LOW-POWER USER INTERFACE DEVICE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20180087970A1
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Schechter Tech LLC (Digi International Inc.)
• Inventors: Schechter, Harry J., Macdonald, Jeremy V., Deng, Diane, Gilpin, Kyle W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,704,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Embodiments of an environmental monitoring system that mitigates complexities in installation and maintenance while complying with strict regulations on operations of the system. The environmental monitoring system may communicate wirelessly between components such as sensor units and display devices, enabling these components to be separately and easily installed in an environment without needing to install wires in the environment to connect them. In addition, in embodiments at least some of the components (e.g., sensor units and display devices) of the environmental monitoring system may be adapted to wirelessly and reliably communicate using specific wireless communication protocols, described in detail herein, that exchange few communications between the components and thereby decrease power consumption of these components. Further, in some embodiments, a display device may include hardware and/or execute software that drive and/or update a display only when a condition is met.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with an environmental monitoring system to monitor one or more environmental parameters of an environment, the environmental monitoring system comprising the apparatus, at least one environmental sensor unit to sense the one or more environmental parameters, and at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the apparatus comprising:

a display;

a wireless receiver;

at least one processor; and

at least one storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising;

in response to detecting that a first period of time has passed,

monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for a wireless transmission comprising a device identifier of a first environmental sensor unit, of the at least one environmental sensor unit, with which the apparatus is associated;

in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit,

determining from the wireless transmission a value of an environmental parameter of the one or more environmental parameters, and

controlling the display to present information indicative of the value of the environmental parameter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein monitoring for the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit comprises monitoring for a wireless transmission comprising an indication that the wireless transmission is a broadcast transmission and further comprising the device identifier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

establishing an association between the apparatus and an environmental sensor unit of the at least one environmental sensor unit, wherein establishing the association comprises;

in response to satisfaction of a condition, monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for wireless transmissions from the at least one environmental sensor unit;

associating the apparatus with one of the at least one environmental sensor unit from which a wireless transmission is first received following start of the monitoring for wireless transmissions, when the wireless transmission that is first received comprises an indication that the wireless transmission is a broadcast transmission and comprising a device identifier for the one, and wherein the associating comprises storing the device identifier for the one in the at least one storage medium.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein monitoring, in response to satisfaction of a condition, comprises monitoring in response to receipt of an instruction from a user to establish an association.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein associating the apparatus with the one of the at least one environmental sensor unit from which a wireless transmission is first received following start of the monitoring for wireless transmissions further comprises:

determining, from the wireless transmission that is first received following the start of the monitoring for wireless transmissions, a phase of a clock of the one of the at least one environmental sensor unit; and

synchronizing a clock of the apparatus to the clock of the one of the at least one environmental sensor unit based on the phase determined from the wireless transmission.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, in response to detecting that the first period of time has passed:

prior to the monitoring, waking from a suspended-operation mode; and

in response to receiving the wireless transmission and following the controlling, returning to the suspended-operation mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises, in response to detecting that the first period of time has passed:

in response to determining, following a second period of time, that the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit has not been received,

returning to the suspended-operation mode; and

in response to determining, at a second time, that the first period of time has passed since it was detected that the first period of time has passed, monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises, following the monitoring for the wireless transmission after the second time:

in response to determining, following the second period of time, that the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit has not been received, monitoring, using the wireless receiver, for the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit for up to a third period of time, the third period of time being longer than the second period.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the method further comprising, following the monitoring for the third period of time:

in response to determining that the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit has not been received,

displaying an error message on the display, and

returning to the suspended-operation mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to receiving, during the monitoring for up to the third period of time, the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier of the first environmental sensor unit,

determining, from the wireless transmission that is first received following the start of the monitoring for wireless transmissions, information regarding a clock of the one of the at least one environmental sensor unit; and

synchronizing a clock of the apparatus to the clock of the one of the at least one environmental sensor unit based on the information, determined from the wireless transmission, regarding the clock of the one of the at least one environmental sensor unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises, in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining whether the value of the environmental parameter is different from a previously-received value for the environmental parameter;

controlling the display comprises updating the display to output the value of the environmental parameter in response to determining that the value of the environmental parameter is different from the previously-received value; and

controlling the display comprises, in response to determining that the value of the environmental parameter is not different from the previously-received value, refraining from updating the display to output the value of the environmental parameter.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises, in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, storing the value of the environmental parameter in the at least one storage medium; and

controlling the display comprises updating the display to output the value in response to receiving, following receipt of the wireless transmission, a user input instructing update of the display.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the method further comprises, in response to receiving the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining from the wireless transmission a time at which the value of the environmental parameter was determined; and

controlling the display comprises controlling the display to present information indicative of the value of the environmental parameter and the time at which the value was determined.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

controlling the display comprises updating the display in response to a condition being met; and

