THREAT DETECTION SYSTEM HAVING CLOUD or LOCAL MONITORING UNIT FOR COMMUNICATING WITH INTERNET ADDRESSABLE WIRELESS DETECTOR UNITS, ASSOCIATED WIRELESS SENSOR AND OPTIONAL WIRELESS SUB-SENSOR DEVICES, THAT BLANKET A VENUE USING A BROAD RANGE OF NETWORK ARRANGEMENTS AND REPORTING NON-COMPLIANT SENSOR VALUES OR CONDITIONS, DATA RATE OF CHANGE AND/OR DEVICE LOCATION AND DEVICE NON-RESPONSE, AND DELIVERING NOTIFICATIONS, WHILE RELATED DEVICES ARE ENABLED, AS AND WHEN REQUIRED.

• US 20190347921A1
• Filed: 04/23/2019
• Published: 11/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas Lundy
• Original Assignee: Douglas Lundy
• Inventors: Lundy, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 10,733,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• 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: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A data sensing and throat detection network comprising a plurality of wireless sensor devices and their optional related wireless sub-sensor devices, for communication with wireless detector units in a network arrangement to allow transmission of data there between in optimized paths, such wireless detector to communicate, by secure means, to and from a Central Monitoring Unit that manages the value/condition sensing and client alert processes, based upon wireless sensor values/conditions and optional wireless sub-sensor values/conditions as they relate to pre-determined values/conditions, and sensor device location co-ordinates data (derived from Global Positioning System (GPS) or Cellular Triangulation Systems (CTS), or the like, as it relates to pre-determined “location differential values”, data “timeframe-based rate of change” as it relates to pre-determined “rate of change differentials” in a pre-determined timeframe or part thereof, and declaring an alert state when received location co-ordinates or rate of change value in a period of time is non-compliant with the predetermined location or rate of change differential respectively or a detector fails to communicate with said central monitoring unit within a predetermined time period or a wireless sensor fails to communicate with said wireless detector unit within a predetermined time period or a wireless sub-sensor fails to communicate with said wireless sensor within a predetermined time period, with the Central Monitoring Unit enabling related devices and alerting clients, using a rules-based model and confirming that such related devices have been enabled and alerts have been delivered, to appropriate recipients, as and when required.

Claims

1. A data sensing and threat detecting network for detecting and reporting environmental and other threats within a venue, and enabling/disabling lights/power outlets, and the like, and confirming that they have been enabled/disabled, while detecting on/off conditions and presence/absence conditions, and other conditions, the network comprising a plurality of wireless detector units each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving environmental, and other, data and location coordinates and data value sensor rate of change information within the venue and each having a data processor,

the network further comprising a plurality of wireless sensor devices, each able to sense one or a plurality of threats, or environmental or other world challenges, and each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving threats and environmental and other data and location coordinates and data value rate of change information within a venue and each having a data processor, said detector units and said sensor devices being connected to Internet of Things (“

IoT”

) mesh multi-hop, ZigBee, Z-Wave or IPV6 and other related networks based upon 6LoWPAN or WiFi or cellular or Internet broadband, or the like, network arrangement whereby said detector unit data processors and said sensor device data processors have programming which allows communication alternately to and from more than one of others of said detector units and said sensor devices in a manner such that transmission of data from said sensor devices to said detector units and communication from said detector units to said sensor devices may be effected over alternate wireless paths whereby the transmission of data from said sensor devices to said detector units and communication from said detector units to said sensor devices may be effected using optimized wireless paths,

the network further comprising means for blanketing substantially all of physical space in the venue with low-cost devices, each able to sense one or a plurality of threats, for sensing environmental and other data, including location coordinates data in a quantity of said low-cost devices so that substantially all of physical space in the venue can be sampled inexpensively, said means for blanketing comprising a plurality of environmental threat and location coordinates data sub-sensor devices equipped with low-power, low-cost wireless communications technology such as Bluetooth or Z-Wave, or the like, (for smart homes, and the like) and each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving information and each having a processor whereby the distance over which said sub-sensor devices are equipped to wirelessly transmit data is limited by the low-power wireless communications technology thereof, said sub-sensor programmed for communication with an associated one of said sensor devices which is sufficiently nearby to receive data transmitted from said respective low-power wireless communications technology sub-sensor device, and wherein said sensor devices are equipped to communicate with said detector units and with others of said sensor devices over distances which are greater than the limited distance over which said sub-sensor devices are equipped to communicate,

the network, further comprising a central monitoring unit either located remotely (including in “

the cloud”

or a “

server farm”

