Monitoring System Control Unit Coupled to Device Database Via the Internet

• US 20160267181A1
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Iurissevich, Daniele
• Granted Patent: US 10,372,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

Information as to a group of devices which are part of a monitoring system, can be accumulated in one or more databases. The databases can be addressed via a computer network, such as the Internet. Monitoring systems can access one or more of the databases seeking identification of those devices that correspond to a selected criterion. A database can provide serial numbers of devices that meet the selected criteria. The respective monitoring system can determine if any local devices have serial numbers that match the received serial numbers. A trouble indicator can be generated in response thereto.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of devices to be evaluated in connection with a predetermined standard;

providing a machine readable serial number for each device;

providing a machine readable database which includes device information;

obtaining device serial numbers from the database in accordance with the standard; and

comparing the serial numbers received from the database to those of members of the plurality, and, responsive to the results of the comparison, automatically determining which, if any of the members of the plurality are not in compliance with the standard.

2. A method as in claim 1 which includes providing a control unit which communicates with the devices and the database.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the control unit can automatically interrogate the database for information identifying those devices to be located do to non-compliance.

4. A method as in claim 3 which includes establishing at the control unit a sub-plurality of located, non-compliant devices.

5. A method as in claim 4 which includes generating a list of members of the sub-plurality.

6. A method as in claim 4 which includes signaling a trouble alarm as to those members of the sub-plurality.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the control unit can automatically signal the trouble alarm.

8. A method as in claim 4 which includes providing a web-based server coupled to the database.

9. A method as in claim 8 where the control unit communicates with the server via a computer network.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a monitoring system which includes a control unit, and, a plurality of monitoring devices, wherein the devices each communicate with the control unit; and

a database in communication with the control unit, the database including information as to devices which need to be located, wherein the control unit includes circuitry to automatically obtain information as to the devices to be located from the database.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the control unit includes circuitry to automatically compare a plurality of local monitoring device serial numbers to a group of serial numbers from the database to determine which local devices need to be located.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the control unit includes circuitry to form a list of those determined local devices.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein, responsive to the identified devices, output circuitry of the control units emits trouble indicia indicating those identified detectors which need to be removed from the system.

14. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the database is displaced from the control unit and communicates therewith via a computer network.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the database communicates via a cloud based server.

16. An apparatus comprising:

at least one database; and

a monitoring system which is coupled to a plurality of local devices wherein information as to a group of devices can be accumulated in the database, and where the database can be addressed by the system, via a computer network, seeking identification of those local devices that correspond to a selected criterion where the database can provide serial numbers of devices that meet the selected criteria, wherein responsive thereto, the monitoring system can determine if any local devices have serial numbers that match the received serial numbers, and a trouble indicator can be generated in response thereto.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16 wherein the criteria can be selected from a class which includes at least, date of manufacture, location of manufacture, recall notices, design designation, product introduction date and selected product materials.