System and method for high-sensitivity sensor

• US 8,963,726 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US14/165,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/007 with forced flow using ducting systems F24F7/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0006 Calibrating gas analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0065 using more than one threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/107 for detecting light-scattering due to smoke
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/11 using an ionisation chamber for detecting smoke or gas
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• 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: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/26 by updating and storing reference thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques

Abstract

A sensor unit that includes at least one sensor configured to measure an ambient condition is described. The controller can be configured to receive instructions, to report a notice level when the controller determines that data measured by the at least one sensor fails a report threshold test corresponding to a report threshold value. The controller can also be configured to obtain a plurality of calibration measurements from the at least one sensor during a calibration period and to adjust the threshold based on the calibration measurements. The controller can be configured to compute a first threshold level corresponding to background noise and a second threshold level corresponding to sensor noise, and to compute the report threshold value from the second threshold. In one embodiment, the sensor unit adjusts one or more of the thresholds based on ambient temperature.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a smoke sensor configured to obtain measurement data regarding a level of smoke;

a wireless transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving information to and from an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device;

a power source for powering operation of the wireless device; and

a controller operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the smoke sensor and configured to;

operate the wireless device in a sleep mode whereby consumption of power from the power source is lower than when the wireless device operates in an awake mode;

temporarily switch the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode;

operate the smoke sensor to obtain first measurement data regarding the level of smoke;

operate the smoke sensor to obtain second measurement data regarding the level of smoke after obtaining the first measurement data; and

adjust, based at least in part on the first measurement data;

a reporting threshold level indicative of an amount of smoke deemed hazardous, and/or

a rate at which the second measurement data is obtained, wherein the rate at which the second measurement data is obtained is different than a rate at which the first measurement data was obtained.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit and/or receive information and the smoke sensor is configured to obtain the second measurement data regarding the level of smoke while the wireless device is operating in the awake mode.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is inoperable to transmit or receive information when the wireless device is in the sleep mode.

4. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to operate the wireless device in the sleep mode while obtaining the first measurement data and operate the wireless device in the awake mode while obtaining the second measurement data, the rate at which the second measurement data is obtained being higher than the rate at which the first measurement data is obtained.

5. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to temporarily switch the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode periodically.

6. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to temporarily switch the wireless device from the sleep mode to the awake mode if a measured level of smoke of the first measurement data exceeds a predetermined threshold level.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, further including a tamper sensor;

wherein the controller is further configured to cause the wireless device to switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to receiving an indication of a fault condition from the tamper sensor when the wireless device from the sleep mode.

8. A method of operating a wireless device, comprising:

operating the wireless device in a sleep mode, whereby consumption of power of the wireless device is lower than when the wireless device operates in an awake mode;

temporarily causing the wireless device to switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode;

obtaining, with a smoke sensor of the wireless device, first measurement data regarding a level of smoke;

obtaining, with the smoke sensor, second measurement data regarding the level of smoke after obtaining the first measurement data; and

adjusting, based at least in part on the first measurement data;

a reporting threshold level indicative of an amount of smoke deemed hazardous, and/or

a rate at which the second measurement data is obtained, wherein the rate at which the second measurement data is obtained is different than a rate at which the first measurement data was obtained.

9. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 8, wherein adjusting the reporting threshold level is based on a rate of increase of the level of smoke as indicated by the first measurement data.

10. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 8, wherein adjusting the reporting threshold level is based on an ambient temperature.

11. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 8, further comprising performing a diagnostic test of the wireless device and communicating information indicative of results of the diagnostic test to an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device via a wireless transceiver included in the wireless device.

12. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, based on the second measurement data, that the level of smoke exceeds the reporting threshold level; and

communicating information indicating that the reporting threshold level has been exceeded to an electronic device located remotely from the wireless device via a wireless transceiver included in the wireless device.

13. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 11, wherein communicating the information occurs while the wireless device is in the awake mode, the method further comprising listening for instructions while in the awake mode, after communicating the reporting threshold level has been exceeded, and before returning back to the sleep mode.

14. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 8, further comprising:

wirelessly communicating information indicative of the first measurement data and/or the second measurement data from the wireless device to an electronic device located remote from the wireless device via a wireless transceiver included in the wireless device.

15. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 8, further comprising receiving, by the wireless device and during a reset interval, an identifier for the wireless device.

16. The method of operating a wireless device of claim 15, wherein the identifier is received via wireless communication.

17. A system for smoke detection, comprising:

means for operating a wireless device in a sleep mode, whereby consumption of power of the wireless device is lower than when the wireless device operates in an awake mode;

means for temporarily causing the wireless device to switch from the sleep mode to the awake mode;

means for obtaining first measurement data regarding a level of smoke and second measurement data regarding the level of smoke after obtaining the first measurement data; and

means for adjusting, based at least in part on the first measurement data;

a reporting threshold level indicative of an amount of smoke deemed hazardous, and/or

a rate at which the second measurement data is obtained, wherein the rate at which the second measurement data is obtained is different than a rate at which the first measurement data was obtained.

18. The system for smoke detection of claim 17, further comprising means for causing the wireless device to listen for one or more instructions while operating in the awake mode, and, in response to receiving the one or more instructions, perform one or more functions requested by the one or more instructions while operating in the awake mode.

19. The system for smoke detection of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining an available radio frequency channel; and

means for wirelessly communicating information indicative of the level of smoke,

wherein the information indicative of the level of smoke is wirelessly communicated from the wireless device to an electronic device located remote from the wireless device over the available radio frequency channel.

20. The system for smoke detection of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining a fault condition of the wireless device; and

means for wirelessly communicating information indicative of the fault condition from the wireless device to an electronic device located remote from the wireless device.