SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING CONDITIONS

• US 20120092154A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Statsignal Systems Incorporated (Statsignal)
• Original Assignee: SIPCO LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Inventors: PETITE, THOMAS D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,129,497 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/364 Seismic filtering G01V1/37 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31093 Communication between sensors, actuators and gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring conditions are provided. A system can comprise a plurality of wireless transmitters and a plurality of repeaters. At least one wireless transmitter can be integrated into an alarm. The repeaters can be dispersed throughout a region at defined locations. The system can also include a computer to receive information communicated from the repeaters and the transmitters. The computer can include software for evaluating received information, identifying an alarm condition and an originating location of the alarm condition, and for reporting the alarm condition to a remote location. Other embodiments are also claimed and described.

Claims

1. In an environmental management system comprising a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that manages an environment of a community by monitoring select information that is reported to the computer, a plurality of repeaters configured to receive wirelessly transmitted select information and transmit the select information and a corresponding repeater identification number to the computer, and a circuit configured as a gateway between the computer and an external telecommunications network, a wireless transmitter in a plurality of wireless transmitters, the wireless transmitter comprising:

an interface circuit in electrical communication with at least one input element, the interface circuit configured to receive a signal from the at least one input element, the signal containing information indicative of an operating state associated with the transmitter, the interface circuit configured to convey the information to a data formatter, the data formatter controlled by a controller and configured to format data packets, the data packets comprising the information indicative of the operating state associated with the transmitter; and

an RF transmitter circuit configured to transmit the data packets via an RF signal to at least one repeater unit in the plurality of repeater units.

2. The wireless transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a look-up table comprising at least one unique transmitter code representing the information indicative of the operating state associated with the transmitter, the unique transmitter code corresponding to the at least one input element.

3. The wireless transmitter of claim 2, wherein the data packets further comprise the unique transmitter code.

4. The wireless transmitter of claim 1, wherein the data packets further comprise a unique transmitter identification number corresponding to the wireless transmitter.

5. The wireless transmitter of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is totable by a user.

6. The wireless transmitter of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is integrated with at least one of a smoke detector, a utility meter, a carbon monoxide detector, a carbon dioxide detector, a temperature sensor, and a security sensor.

7. In an environmental management system comprising a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that manages an environment of a community by monitoring select information that is reported to the computer, a plurality of wireless transmitters each configured to wirelessly transmit data packets via an RF signal comprising information indicative of an operating state associated with the respective transmitter, and a circuit configured as a gateway between the computer and an external telecommunications network, a repeater in a plurality of repeaters, the repeater comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an incoming RF signal from at least one transmitter in the plurality of wireless transmitters, the incoming RF signal comprising a transmitter identification number and transmitter code indicative of an operating state of the transmitter;

a data formatter configured to format an outgoing signal, the outgoing signal comprising the transmitter code, the transmitter identification number, and a unique repeater identification number corresponding to the repeater; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the outgoing signal to the computer.

8. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the receiver is configured to continuously monitor for transmissions comprising the unique repeater identification number.

9. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the repeater is configured to receive an alarm control code from an alarm device.

10. The repeater of claim 9, further comprising a controller and an alarm interface circuit, wherein the controller is configured to control the alarm device via the alarm interface circuit.

11. The repeater of claim 9, wherein the repeater is configured to transmit an alarm signal to the computer, the alarm signal comprising the alarm control code and the unique repeater identification number.

12. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the repeater is integrated into at least one of a smoke detector, a utility meter, a carbon monoxide detector, a carbon dioxide detector, a temperature sensor, and a security sensor.

13. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the incoming RF signal comprises environmental management data.

14. In an environmental management system comprising a plurality of wireless transmitters each configured to wirelessly transmit data packets via an RF signal comprising information indicative of an operating state associated with each transmitter the respective transmitter, a plurality of repeaters configured to receive wirelessly transmitted data packets and wirelessly transmit a signal comprising information stored in the data packets and a corresponding repeater identification number, and a circuit configured as a gateway between the environmental management system and an external telecommunications network, a central computer comprising:

a receiver configured to receive the signal from at least on repeater in the plurality of repeaters, format the signal for digital storage, and store the formatted signal in a memory, the memory comprising look-up tables, the look-up tables comprising transmitter identification numbers, repeater unit identification numbers, and transmitter codes; and

a central processing unit,

wherein the memory comprises program code for controlling operation of the central processing unit to evaluate the signal to determine what actions need to be taken.

15. The central computer of claim 14, wherein the program code comprises:

a first segment with instructions to evaluate a message and identify a specific transmitter that transmitted the message; and

a second segment with instructions to evaluate the message and identify a specific repeater that relayed the message from the specific transmitter to the computer.

16. The central computer of claim 15, wherein the program code comprises:

a third segment with instructions to evaluate the information and the message transmitted from a transmitter; and

a fourth segment with instructions to determine an action to be taken based upon the information, the identified transmitter, and the identified repeater.

17. The central computer of claim 14, wherein the computer is configured to transmit control information to at least one repeater in the plurality of repeaters.

18. The central computer of claim 14, wherein the computer is configured to execute a program for managing an environment based upon monitoring information provided to the computer.

19. The central computer of claim 14, wherein the computer is configured to communicate environmental data to the gateway.

20. The central computer of claim 19, wherein the computer is configured to communicate the environmental data to the gateway via at least one of a network card, a modem, and an ISDN card.