System and method for transmitting pollution information over an integrated wireless network

• US 7,424,527 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SIPCO LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SIPCO LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Inventors: Petite, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US10/021,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/224, 370/230, 340/853.3, 340/853.8, 340/839.22
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers

Abstract

A pollution information message system provides a system and method for generating and transmitting pollution information messages. In one embodiment, the pollution information message system employs a transceiver network with a plurality transceivers coupled to monitoring devices. Control room operators receive a pollution information message from an identifiable transceiver. The transceiver, identified by an identification code, indicates a location and the nature of the detected pollution.

Claims

1. A system which communicates pollution information messages, comprising:

a first transceiver having a first identification code and coupled to a detector configured to detect pollution, the first transceiver in communication with a transceiver network, the first transceiver configured to generate a pollution information message and transmit the pollution information message to the transceiver network,

the transceiver network further comprising;

a plurality of network transceivers, each network transceiver having a unique identification code and configured to communicate the pollution information message with other network transceivers;

at least one transceiver unit configured to communicate the pollution information message with at least one of the network transceivers, the pollution information message comprising information including pollution detector type, detected pollution levels, and pollution detector operational status;

at least one site controller coupled to the transceiver unit, the site controller configured to communicate the pollution information message between the transceiver unit and an intermediary communication system wherein the pollution information message is communicated to a pollution monitoring management controller coupled to the intermediary communication system; and

the pollution monitoring management controller comprising logic to redefine a communication path from the first transceiver to the pollution monitoring management controller if the pollution monitoring management controller does not receive a pollution information message from the first transceiver at a scheduled time or in response to a status inquiry.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a portion of an Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a portion of a digital communication system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a portion of a public switched telephone network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least an Internet, a digital communication system and a public switched telephone network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least an Internet and a public switched telephone network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least an Internet and a digital communication system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least a digital communication system and a public switched telephone network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is coupled to a pollution detecting device and is configured to generate the pollution information message in response to a signal received from the pollution detecting device.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory residing in each one of the network transceivers and the first transceiver such that a communication transmission path is defined by at least one of the unique identification codes of the network transceivers and the first identification code of the first transceiver, the communication transmission path being used to identify a location of the first transceiver.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory residing in the first transceiver such that the first identification code resides in the memory and such that the first identification code is included as a portion of the pollution information message, whereby the first identification code is used to identify the nature of the pollution.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second transceiver having a second identification code and coupled to an electric distribution system, the second transceiver configured to communicate pollution information with the detector using a power line carrier (PLC) signal communicated over the electric distribution system, and further configured to communicate the pollution information message with at least one of the network transceivers.

13. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for communicating pollution information messages, the program comprising logic configured to perform the steps of:

analyzing a pollution information message broadcasted from a series of transceivers, the pollution information message having an identification code uniquely assigned to the transceiver, pollution detector type, detected pollution levels, and pollution detector operational status;

determining information relevant to the received pollution information message by associating the information with the identification code of the transceiver;

generating a second pollution information message having the pollution information message and the relevant information such that a person is made aware of the received pollution information message;

determining a communication path to transmit the pollution information message within the series of transceivers; and

redefining the communication path if the pollution information message from the first transceiver is not received at a scheduled time or in response to a status inquiry.

14. A method for communicating pollution information messages, the method comprising:

generating a pollution information message with a transceiver, the pollution information message having an identification code uniquely assigned to the transceiver, pollution detector type, detected pollution levels, and pollution detector operational status;

communicating the pollution information message from the transceiver to a second transceiver coupled to a pollution detector;

communicating the pollution information from the second transceiver to the network transceiver such that the pollution information message is communicated over an intermediary communication system to a pollution monitoring management controller;

defining a communication path to transmit the pollution information message from the transceiver to the second transceiver; and

redefining the communication path if the pollution information message from the first transceiver is not received at a scheduled time or in response to a status inquiry.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating the pollution information message onto the intermediary communication system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the pollution information message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the pollution information message into a suitable Internet signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of an Internet.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the pollution information message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the pollution information message into a suitable digital signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of a digital communication system.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the pollution information message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the pollution information message into a suitable telephone signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of a public switched telephone network.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the pollution information message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the pollution information message into a suitable Internet signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of at least an Internet, a digital communication system and a public switched telephone network.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least an Internet and a public switched telephone network.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least an Internet and a digital communication system.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least a digital communication system and a public switched telephone network.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a signal from a detector configured to detect pollution such that generating the pollution information message is made in response to receiving the signal from the detector.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a signal from a mobile detector configured to detect pollution such that generating the pollution information message and such that a location of the mobile detector is approximated by location information associated with the identification code of the transceiver.