Wireless system for providing critical sensor alerts for equipment

• US 20060276185A1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ram, Satish N., Pedersen, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A wireless system is provided which enables a remotely located equipment monitor to control the equipment in the event that more than one alert or alarm for the same fault condition, at the equipment have been ignored by the equipment operator. Control options include instructing the operator to shut equipment down, automatically shutting the equipment down and putting the equipment in a safe mode of operation.

Claims

1. A management system for equipment comprising:

a processor located remotely from said equipment;

at least one sensor being operable to sense a predetermined condition on said equipment;

a wireless communications system being operable to provide communications among said processor, said sensor and said equipment, said processor being operable to issue an alert for said equipment in connection with receiving an indication, from said sensor, of said predetermined condition, said processor being further operable to control said equipment after issuing more than one alert for said equipment in conjunction with receiving an additional indication from said sensor of said predetermined condition.

2. A management system for equipment as recited in claim 1 wherein said control of said equipment consists of measures selected from shutting said equipment off, placing equipment in a safe mode of operation or a combination thereof.

3. A management system as recited in claim 2 wherein said safe mode of operation defines equipment operation which minimizes damage to said equipment as a result of continued operation during the existence of said predetermined condition.

4. A management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications system is a wireless communications system.

5. A management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications system is a mobile communications system selected from the group consisting of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communications system, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)system, a Frequency Division Multiple Access System (FDMA), a satellite communications system and a two-way radio communications system.

6. A management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is operable to control said equipment after issuing more than one alert for said equipment.

7. A mobile terminal for monitoring and controlling equipment comprising:

a plurality of sensors and at least one controller connected together in a network;

a communications processor for enabling communications between said mobile terminal and a remotely located system controller, said communications processor being operable to transmit sensor signals to said remotely located system controller and to receive at least one alert signal in response to a predetermined sensor signal condition from said system controller, said at least one controller being operable to control said equipment in connection with the receipt of more than one alert signal for the same sensor signal condition after a time interval.

8. A mobile terminal as recited in claim 7 wherein said at least one controller is operable to control said equipment in connection with the receipt of more than one alert signal for the same sensor signal condition.

9. A mobile terminal as recited in claim 7 wherein said network is a controller area network (CAN).

10. A mobile terminal as recited in claim 7 wherein said network consists of an Ethernet or a local area network.

11. A mobile terminal as recited in claim 7 wherein said communications processor is operable to enable communications between said mobile terminal and said remotely located system controller using wireless communications.

12. A mobile terminal as recited in claim 11 wherein said wireless communications system is a mobile communications system selected from the group consisting of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communications system, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)system, a Frequency Division Multiple Access System (FDMA), a satellite communications system and a two-way radio communications system.

13. A mobile terminal as recited in claim 9 wherein said CAN operates according to the SAE J1939 specification.

14. A mobile terminal as recited in claim 9 wherein said CAN operates according to the SAE J1708 specification.

15. A method of monitoring and controlling equipment from a remote location comprising:

receiving sensor information from a sensor monitoring said equipment;

generating a first alert to said equipment from a remote location in response to detecting a predetermined equipment condition at sensor;

generating at least one additional alert to said equipment from said remote location in response to detecting said predetermined equipment condition subsequent to said first alert after a time interval;

controlling said equipment after said equipment is unresponsive to said at least one additional alert.

16. A method of monitoring and controlling equipment as recited in claim 15 wherein controlling said equipment occurs after said equipment is unresponsive to a second alert.

17. A method of monitoring and controlling equipment as recited in claim 15 where said controlling said equipment consists of measures selected from shutting said equipment off and placing said equipment in a safe mode of operation.

18. A method of monitoring and controlling said equipment as recited in claim 17 wherein said safe mode of operation defines equipment operation which minimizes damage.

19. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein said alerts are generated to said equipment from said remote location using a wireless communications system.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein said communications system is a mobile communications system is a mobile communications system selected from the group consisting of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communications system, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)system, a Frequency Division Multiple Access System (FDMA), a satellite communications system and a two-way radio communications system.