Patent Application
20220291051
THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO REMOTELY MEASURING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS USING A WIRED SENSOR WITH CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY
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Monitoring the environmental conditions of a location of interest is a generally well understood and fully developed process, easily addressed by any number of solutions and tools. However, when that location of interest is one that is remote, without WiFi internet access or subject to power outages, that environmental monitoring process requires a unique approach with more specialized tools.
Currently U.S. Pat. No. 9,159,211B2 “Remote monitoring system with cellular gateway” provides a device to remotely monitor conditions via cellular signal. This invention has proven itself to be incredibly valuable for countless applications including recreational vehicle temperature monitoring for pet safety, the monitoring of cabins during extended unoccupied winter periods and for ensuring that IT server rooms remain within specified temperature limits and maintain power.
As useful as these devices have proven themselves to be, all current remote monitoring systems with cellular gateways on the market and described within any existing art, monitor environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity at the same physical location as the and cellular gateway device. These sensitive sensing components are often contained within the housing of the devices themselves.
The physical coloration of sensor element and cellular gateway becomes a severely limiting design feature for many applications such as the monitoring of harsh and corrosive fluids. The limitations of the sensitive electronic components of the cellular gateway then drive the capability of the system as a whole. Furthermore, previously envisioned extended sensing devices which, themselves, make use of cellular or RF signals have been shown to be unsuitable for direct measurements of such fluids due to incompatibilities with the fluid mediums of interest.
This invention allows for the cellular gateway device to be in an area conducive to wireless signal and in a non-harsh condition—while the temperature is able to be measured remotely via wired probe. This allows for a great expansion of applications including measuring temperatures of freezers, water or liquids which could be at extreme temperatures or extreme conditions (such as corrosive).
In current embodiments, these applications could never be satisfied due to needing to contain both the temperature sensor and sensing device within the same package—hence exposing the wireless capability to this extreme condition or lack of operational signal.
Current products as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,159,211B2 would also not allow for extreme cold or hot temperatures, again due to sensitive components requiring remote communication and wireless data delivery via cellular connection. Additionally, there is often a need to monitor the environmental conditions of a space that is naturally limited in cellular reception such as a sealed freezer or incubator. In these cases, it is desired to measure conditions within the space but to locate the cellular gateway in an alternate area having optimal cellular signal strength.
The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems by creating a cellular gateway and processing system which is separated by a flexible wire of a variable length attached to a measuring instrument.
In this embodiment of the invention, a sensor used for measurement of any number of physical conditions (temperature, pressure, humidity, lighting, vibration, etc.) is connected via wire capable of transmitting information from the sensor to the processing unit. With this flexible wire connected to the processing unit and coupled cellular gateway, the system is able to measure and report conditions at the sensor location along with additional measurements taking place at the cellular gateway. Some embodiments of these additional measurements could include power, humidity, barometric pressure, and ambient temperature.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wire would be thin and flexible. The intent of the small gauge of the wire(s) is to be able to transfer information from the measurement probe sensor tip to the base unit or cellular gateway with the smallest amount of interference between the temperature measurement area and the cellular gateway and processing areas. The wire extending from the probe tip to the cellular gateway would preferably be able to bend or be manipulated in such a way that it could be routed through a small hole or gasket with minimal disruption to existing hardware. Additionally, the durability of the wire must be such that repeated adjustments and relocations will not cause any degradation in performance. A highly desirable use case for this invention is to remotely monitor freezer temperatures via cellular communications. Hence, the flexible wire connecting the preferred sensor of temperature to the cellular gateway and processing device must be at length necessary to provide the temperature sensor inside the freezer while the cellular gateway remains outside the freezer.
