Remote monitoring system

• US 20050131652A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JELD-WEN Incorporated (JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JELD-WEN Incorporated (JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walker, Michael Shayne, Beatty, Budd William, Corwin, Wallace Dale
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/127
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A remote monitoring system is disclosed. In one such embodiment, a system may comprise a first measuring unit disposed within a structure, a first processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit, and a second processor disposed within the structure. The first measuring unit may comprise a first sensor adapted to detect a first parameter. The first measuring unit may be adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter. The first processor may be adapted to receive the first signal and to control the first measuring unit. The second processor may be disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the first processor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first measuring unit disposed within a structure, the first measuring unit comprising a first sensor adapted to detect a first parameter, the first measuring unit adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter;

a first processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit, the first processor adapted to receive the first signal and to control the first measuring unit; and

a second processor disposed within the structure, the second processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the first processor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first processor is disposed remotely from the first measuring unit and the second processor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second processor comprises a gateway adapted to transmit the first signal to the first processor.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second measuring unit disposed proximate to an exterior of the structure and in operative communication with the first processor, the second measuring unit comprising a second sensor adapted to detect a second parameter, the second measuring unit adapted to output a second signal associated with the second parameter.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first processor is adapted to receive the second signal from the second measuring unit and to control the second measuring unit.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the second measuring unit is coupled with an exterior surface of the structure.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises an exterior wall comprising a first wall and a second wall.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first sensor is disposed in a cavity of the exterior wall, the cavity defined by the first wall and the second wall.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first sensor is disposed in communication with a window disposed in the exterior wall.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the first sensor is disposed in communication with a door coupled with the exterior wall.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein first measuring unit further comprises a third sensor adapted to detect a third parameter, the first measuring unit adapted to output a third signal associated with the third parameter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second parameter comprises the physical parameter of the first parameter.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the third parameter comprises a physical parameter different than the first parameter, the third parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

15. A system comprising:

a plurality of first measuring units disposed within a building, each one of the plurality of first measuring units comprising a first sensor adapted to detect a first parameter, each one of the plurality of first measuring units adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter;

a wireless network disposed in communication with the plurality of first measuring units; and

a remote processor disposed in communication with the wireless network, the remote processor adapted to receive the first signal from the wireless network and to control the plurality of first measuring units.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless network comprises a router and a local processor comprising a gateway.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless network is disposed substantially within the building.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a second measuring unit disposed in communication with an exterior of the building and in communication with the remote processor, the second measuring unit comprising a second sensor adapted to detect a second parameter, the second measuring unit adapted to output a second signal associated with the second parameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote processor is adapted to receive the second signal from the second measuring unit and to control the second measuring unit.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the building comprises an exterior wall comprising a first wall and a second wall.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units is disposed in communication with the exterior wall.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units is disposed in a cavity of the exterior wall, the cavity defined by the first wall and the second wall.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units is coupled with a window disposed in the exterior wall.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units is coupled with a door disposed in the exterior wall.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of first measuring units comprises a third sensor adapted to detect a third parameter, the at least one first measuring unit adapted to output a third signal associated with the third parameter.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second parameter comprises the physical parameter of the first parameter.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the third parameter comprises a physical parameter different than the first parameter, the third parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

29. A method comprising:

detecting by a first sensor a first parameter, the first sensor disposed in an interior of a structure;

generating by a first measuring unit a first signal associated with the first parameter, the first sensor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit; and

communicating the first signal to a remote processor operable to control the first measuring unit, the remote processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a local processor in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the remote processor, wherein the local processor is adapted to communicate the first signal to the remote processor.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the local processor is disposed in the interior of the structure.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

detecting by a second sensor a second parameter, the second sensor disposed in operative communication with the remote processor;

generating by a second measuring unit a second signal associated with the second parameter, the second sensor disposed in communication with the second measuring unit; and

communicating the second signal to the remote processor, the remote processor disposed in operative communication with the second measuring unit.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the local processor is disposed in operative communication with the second measuring unit, the local processor adapted to communicate the second signal to the remote processor.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the second sensor is disposed proximate to an exterior of the structure.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the second sensor is coupled with an exterior surface of the structure.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

detecting by a third sensor a third parameter, the third sensor disposed in communication with the first measuring unit;

generating by the first measuring unit a third signal associated with the third parameter; and

communicating the third signal to the remote processor.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, and motion.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the second parameter comprises the physical parameter of the first parameter.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the third parameter comprises a physical parameter different than the first parameter, the third parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the structure comprises an exterior wall comprising a first wall and a second wall.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first sensor is disposed in a cavity of the exterior wall, the cavity defined by the first wall and the second wall.

42. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

recording a first value in a database, the first value associated with the first parameter;

updating the database with a second value associated with the first parameter; and

forecasting an event condition based at least in part on the first and second values associated with the first parameter.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising generating an alarm signal when the second value exceeds a predetermined set point.

44. A method comprising:

associating a first value of a first parameter measured by a first sensor at a first time with a first geometric shape comprising a first size;

associating a second value of the first parameter measured by the first sensor at a second time with a second geometric shape comprising a second size; and

displaying the first and second geometric shapes superposed on a graphic representation of a structure, wherein a position of the displayed first and second geometric shapes corresponds substantially to a position of the first sensor disposed in the structure.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

associating a first value of a second parameter measured by a second sensor at the first time with a first color;

associating a second value of the second parameter measured by the second sensor at the second time with a second color;

superposing the first color on the first geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure; and

superposing the second color on the second geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the second parameter comprises a physical parameter different than the first parameter.

48. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

associating a first value of a second parameter measured by a second sensor at the first time with a first pattern;

associating a second value of the second parameter measured by the second sensor at the second time with a second pattern;

superposing the first pattern on the first geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure; and

superposing the second pattern on the second geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the first parameter comprises a physical parameter comprising at least one of a temperature, humidity, relative humidity, moisture, stress, strain, position, deformation, vibration, acceleration, pressure, motion, electrical resistance, and electrical capacitance.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the second parameter comprises a physical parameter different than the first parameter.

51. The method of claim 44, wherein the first geometric shape comprises a circle and the second geometric shape comprises a ring.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the displayed second geometric shape circumscribes the displayed first geometric shape.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the displayed second geometric shape and the displayed first geometric shape are concentric with one another.

54. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for associating a first value of a first parameter measured by a first sensor at a first time with a first geometric shape comprising a first size;

program code for associating a second value of the first parameter measured by the first sensor at a second time with a second geometric shape comprising a second size; and

program code for displaying the first and second geometric shapes superposed on a graphic representation of a structure, a position of the displayed first and second geometric shapes corresponding substantially to a position of the first sensor disposed in the structure.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, further comprising:

program code for associating a first value of a second parameter measured by a second sensor at the first time with a first color;

program code for associating a second value of the second parameter measured by the second sensor at the second time with a second color;

program code for superposing the first color on the first geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure; and

program code for superposing the second color on the second geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, further comprising:

program code for associating a first value of a second parameter measured by a second sensor at the first time with a first pattern;

program code for associating a second value of the second parameter measured by the second sensor at the second time with a second pattern;

program code for superposing the first pattern on the first geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure; and

program code for superposing the second pattern on the second geometric shape displayed on the graphic representation of the structure.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, further comprising program code for displaying the second geometric shape circumscribing the first geometric shape.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising program code for displaying the first and second geometric shapes concentric with one another.