SMART ENDPOINT AND SMART MONITORING SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME

• US 20090216876A1
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Kuo, Vincent, Nien, Chin-Chung, Hsieh, Shyi-Shing
• Granted Patent: US 8,171,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A smart endpoint and a smart monitoring system having the smart endpoint are provided. The smart endpoint includes a central processing unit (CPU), an interface module, a digital signal processing unit, and a memory module. The interface module is coupled to the CPU for receiving a plurality of heterogeneous monitoring signals and an identification code. The digital signal processing unit is coupled to the CPU for integrally considering the monitoring signals and the identification code to determine an abnormal event, and generate an abnormal event data thereby. The memory module is coupled to the CPU for recording the abnormal event data. As such, the present invention is adapted to determine an occurrence of an abnormal event, by which the passive monitoring can be upgraded to an active monitoring and analyzing, and thus achieving a smart monitoring.

Claims

1. A smart endpoint, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

an interface module, coupled to the CPU for receiving a plurality of heterogeneous monitoring signals and an identification code;

a digital signal processing (DSP) unit, coupled to the CPU for processing the monitoring signals and the identification code to determine an event, and generate an event information; and

a memory module, coupled to the CPU for recording event information.

2. The smart endpoint according to claim 1, wherein the memory module further comprises:

a memory, for recording the event information; and

a memory controller, coupled between the CPU and the memory for controlling the memory.

3. The smart endpoint according to claim 1, wherein the interface module comprises:

an identification code reader interface, connecting with at least one identification code reader for receiving the identification code;

a video camera interface, connecting to at least one video camera, for obtaining an image signal; and

an input/output (I/O) interface, connecting to at least one sensor, for receiving a sensing signal.

4. The smart endpoint according to claim 3, wherein the interface module further comprises a network interface, for connecting with another endpoint or a server.

5. The smart endpoint according to claim 3, wherein the identification code reader interface is a radio frequency identification (RFID) code reader interface, and the identification code is an RFID code.

6. The smart endpoint according to claim 3, wherein the sensor includes a smoke or gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a motion or vibration sensor, a sound sensor, a light sensor, or a power sensor.

7. The smart endpoint according to claim 1, wherein the interface module includes a wire interface module or a wireless interface module.

8. The smart endpoint according to claim 1, further comprising a power management unit, for providing a power to the smart endpoint.

9. The smart endpoint according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit for transmitting the event information to a user terminal according to the identification code.

10. A smart monitoring system comprising:

a server, coupled to a network; and

at least one smart endpoint, one of which is coupled to the server, the smart endpoint comprising;

a central processing unit (CPU);

an interface module, coupled to the CPU and connected to at least one sensor, at least one video camera, and at least one identification code reader, for receiving monitoring signals and an identification code;

a digital signal processing (DSP) unit, coupled to the CPU for processing the monitoring signals and the identification code to determine an event, and generate an event information; and

a memory module, coupled to the CPU for recording the event information.

11. The smart monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the memory module further comprises:

a memory, for recording the event information; and

a memory controller, coupled between the CPU and the memory for controlling the memory.

12. The smart monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the interface module comprises:

an identification code reader interface, connecting with the identification code reader for receiving the identification code;

a video camera interface, connecting to the video camera, for obtaining an image signal; and

an input/output (I/O) interface, connecting to the sensor, for receiving a sensing signal.

13. The smart monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein the interface module further comprises a network interface, for connecting with another endpoint or the server.

14. The smart monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein the identification code reader interface is a radio frequency identification (RFID) code reader interface, and the identification code is an RFID code.

15. The smart monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein the sensor includes a fog or gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a motion or vibration sensor, a sound sensor, a light sensor, or a power sensor.

16. The smart monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the interface module includes a wire interface module or a wireless interface module.

17. The smart monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the smart endpoint further comprises a power management unit, for providing a power to the smart endpoint.

18. The smart monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the server transmits the event information to a user terminal according to the identification code.

19. The smart monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the smart endpoint farther comprises a communication unit for transmitting the event information to a user terminal according to the identification code.

20. The smart monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein when the at least one smart endpoint is a plurality of smart endpoints, the smart endpoints communicate each other for transmitting the identification code, so as to allow the smart endpoints to cooperatively monitor an object corresponding to the identification code.