the method further comprises receiving a configuration input setting the condition upon which the display is to be updated in the controlling, the condition being one of receiving via the wireless receiver a wireless transmission including a value of an environmental parameter, receiving via the wireless receiver a wireless transmission including a value of an environmental parameter that differs from a previously-received value for the environmental parameter, and receiving a request via a user interface to update the display.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein receiving the configuration input comprises receiving the configuration input via a second wireless transmission received, via the wireless receiver, from the first environmental sensor unit with which the apparatus is associated.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the wireless transmission indicates that a value of at least one of the one or more environmental parameters satisfies an alert condition, outputting an alert via the display.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the environment comprises a piece of equipment;

the apparatus is disposed outside the piece of equipment; and

at least the first environmental sensor unit is disposed inside the piece of equipment.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the piece of equipment is a refrigeration device comprising a chamber that is cooled to a temperature lower than that of an ambient temperature of the environment in which the refrigeration device is positioned; and

the first environmental sensor unit is disposed in the chamber.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless receiver is not a wireless transceiver; and

the apparatus does not include any wireless transmitter.

20. A system for monitoring one or more environmental parameters of an environment, the system comprising:

the apparatus of claim 1; and

the first environmental sensor unit, wherein the first environmental sensor unit comprises;

at least one wireless transceiver;

at least one environmental sensor;

at least one second processor; and

at least one second storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the at least one second processor to carry out a second method comprising;

sensing the environmental parameter using the at least one environmental sensor;

in response to detecting that the first period of time has passed,

transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, the wireless transmission comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit and the value of the environmental parameter sensed using the at least one environmental sensor.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first environmental sensor unit further comprises an environmentally-sealed case in which the wireless transceiver, the at least one second processor, and the at least one second storage medium are disposed.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the first environmental sensor unit further comprises at least one external physical port, the at least one external physical port being communicatively connected to the at least one processor and comprising an opening disposed on an exterior of the environmentally-sealed case; and

one or more of the at least one environmental sensor are disposed outside of the environmentally-sealed case and connected to the at least one external physical port.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the apparatus and the first environmental sensor unit further comprise complementary components of a latch to hold the apparatus and first environmental sensor unit in physical proximity to one another.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the at least one second storage medium stores an individual identifier for each of the at least one environmental sensor; and

the second method further comprises;

transmitting, via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second wireless transmission to the at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the at least one second wireless transmission comprising the value of the environmental parameter, the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, and the individual identifier for an environmental sensor of the at least one environmental sensor via which the value of the environmental parameter was determined.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein:

the second method further comprises, in response to receiving, via the at least one wireless transceiver and from the at least one computing device, a first message indicating that the value of the environmental parameter satisfies an alert condition, transmitting, to the apparatus and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one second message comprising the value and indicating the alert;

the method further comprises, in response to receiving the at least one second message comprising the device identifier for the first environmental sensor unit, determining whether the at least one second message indicates the alert; and

controlling the display comprises, in response to determining that the at least one second message indicates the alert, controlling the display to present information indicative of the alert.

26. An environmental monitoring system for monitoring one or more environmental parameters of an environment, the environmental monitoring system comprising:

at least one computing device located remote from the environment;

a first environmental sensor unit located in the environment; and

a display device located in the environment,

wherein the first environmental sensor unit comprises;

at least one environmental sensor;

at least one wireless transceiver;

at least one first processor; and

at least one first storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the at least one first processor to carry out a first method comprising;

in response to detecting a value of an environmental parameter via the at least one environmental sensor, transmitting the value to the at least one computing device via the at least one wireless transceiver; and

in response to receiving from the at least one computing device a message indicating that the value of the environmental parameter satisfies an alert condition, transmitting, to the display device and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one message comprising the value and indicating the alert; and

wherein the display device comprises;

a display;

a wireless receiver;

at least one second processor; and

at least one second storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the at least one first processor to carry out a second method comprising;

in response to receiving at least one message from the first environmental sensor unit,

determining whether the at least one message indicates an alert;

in response to determining that the at least one message indicates the alert, updating the display to output the value and the alert; and

in response to determining that the at least one message does not indicate the alert, updating the display to output the value.

27. An apparatus for use with an environmental monitoring system to monitor one or more environmental parameters of an environment, the environmental monitoring system comprising the apparatus, a display device, and at least one computing device located remote from the environment, the apparatus comprising:

at least one environmental sensor;

at least one wireless transceiver;

at least one processor; and

at least one storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising;

in response to detecting a value of an environmental parameter via the at least one environmental sensor, transmitting the value to the at least one computing device via the at least one wireless transceiver; and

in response to receiving from the at least one computing device a message indicating that the value of the environmental parameter satisfies an alert condition, transmitting, to the display device and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one message comprising the value and indicating the alert.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein:

the display device is associated with the apparatus; and

transmitting the at least one message comprises transmitting at least one message comprising a device identifier of the apparatus and further comprising an indication that the at least one message is a broadcast transmission.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises:

establishing the association between the display device and the apparatus, wherein establishing the association comprises, in response to satisfaction of a condition, transmitting a broadcast transmission including the device identifier of the apparatus.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to receiving from the at least one computing device a message acknowledging receipt of the value and not indicating an alert, transmitting, to the display device and via the at least one wireless transceiver, at least one message comprising the value and further comprising the device identifier of the apparatus.