) or locally, which is programmed to communicate to and from said detector units, using secure cellular, satellite, internet broadband or intranet networks for management of routing of transmissions of environmental and location coordinates data between said sensor devices and said detector units over optimized paths and for comparing the environmental or other, and location coordinates data received from said sensor devices and said sub-sensor devices within the venue to determine whether an environmental, or other, threat exists within the venue, wherein said detector units are equipped to receive and process sensed and location coordinates information from said sensor devices and transmit the processed sensed and location coordinates information to said central monitoring unit, and wherein the network has first programming, if a data value sensor, to declare a value aware state when a sensed

value of said at least one of said sensor or sub-sensor devices is at a value which is either (1) greater than a corresponding predetermined upper threshold value plus a corresponding predetermined upper fluctuation buffer value, or (2) less than a corresponding predetermined lower threshold value less a corresponding predetermined lower fluctuation buffer value, and if a condition sensor, to declare a condition aware state when a sensed condition of said at least one of said sensor or sub-sensor devices is at a condition that is non-compliant with a predetermined condition, such as, “

open”

when it should be “

closed”

or water “

present”

when it should be “

absent” and

the like, and

second programming, if a data value sensor, to declare a value alert state (a continuing presence of a value aware state) when a sensed value of said at least one of said sensor or sub-sensor devices, after a predetermined number of predetermined time-based sensor or sub-sensor cycles, remains at a value which is either (1) greater than a corresponding predetermined upper threshold value plus a corresponding predetermined upper fluctuation buffer value, or (2) less than a corresponding predetermined lower threshold value less a corresponding predetermined lower fluctuation buffer value,

and if a condition sensor, to declare a condition alert state (a continuing presence of a non-compliant sensed condition) when a sensed condition of said at least one of said sensor or sub-sensor devices, after a predetermined number of predetermined time-based sensor or sub-sensor cycles, remains non-compliant with a predetermined condition, and

third programming to declare a data value alert state when a sensed value relative to its prior sensed value, is at a differential value greater than its allowed corresponding predetermined upper rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time, or pro-rated portion thereof, or is at a differential value less than its allowed corresponding predetermined lower rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time, or pro-rated portion thereof, and

fourth programming to declare an alert state when the location coordinates of a said detector unit or said sensor device or said sub-sensor device is at a differential value which is greater than the allowed corresponding predetermined Global Positioning System (GPS) or Cellular Triangulation System (CTS) (cell tower triangulation), or the like, differential threshold, and

fifth programming to declare an urgent alert state when a sensed data value is greater than the maximum allowable pre-determined value for a wireless sensor device or sub-sensor device or less than the minimum allowable pre-determined values for a wireless sensor device or sub-sensor device, and

sixth programming after an alert state or urgent alert state has been declared, subsequent to the completion of a rules-based assessment process, to enable a detector unit or a wireless sensor device to power relational devices, consisting of any or all of the following, electrical outlets, water/liquid pumps, security beacons, video surveillance systems, audio surveillance systems, lighting systems and audio response systems, and confirm that the relational device(s) has/have been enabled.

3. The network according to claim 1 wherein the network has programming for comparing values or conditions, received from said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices with predetermined threshold values, or predetermined conditions, in a manner to minimize false positive values of said sensor and sub-sensor devices while minimizing introduction of false negative values of said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices in deciding whether a normal state, aware state, alert state or urgent alert state should be declared.

4. The network according to claim 1 has programming to declare an urgent alert state when a sensed value of said sensor or sub-sensor devices, relative to its prior sensed value, is at a differential value greater than its allowed corresponding predetermined upper rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time, or pro-rated portion thereof, or is at a differential value less than its allowed corresponding predetermined lower rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time, or pro-rated portion thereof, and has

programming to declare an urgent alert state when the location coordinates of a said wireless detector unit or said sensor device or said sub-sensor device is at a differential value which is greater than the allowed corresponding predetermined Global Positioning System (GPS) or Cellular Triangulation System (CTS) (cell tower triangulation), or the like, differential threshold, and has

programming to determine to declare an urgent alert state when a sensed sensor value is greater than the pre-determined maximum allowable sensed values or less than the pre-determined minimum allowed sensor value for wireless sensor or sub-sensor devices, and has programming after an urgent alert state has been declared, subsequent to the completion of a rules-based assessment process, to enable wireless detector unit or wireless sensor device to power relational devices, consisting of any or all of the following, electrical outlets, water/liquid pumps, security beacons, video surveillance systems, audio surveillance systems lighting, systems and audio response systems, and confirm that the relational device(s) has/have been enabled.

