change in an output from said lead switch or said mercury switch.

9. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a power source constructed of at least one of a solar cell, a secondary cell, and a capacitor.

10. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 9, wherein said solar cell is an amorphous type.

11. A monitoring terminal device comprising:

a sensor unit;

a wireless transmitting unit to transmit, by wireless, an out put from said sensor unit;

a control unit to control said wireless transmitting unit;

a timer to generate a starting signal in a fixed cycle; and

a power source managing unit to start and control said wireless transmitting unit and said control unit in response to said output from said sensor unit and said starting signal from said timer.

12. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 11, further comprising;

a fault diagnosis signal transmitting unit to transmit a signal for fault diagnosis in response to said starting signal from said timer.

13. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 11, wherein said power source managing unit to start and control said wireless transmitting unit and said control unit in response to state change of said output from said sensor unit.

14. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 11, wherein said power source managing unit supplies power to said wireless transmitting unit and said control unit while a specified period of time after starting.

15. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 14, wherein said specified period of time is long enough for said wireless transmitting unit to transmit information.

16. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 15, wherein said power source managing unit stops power supply for components other than said sensor unit and said timer after said specified period of time has passed.

17. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 11, wherein power consumption of said sensor unit is zero in standby state.

18. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 17, wherein said sensor unit is a lead switch or a mercury switch.

19. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said power source managing unit starts in response to a change in an output from said lead switch or said mercury switch.

20. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 11, further comprising a power source constructed of at least one of a solar cell, a secondary cell, and a capacitor.

21. The monitoring terminal device according to claim 20, wherein said solar cell is an amorphous type.