Presenting information regarding conditions of an environment with a visual representation of the environment

• US 9,092,967 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Schechter Tech LLC (Digi International Inc.)
• Inventors: Schechter, Harry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/303,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 340/584, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/870.17, 340/585, 340/501, 340/506, 340/531, 340/581, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/008 Alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/00 Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

Configuring a user interface by which a user can view information regarding one or more conditions of an environment collected by an environmental monitoring system. An environmental monitoring system comprises one or more sensor units disposed in an environment and one or more servers. The servers may receive from an operator of the environment a visual representation of the environment and may identify a position in the visual representation corresponding to the location and configure a user interface to present information regarding the environment based at least in part on the positions. The user interface can be configured to display the visual representation and display information related to the first sensor unit so as to indicate a relationship between the information and the position corresponding to the location of the first sensor unit. Information identifying a location of one or more sensor units may be determined through an automated process.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

installing in an environment at least one sensor unit to monitor at least one condition of the environment;

communicating to a computing device, via at least one network, digital data comprising a visual representation of the environment, wherein the visual representation of the environment comprises at least one graphic corresponding to at least one structural and/or topographical element of the environment and communicating the digital data comprising the visual representation of the environment comprises communicating to the computing device digital data for the at least one graphic; and

communicating to the computing device information identifying a location in the environment of a first sensor unit of the at least one sensor unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the visual representation of the environment comprises a map of the environment;

the map of the environment comprises the at least one graphic corresponding to the at least one structural and/or topographical element; and

communicating the information identifying the location of the first sensor unit comprises;

displaying, via a user interface, the map of the environment; and

detecting user input to the user interface selecting a position, in the map, that corresponds to the location of the first sensor unit in the environment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via a user interface, the visual representation and at least one graphic at a position in the visual representation corresponding to the location of the first sensor unit; and

displaying, in the user interface and at the position corresponding to the location, information relating to the first sensor unit and a visual indication that the information relates to the first sensor unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein installing the at least one sensor unit comprises installing at least one temperature sensor unit to monitor a temperature of the environment.

5. At least one computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising:

installing in an environment at least one sensor unit to monitor at least one condition of the environment;

communicating to a computing device, via at least one network, digital data comprising a visual representation of the environment, wherein the visual representation of the environment comprises at least one graphic corresponding to at least one structural and/or topographical element of the environment and communicating the digital data comprising the visual representation of the environment comprises communicating to the computing device digital data for the at least one graphic; and

communicating to the computing device information identifying a location in the environment of a first sensor unit of the at least one sensor unit.

6. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein:

the visual representation of the environment comprises a map of the environment;

the map of the environment comprises the at least one graphic corresponding to the at least one structural and/or topographical element; and

communicating the information identifying the location of the first sensor unit comprises;

displaying, via a user interface, the map of the environment; and

detecting user input to the user interface selecting a position, in the map, that corresponds to the location of the first sensor unit in the environment.

7. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, via a user interface, the visual representation and at least one graphic at a position in the visual representation corresponding to the location of the first sensor unit; and

displaying, in the user interface and at the position corresponding to the location, information relating to the first sensor unit and a visual indication that the information relates to the first sensor unit.

8. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein installing the at least one sensor unit comprises installing at least one temperature sensor unit to monitor a temperature of the environment.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable 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;

installing in an environment at least one sensor unit to monitor at least one condition of the environment;

communicating to a computing device, via at least one network, digital data comprising a visual representation of the environment, wherein the visual representation of the environment comprises at least one graphic corresponding to at least one structural and/or topographical element of the environment and communicating the digital data comprising the visual representation of the environment comprises communicating to the computing device digital data for the at least one graphic; and

communicating to the computing device information identifying a location in the environment of a first sensor unit of the at least one sensor unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the visual representation of the environment comprises a map of the environment;

the map of the environment comprises the at least one graphic corresponding to the at least one structural and/or topographical element; and

communicating the information identifying the location of the first sensor unit comprises;

displaying, via a user interface, the map of the environment; and

detecting user input to the user interface selecting a position, in the map, that corresponds to the location of the first sensor unit in the environment.

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

displaying, via a user interface, the visual representation and at least one graphic at a position in the visual representation corresponding to the location of the first sensor unit; and

displaying, in the user interface and at the position corresponding to the location, information relating to the first sensor unit and a visual indication that the information relates to the first sensor unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein installing the at least one sensor unit comprises installing at least one temperature sensor unit to monitor a temperature of the environment.