5. The network according to claim 1 wherein the network has programming to declare an urgent alert state, when any or all of the following is/are detected,

a said wireless detector unit fails to communicate with said central monitoring unit within a predetermined time period or

a said wireless sensor device fails to communicate with its said respective wireless detector unit within a predetermined time period or

a said wireless sub-sensor device fails to communicate with its said respective wireless sensor device within a predetermined time period or

wireless detector unit fails to communicate its location coordinates to said central monitoring unit within a predetermined time period or

a said wireless sensor device fails to communicate its location coordinates to its said respective wireless detector unit within a predetermined time period or

a said wireless sub-sensor device fails to communicate its location coordinates to its said respective wireless sensor device within a predetermined time period.

6. The network according to claim 1 wherein the network has programming to allow pre-scheduled and dynamic events to be enabled and disabled, by the central monitoring unit, based upon year, month and day of year, including, but not limited to, electric power enabling to devices and disabling thereof, based upon day-of-year, type of day (regular, weekend or holiday) and time of day, with feedback monitoring to ensure that the said event(s) has/have been enabled or disabled, and confirming that the event(s) was/were in fact completed as required, failing which a message is delivered by the central monitoring unit, to the central monitoring unit administrator who takes action, as required.

2. The network according to claim l wherein at least one of said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices is modular and may be fixed, portable, wearable or mobile, and may be powered by A/C, batteries, solar, wind or vibration, and the like, or a combination thereof, and have a size which is less than about 4 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches.

7. A data sensing and threat detecting network for detecting and reporting environmental and other threats within a venue,

the network comprising a plurality of wireless detector units each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving environmental, and other, data and location coordinates and value rate of change information within the venue and each having a data processor,

the network further comprising a plurality of sensor devices each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving environmental, and other data information within the venue and each of which sensor devices having a data processor, said detector units and said sensor devices being connected to Internet of Things (“

IoT”

) mesh multi-hop, ZigBee, Z-Wave or IPV6 and other related networks based upon 6LoPAN or WiFi or cellular internet broadband, or the like, network arrangements whereby said detector unit data processors and said sensor device data processors have programming which allows communication alternately to and from more than one of others of said detector units and said sensor devices in a manner such that transmission of data from said sensor devices to said detector units and communication from said detector units to said sensor devices may be effected over alternate wireless paths whereby the transmission of data from said sensor devices to said detector units and communication from said detector units to said sensor devices may be effected using optimized wireless paths,

the network further comprising means for blanketing substantially all of physical space in the venue with low-cost devices, each able to sense one or a plurality of threats, for sensing environmental and other data, including location coordinates data in a quantity of said low-cost devices so that substantially all of physical space in the venue can be sampled inexpensively, said means for blanketing comprising a plurality of environmental threat and location coordinates data sub-sensor devices equipped with low-power, low-cost wireless communications technology such as Bluetooth or Z-Wave, or the like, (for smart homes, and the like) and each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving information and each having a processor whereby the distance over which said sub-sensor devices are equipped to wirelessly transmit data is limited by the low-power wireless communications technology thereof, said sub-sensor programmed for communication with an associated one of said sensor devices which is sufficiently nearby to receive data transmitted from said respective low-power wireless communications technology sub-sensor device, and wherein said sensor devices are equipped to communicate with said detector units and with others of said sensor devices over distances which are greater than the limited distance over which said sub-sensor devices are equipped to communicate,

the network further comprising a central monitoring unit which is programmed to communicate to and from said detector units for management of routing of transmissions of environmental, and other, data between said sensor devices and said detector units over optimized paths and for comparing the environmental, and other, location coordinate and sensor rate of change data received from said sensor devices and said sub-sensor devices within the venue to determine whether an environmental, or other, threat exists within the venue, wherein said detector units are equipped to receive and process sensed information from said sensor devices and transmit the processed sensed information to said central monitoring unit, by cellular, satellite, internee broadband and intranet, and wherein the network has

first programming to provide a plurality of running average baselines of at least one sensed value of at least one of said sensor and sub-sensor devices, and

second programming to declare an aware state when a sensed value of said at least one of said sensor and sub-sensor devices is at a value which is either (1) greater than a corresponding predetermined upper threshold value or a corresponding upper running average baseline value (whichever is greater) plus a corresponding predetermined upper fluctuation buffer value, or (2) less than a corresponding predetermined lower threshold value or a corresponding lower running average baseline value (whichever is less) less a corresponding predetermined lower fluctuation buffer value.

