FLOOD SENSOR

• US 20150091723A1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fibar Group S.A.
• Original Assignee: Fibar Group Sp. Z o.o
• Inventors: Fiedler, Maciej, Arcichowski, Bartlomiej, Hermanski, Jakub, Pudlowski, Adam, Kurowski, Piotr
• Granted Patent: US 9,218,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems for an integrated flood and temperature sensor may comprise sensing a presence of water in a premises by measuring a resistance between at least one pair of metal probes in an integrated flood and temperature sensor, sensing a temperature utilizing one or more temperature sensors, and sensing an orientation of the integrated flood and temperature sensor with respect to gravity utilizing one or more level sensors. The metal probes may be extendable. The metal probes may be gold plated. A tamper sensor may sense whether an enclosure for the integrated flood and temperature sensor has been tampered with. The presence of water may be sensed utilizing a remote probe. The integrated water and temperature sensor may communicate wirelessly with one or more external devices utilizing a wireless transceiver.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of environmental sensing for use with a) an integrated flood and temperature sensor comprising a ranger tester, a plurality of probes, a temperature sensor, and a level sensor, and b) a wireless network device remote from said integrated flood and temperature sensor, the method comprising:

measuring an electrical property between two or more of the plurality of probes;

determining a presence of water from the measured electrical property;

sensing a temperature with the temperature sensor;

determining an orientation of the integrated flood and temperature sensor with respect to gravity with the level sensor;

determining at the range tester if the wireless network device is in range of the range tester including transmitting a range testing signal from the range tester to the wireless network device;

in response to the wireless network device being in range of the range tester, receiving from the wireless network device a link for communication with the wireless network; and

in response to receiving from the wireless network device the link for communication with the wireless network device, selectively generating a signal indicative of at least one of the determined presence of water, the temperature, and the determined orientation for communication with the wireless network device based on the link.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of probes are extendable from the integrated flood and temperature sensor.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said integrated flood and temperature sensor further comprises an enclosure and a tamper sensor, the method further comprising sensing with the tamper sensor whether the enclosure has been tampered.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein said plurality of probes comprise a plurality of remote probes coupled to the integrated flood and temperature sensor, the method further comprising determining the presence of water via the plurality of remote probes.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein said integrated flood and temperature sensor further comprises a wireless transceiver, the method further comprising communicating the generated signal wirelessly with the wireless network device via the wireless transceiver.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the wireless network device comprises at least one of:

a home network manager, an alarm system, a handheld communication device, and a personal computer.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising communicating with the wireless network device utilizing a Z-Wave communications protocol.

28. The method according to claim 21, further comprising wirelessly communicating from the plurality of probes the measured electrical property.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein said selectively generating a signal further comprises generating at least one of an alarm signal and a visual signal, in response to determining that the orientation of the integrated flood and temperature is not level.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein said measuring an electrical property comprises measuring an impedance between the two or more of the plurality of probes.

31. An environmental sensing device for use with a wireless network device, the environmental sensing device comprising:

a plurality of probes configured to measure an electrical property between two or more of the probes, and to determine a presence of water from the measured electrical property;

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature near said environmental sensing device;

a level sensor configured to determine an orientation of the integrated flood and temperature sensor with respect to gravity;

a range tester configured to determine if the wireless network device is in range of the range tester including transmitting a range testing signal from the range tester to the wireless network device;

a transceiver configured to receive from the wireless network device a link for communication with the wireless network in response to the wireless network device being in range of the range tester; and

a processor configured to receive said determined presence of water, said temperature, and said sensed orientation, and, in response to receiving from the wireless network device the link for communication with the wireless network device, to selectively generate a signal indicative of at least one of the determined presence of water, the temperature, and the determined orientation for communication with the wireless network device based on the link.

32. The environmental sensing device according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of probes are extendable from the environmental sensing device.

33. The environmental sensing device according to claim 31, further comprising an enclosure configured to house said environmental sensing device, and a tamper sensor configured to sense whether the enclosure has been tampered.

34. The environmental sensing device according to claim 31, wherein said plurality of probes comprise a plurality of remote probes coupled to said processor.

35. The environmental sensing device according to claim 31, and wherein the wireless transceiver is further configured to communicate the generated signal wirelessly with wireless network device.

36. The environmental sensing device according to claim 35, wherein the wireless network device comprises at least one of:

a home network manager, an alarm system, a handheld communication device, and a personal computer.

37. The environmental sensing device according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of probes are configured to wirelessly communicate with said environmental sensing device.

38. The environmental sensing device according to claim 31, wherein the generated signal comprises at least one of an alarm signal and a visual signal, in response to said level sensor determining that the orientation of the integrated flood and temperature is not level.

39. The environmental sensing device according to claim 31, wherein said electrical property comprises an impedance.

40. An environmental sensing device for use with a wireless network device, the environmental sensing device comprising:

a plurality of probes configured to measure an electrical property between two or more of the probes, and to determine a presence of water from the measured electrical property;

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature near said environmental sensing device;

a level sensor configured to determine an orientation of the integrated flood and temperature sensor with respect to gravity;

a range tester configured to determine if the wireless network device is range of the range tester; and

a transceiver configured a) to transmit a range testing signal from the range tester to the wireless network device, b) to receive from the wireless network device a link for communication with the wireless network in response to the wireless network device being in range of the range tester, and, c) in response to receiving from the wireless network device a link for communication with the wireless network device, wirelessly communicate a message indicating a presence of water, a change in temperature above a threshold change, and/or and the determined orientation with the wireless network device based on the link.