The wire extending from the sensor tip to the base unit may also contain easy connection/disconnect points such as a “male” end of a stereo jack (plug) which would plug into the complementary female jack located on the base of the cellular gateway and/or the tip of the temperature sensing device. This design feature allows user ease in the installation/removal and reconfiguration of systems, bypassing the need for labor intensive wire connection methods such as soldering. This capability is described in the preferred design however identical functionality could be achieved via more permanent wire connection methods including soldier, plug-in tips or other ways of connecting wire(s) to a control board and cellular gateway for measurement.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensor is waterproof, having been sealed with an epoxy or other processes to allow for full immersion of the sensor into water or other liquid and also allowing for increased reliability and durability in its preferred use case, placed within a refrigerator or freezer. The sensor and wire apparatus may also contain clips, weights, suctions, snaps, velcro or other additions to aid in securing the sensor probe to a desired location within the preferred usage environment of a freezer or refrigerator. (see
Some of the embodiments of the current invention are depicted as examples of invention the figures stated below. The figures are not meant to be a limiting:
The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it will be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
The cellular gateway/processing device (115) is a device which employs both a means of processing the information from the sensors (both the remote sensor as described in this invention) and additional sensors which are located within the same area, wireless sensors and additional information such as the presence of utility power. This processing device is then paired with a cellular gateway which is able to transmit information gathered from the sensors and transfer this via cellular network to a central processing server/computer to enable a user to remotely view their conditions. Additionally, the cellular gateway/processing device would employ a built-in battery system which would allow for transferring of information even if there is no ability for an external power source to be available, or the regular power source is lost during a power outage. This embodiment of the invention requires a cellular gateway as the preferred usage of monitoring freezers or refrigerators, the user would need to know if power is lost to the freezer and also need to monitor the temperature within the freezer or refrigerator regardless of power conditions. Using a cellular connection rather than will or another connection point allows for this capability.
Furthermore, the sensor (100) and flexible wire (105) would allow for replacement, changing or removal via a connection point (110). This iteration is optional, but ideal. This connection could be a quick disconnection of electrical wires such as audio jack, JST style, phone line style or other electrical coupler. Its intended use would be for ability for replacement or removal of the sensor (100) and flexible wire (105).
The flexible wire (105) is meant to be supplied at varied lengths depending on usage specifics and distance of the medium to be measured. For example, a shorter distance of a few feet or even a few inches may be optimal where the medium can be located close to the cellular gateway and processing device (115). Examples of this could be a refrigerator, freezer, aquarium, etc. However, a longer distance of wire might need to be employed if the medium of interest is far away or multiple areas are needing to be monitored. Such as multiple freezers, an outdoor pond, rooftop, etc.
Additionally, this flexible wire (105) could employ features to allow for an extended length to be added by use of quick connection plugs or even subtracted by the user to obtain any length needed. (similar to plugging multiple electrical extension cords together)
The wire (105) is ideally flexible and thin, however it must be durable enough to maintain physical integrity and to transfer the necessary information (data, voltage, resistance or other readings) accurately to the cellular gateway/processing device (115). Wire flexibility is a key feature as this invention relies on measurement of a space that is outside of the cellular gateway/processing device (115) either due to convenience (gateway placed inside to accommodate easy access while the measurements are being taken outside) or necessity (due to inability to receive cellular signal or needing to measure water). Often this would require passing through a gasket, doorway or small entry point which separates the area needing to be measured vs the area where the cellular gateway/processing device is contained. This wire (105) then could be diverted inside through the gasket with little amount of penetration issues or air leakage if measured medium is a freezer or refrigerator (120).
Furthermore, additions or modification to the wire shape, flexibility or additional features such as adhesives or tape are also embodiments of this invention to aid the user in facilitating the transfer of data from the medium which is being measured to the cellular gateway/processing device (115).
Additionally, this wire (105) can include quick connection points (110) to the cellular gateway/processing device (115). This may include a quick connection jack such as an audio male to female connection, molex connection or other plug styles. This is again a preferred embodiment since it allows for quick connection of the sensor (100) and wire (105) to the cellular gateway (115) while still allowing for replacement or changing of length or even type of sensor employed. This does not exclude an embodiment of a “hard wired” connection into the cellular gateway/processing device. This connection point can also be accomplished via other means of connection not shown or explained.
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