8. The network according to claim 7 wherein said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices are modular and may be fixed, wearable, portable or mobile and have a size which is less than about 4 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches.

9. The network according to claim 7 wherein the network has programming for comparing values of said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices with predetermined threshold values in a manner to minimize false positive values of said sensor and sub-sensor devices while minimizing introduction of false negative values of said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices in deciding whether an aware state, alert state or urgent alert state should be declared.

10. The network according to claim 7 wherein the network has programming to declare an urgent alert state when one of said wireless detector units fails to communicate with said central monitoring unit within a predetermined time period or when one of said wireless sensor devices fails to communicate with said respective wireless detector unit within a predetermined time period or when one of said wireless sub-sensor devices fails to communicate with said respective wireless sensor device within a predetermined time period.

11. The network according to claim 7 wherein the network has third programming to declare an urgent alert state when a sensed value detected by a wireless sensor device or wireless sub-sensor device is greater than predetermined maximum allowable sensed value or less than a predetermined minimum allowable sensed value.

12. The network according to claim 7 wherein the network has programming to allow pre-scheduled and dynamic events to be enabled and disabled, by the central monitoring unit, based upon year, month and day of year, including, but not limited to, electric power enabling to devices and disabling thereof, based upon day-of-year, type of day (regular, weekend or holiday) and time of day, with feedback monitoring to ensure that the said event(s) has/have been enabled or disabled, and confirming that the event(s) was/were in fact completed as required, failing which a message is delivered by the central monitoring unit, to the central monitoring unit administrator who takes action, as required.

13. A data sensing and threat detecting network for detecting and reporting environmental and other threats within a venue,

the network comprising a plurality of wireless detector units each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving environmental, rate of change and location coordinates data information within the venue and each having a data processor,

the network further comprising a plurality of sensor devices each of which sensor devices having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving environmental data information within the venue and each of which sensor devices having a data processor, said detector units and said sensor devices being connected to Internet of Things (“

IoT”

) mesh multi-hop, ZigBee, IPV6, WiFi or Cellular networks whereby said detector unit data processors and said sensor device data processors have programming, which allows communication alternately to and from more than one of others of said detector units and said sensor devices in a manner such that transmission of data from said sensor devices to said detector units and communication from said detector units to said sensor devices may be effected over alternate wireless paths whereby the transmission of data from said sensor devices to said detector units and communication from said detector units to said sensor devices may be effected using optimized wireless paths,

the network further comprising means for blanketing substantially all of physical space in the venue with low-cost, low power, low energy use devices for sensing environmental, rate of change and location coordinates in a quantity of said low-cost devices so that substantially all of physical space in the venue can be sampled inexpensively, said means for blanketing comprising a plurality of environmental and location coordinates data sub-sensor devices equipped with low power wireless communications technology and each having a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving information and each having a processor whereby the distance over which said sub-sensor devices are equipped to wirelessly transmit data is limited by the low power wireless communications technology thereof, said sub-sensor processor programmed for communication with an associated one of said sensor devices which is sufficiently nearby to wirelessly receive data transmitted from said respective low power wireless communications technology sub-sensor device, and wherein said sensor devices are equipped to communicate with said detector units and with others of said sensor devices over distances which are greater than the limited distance over which said, sub-sensor devices are equipped to communicate,

the network further comprising a central monitoring unit which is programmed to communicate to and from said detector units, by cellular, satellite, internet broadband or intranet networking for management of routing of transmissions of environmental and location coordinates and rate of change data and confirmation of detector and sensor device response within pre-determined timeframes between said sensor devices and said detector units over optimized paths and for comparing the environmental and location coordinates data between said sensor devices and said sub-sensor devices within the venue to determine whether an environmental threat exists within the venue, wherein said detector units are equipped to receive and process sensed and location coordinates information from said sensor devices and transmit the processed sensed and location coordinates information to said central monitoring unit, and wherein said sensor and sub-sensor devices include at least one wireless condition sensing device, and wherein the network has programming to (a) declare an aware state when a non-compliant condition is sensed by said wireless condition sensing device and (b) after an aware state of the sensed condition has been declared by said wireless condition sensing device, to declare an alert after a predetermined number of cycles of the condition being sensed or to declare an urgent alert or to declare a normal state if the condition is not sensed during one of the subsequent predetermined number of cycles.

