Apparatus and method for visualizing environmental conditions in a data center using wireless sensor networks

• US 20100280796A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vigilent Corporation
• Original Assignee: Synapsense Corporation (Panduit Corporation)
• Inventors: Ramin, Yann, Pandey, Raju
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/0209 characterised by their connecting means, e.g. flanges
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for visualizing environmental conditions in a data center using wireless sensor networks. An example embodiment includes: establishing communication with a plurality of networked environmental sensors deployed at particular points in one of a plurality of pre-defined layers for a facility; periodically obtaining measured environmental data values from each of the plurality of networked environmental sensors using a wireless sensor network; using the measured environmental data values at the particular points to extrapolate computed environmental data values at intermediate points in the facility; and using the measured environmental data values and the computed environmental data values to generate a visualization of environmental conditions in the facility.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing communication with a plurality of networked environmental sensors deployed at particular points in one of a plurality of pre-defined layers for a facility;

periodically obtaining measured environmental data values from each of the plurality of networked environmental sensors using a wireless sensor network;

using the measured environmental data values at the particular points to extrapolate computed environmental data values at intermediate points in the facility; and

using the measured environmental data values and the computed environmental data values to generate a visualization of environmental conditions in the facility.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the measured environmental data values are from the group:

humidity values, temperature values, pressure values, power values, electrical current values, airflow values, air quality values, and air particle count values.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 including routing the measured environmental data values to a gateway.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of pre-defined layers define a plurality of horizontal planes at differentiated vertical positions in the facility.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein extrapolating computed environmental data values at intermediate points in the facility includes performing a linear interpolation.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein generating a visualization of environmental conditions in the facility includes generating a colored map of the facility.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

establish communication with a plurality of networked environmental sensors deployed at particular points in one of a plurality of pre-defined layers for a facility;

periodically obtain measured environmental data values from each of the plurality of networked environmental sensors using a wireless sensor network;

use the measured environmental data values at the particular points to extrapolate computed environmental data values at intermediate points in the facility; and

use the measured environmental data values and the computed environmental data values to generate a visualization of environmental conditions in the facility.

8. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 7 wherein the measured environmental data values are from the group:

humidity values, temperature values, pressure values, power values, electrical current values, airflow values, air quality values, and air particle count values.

9. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 7 being further configured to route the measured environmental data values to a gateway.

10. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 7 wherein the plurality of pre-defined layers define a plurality of horizontal planes at differentiated vertical positions in the facility.

11. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 7 wherein extrapolating computed environmental data values at intermediate points in the facility being further configured to perform a linear interpolation.

12. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 7 wherein generating a visualization of environmental conditions in the facility being further configured to generate a colored map of the facility.

13. A system comprising:

a wireless sensor network;

a visualization generator in data communication via the wireless sensor network; and

a plurality of networked sensing devices deployed at particular points in one of a plurality of pre-defined layers for a facility, the plurality of networked sensing devices in data communication with the visualization generator via the wireless sensor network, each of the plurality of networked sensing devices being configured to periodically communicate to the visualization generator a measured environmental data value using the wireless sensor network;

the visualization generator being configured to use the measured environmental data values at the particular points to extrapolate computed environmental data values at intermediate points in the facility, and to use the measured environmental data values and the computed environmental data values to generate a visualization of environmental conditions in the facility.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the measured environmental data values are from the group:

humidity values, temperature values, pressure values, power values, electrical current values, airflow values, air quality values, and air particle count values.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13 being further configured to route the measured environmental data values to a gateway.

16. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the plurality of pre-defined layers define a plurality of horizontal planes at differentiated vertical positions in the facility.

17. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the visualization generator being further configured to perform a linear interpolation.

18. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the visualization generator being further configured to generate a colored map of the facility.