Lamp monitoring and control system and method

• US 6,415,245 B2
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lightronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A.L. Air Data, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Larry, Young, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): ASSOUAD, PATRICK J
• Application Number:
  US09/465,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 702/188, 702/57, 315/129, 315/133, 315/134, 315/149, 340/870.01, 340/870.07, 340/870.16, 340/825.06, 455/422, 455/403, 455/423, 455/73
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit

Abstract

A system and method for remotely monitoring and/or controlling an apparatus and specifically for remotely monitoring and/or controlling street lamps. The lamp monitoring and control system comprises lamp monitoring and control units, each coupled to a respective lamp to monitor and control, and each transmitting monitoring data having at least an ID field and a status field; and at least one base station, coupled to a group of the lamp monitoring and control units, for receiving the monitoring data, wherein each of the base stations includes an ID and status processing unit for processing the ID field of the monitoring data.

Claims

1. A remote device monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling a plurality of remote devices, comprising:

a plurality of stationary remote device monitoring and control units, each attached to a respective remote device of the plurality of remote devices to monitor characteristics of the remote device and control the remote device, and each transmitting monitoring data derived from monitoring the characteristics of the respective remote device, and having at least an ID field and a status field; and

at least one base station, coupled to a group of said plurality of remote device monitoring and control units, for receiving the monitoring data, wherein each of said at least one base station includes an ID and status processing unit for processing the ID field of the monitoring data.

2. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the ID field includes a remote device monitoring and control unit ID.

3. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the ID field includes a base station ID.

4. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring data further includes a data field.

5. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 4, wherein the data field includes current data related to one of the plurality of remote devices.

6. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 4, wherein the data field includes voltage data related to one of the plurality of remote devices.

7. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of remote device monitoring and control units receives control information from at least one of said at least one base station.

8. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of remote device monitoring and control units transmits the monitoring data to at least one of said at least one base station via an RF link.

9. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 8, wherein the RF link is in a frequency range of 218-219 MHz.

10. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of remote device monitoring and control units transmits the monitoring data to at least one of said at least one base station via a wire link.

11. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of remote device monitoring and control units transmits the monitoring data to at least one of said at least one base station via a coaxial cable link.

12. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of remote device monitoring and control units transmits the monitoring data to at least one of said at least one base station via a fiber optic link.

13. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein a group of said at least one base station is coupled together in a network topology.

14. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a main station, coupled to a group of said at least one base station, for receiving the monitoring data.

15. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring data from the plurality of remote device monitoring and control units is staggered in time to avoid collisions.

16. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring data from the plurality of remote device monitoring and control units is staggered in frequency to avoid collisions.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the ID field is indicative of a location of the respective remote device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of remote device monitoring and control units receives a signal originating away from the at least one of the plurality of remote device monitoring and control units.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the signal originates from the at least one base station.

25. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the remote device comprises a street lamp mounted on a lamp pole substantially near a top the lamp pole.

26. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of stationery remote device monitoring and control units is affixed to the corresponding street lamp.

27. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of stationery remote device monitoring and control units is attached to a three prong connector of the corresponding street lamp.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the stationary remote device monitoring and control units is affixed to the respective remote device.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the stationary remote device monitoring and control units is configured to receive signals from the respective remote device to which it is attached.

17. A method of making a remote device monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling a plurality of remote devices, comprising:

providing a plurality of stationary remote device monitoring and control units, each attached to at least one of the plurality of remote devices to monitor characteristics of the remote device and control the device, and each transmitting monitoring data, the monitoring data being derived from monitoring the characteristics of the respective remote device, and having at least an ID field and a status field; and

coupling at least one base station to a group of said plurality of remote device monitoring and control units, for receiving the monitoring data, wherein each of said at least one base station includes an ID and status processing unit for processing the ID field of the monitoring data.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of remote devices comprises a street lamp mounted on a lamp pole.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of stationery remote device monitoring control units is mounted to a corresponding one of the street lamps.

32. The remote device monitoring and control system of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of stationery remote device monitoring and control units is attached to a three prong connector of the corresponding street lamp.

33. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting monitoring data comprises wireless transmission from the monitoring and control units to the at least one base station.

34. The device of claim 17, wherein each of the stationary remote device monitoring and control units is affixed to the respective remote device.

35. The device of claim 17, wherein each of the stationary remote device monitoring and control units is configured to receive signals from the respective remote device to which it is attached.

21. A system for monitoring a plurality of remote devices, comprising:

a plurality of remote device monitoring units, each of the plurality of remote device monitoring units configured to be mounted on a light fixture on a light pole and attach to a respective remote device of the plurality of remote devices, the respective remote device being on the light fixture, and each configured to automatically transmit data having at least an ID field and a status field; and

at least one base station, coupled to a group of said plurality of remote device monitoring units, for receiving the data, wherein each of said at least one base station includes a processing unit for processing at least a portion of the data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the ID field is indicative of a location of the respective remote device.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of remote device monitoring units receives a signal originating away from the at least one of the plurality of remote device monitoring units.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the signal originates from the at least one base station.

36. The system of claim 21, wherein the light fixture is located substantially near a top of the light pole.

37. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of remote device monitoring units wirelessly transmits data to the least one base station.

38. The system of claim 21, wherein the remote device is the light fixture.

39. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the stationary remote device monitoring units is affixed to the respective remote device.

40. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the stationary remote device monitoring units is configured to receive signals from the respective remote device to which it is attached.