14. The network according to claim 13 wherein the network has programming to declare an urgent alert state when one of said wireless detector units fails to communicate with said central monitoring unit within a predetermined time period or when one of said wireless sensor devices fails to communicate with said respective wireless detector unit within a predetermined time period or when one of said wireless sub-sensors devices fails to communicate with said respective wireless sensor device within a predetermined time period or when one of said wireless detector units fails to communicate its location coordinates to said central monitoring unit within a predetermined time period or when one of said wireless sensor devices fails to communicate its location coordinates to said respective wireless detector unit within a predetermined time period or when one of said wireless sub-sensor devices fails to communicate its location coordinates to said respective wireless sensor device within a predetermined time period.

15. The network according to claim 13 wherein at least one of said sensor devices and sub sensor devices is modular and may be fixed, portable, wearable or mobile.

16. The network according to claim 13 wherein the network has programming for comparing values of said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices with predetermined threshold values in a manner to minimize false positive values of said sensor and sub-sensor devices while minimizing introduction of false negative values of said sensor devices and sub-sensor devices in deciding whether an alert or urgent alert should be declared.

17. The network according to claim 13 wherein the network has

first programming to provide a plurality of running average baselines of at least one sensed value of at least one of said sensor and sub-sensor devices, and

second programming to declare an aware state when a sensed value of said at least one of said sensor and sub-sensor devices is at a value which is either (i) greater than a corresponding predetermined upper threshold value or a corresponding upper running average baseline value (whichever is greater) plus a corresponding predetermined upper fluctuation buffer value, or (ii) less than a corresponding predetermined lower threshold value or a corresponding lower running average baseline value (whichever is less) less a corresponding predetermined lower fluctuation buffer value, and

third programming to declare an alert state when a sensed value of said sensor or sub-sensor devices, relative to its prior sensed value, is at a differential value greater than its allowed corresponding predetermined upper rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time, or pro-rated portion thereof or is at a differential value less than its allowed corresponding predetermined lower rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time, or pro-rated portion thereof and

fourth programming to declare an urgent alert state when the location coordinates of a said detector unit or said sensor device or said sub-sensor device is at a differential value which is greater than the allowed corresponding predetermined Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or Cellular Triangulation System (CTS) (cell tower triangulation), or the like, differential threshold, and

fifth programming after an alert state or urgent alert state has been declared, to enable a wireless sensor device to power relational devices, consisting of any or all of the following, water/liquid pumps, security beacons, video surveillance systems, audio surveillance systems, lighting, systems and audio response systems, and confirm that the relational device(s) has/have been enabled.

18. The network according to claim 13 wherein the network has

first programming to declare an aware state when a sensed value of said at least one of said sensor and sub-sensor devices is at a value which is either (1) greater than a corresponding predetermined upper threshold value plus a corresponding predetermined upper fluctuation buffer value, or (2) less than a corresponding predetermined lower threshold value less a corresponding predetermined lower fluctuation buffer value, and

second programming to declare an alert state when a sensed value of said sensor or sub-sensor devices, relative to its prior sensed value, is at a differential value greater than its allowed corresponding predetermined upper rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time or pro-rated portion thereof or is at a differential value less than its allowed corresponding predetermined lower rate of change threshold over a predetermined period of time or pro-rated portion thereof, and

third programming to declare an urgent alert state when the location coordinates of a said detector unit or said sensor device or said sub-sensor device is at a differential value which is greater than the allowed corresponding predetermined Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or Cellular Triangulation System (CTS) (cell tower triangulation), or the like, differential threshold, and

fourth programming after an alert state or urgent alert state has been declared, to enable a wireless sensor device to power relational devices, consisting of any or all of the following, water/liquid pumps, security beacons, video surveillance systems, audio surveillance systems, lighting systems and audio response systems, and confirm that the relational device(s) has/have been enabled.

19. The network according to claim 13 wherein the network has programming to determine to declare an urgent alert state when a sensed value for a wireless sensor device or wireless sub-sensor device is greater than a predetermined maximum allowable sensed value or less than a predetermined minimum allowable sensed value.

20. The network according to claim 13 wherein the network has programming to allow pre-scheduled and dynamic events to be enabled and disabled, by the central monitoring unit, based upon year, month and day of year, including, but not limited to, electric power enabling to devices and disabling thereof, based upon day-of-year, type of day (regular, weekend or holiday) and time of day, with feedback monitoring to ensure that the said device(s) has/have been enabled or disabled, and confirming that the events were in fact completed as required, failing which a message is delivered to the administrator of the central monitoring unit, who takes action, as required.