The present invention relates to collaborative environment/experiment monitoring devices and systems.
The following patent publications are believed to represent the current state of the art:
The present invention provides collaborative environment/experiment monitoring devices and systems.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring device including at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor operative to collect environment/experimental data and a sensor selector cover operable to provide access to at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor and to simultaneously prevent access to at least a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor.
Preferably, the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor is operative to collect environment/experimental data pertaining to at least one of temperature, air quality, chemical composition, light intensity and barometric pressure. Preferably, the device also includes GPS locator functionality. Preferably, the device is also operative to associate the environment/experimental data with corresponding geographic coordinates provided by the GPS locator functionality.
Preferably, the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the device. Preferably, the device also includes an extendible stand formed on a bottom surface thereof, the stand operable for generally semi-vertical mounting of the device on a horizontal surface.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the device also includes sensor activation buttons operable for activating corresponding ones of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor. Preferably, each of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor is generally aligned with a corresponding one of the activation buttons. Preferably, the device also includes a display operable for displaying sensor readings of activated ones of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor.
Preferably, the sensor selector cover is rotatably mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the device. Preferably, the sensor selector cover includes a generally rectangular aperture formed therewithin, whereby rotating the sensor selector cover relative to the device is operative to align the aperture with at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor thereby providing access thereto and thereby simultaneously preventing access to at least a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the device also includes at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket, the socket enabling connection of an external environment/experiment monitoring sensor thereto. Preferably, rotating the sensor selector cover relative to the device is also operative to align the aperture with at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket thereby providing access thereto and thereby simultaneously preventing access to at least one of one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor and a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket. Additionally, rotating the sensor selector cover relative to the device is also operative to align the aperture with at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor thereby providing access thereto and thereby simultaneously preventing access to at least one of a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor and one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket.
Preferably, the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the device. Preferably, the device also includes sensor activation buttons operable for activating corresponding ones of the external environment/experiment monitoring sensors connected to the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket. Preferably, each of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket is generally aligned with a corresponding one of the activation buttons. Preferably, the display is also operable for displaying sensor readings of activated ones of the external environment/experiment monitoring sensors connected to the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket.
There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a collaborative environment/experiment monitoring system including an environment/experiment data aggregating subsystem and a plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices communicating with the environment/experiment data aggregating subsystem, each of the devices including at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor operative to collect environment/experimental data and wherein at least some of the plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices comprise GPS locator functionality.
Preferably, the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor is operative to collect environment/experimental data pertaining to at least one of temperature, air quality, chemical composition, light intensity and barometric pressure. Preferably, the system also includes a sensor selector cover operable to provide access to at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor and to simultaneously prevent access to at least a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor.
Preferably, the at least some of the devices including GPS locator functionality are operative to associate the environment/experimental data with corresponding geographic coordinates provided by the GPS locator functionality.
Preferably, the environment/experiment data aggregating subsystem resides on a computer. Preferably, the environment/experiment data aggregating subsystem is operative to aggregate the environment/experimental data from the plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices communicating therewith.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the environment/experiment data aggregating subsystem is operative to aggregate the environment/experimental data from the plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices generally concurrently with the collection of the environment/experimental data by the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor. Alternatively, the environment/experiment data aggregating subsystem is operative to aggregate the environment/experimental data from the plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices non-concurrently with the collection of the environment/experimental data by the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor.
Preferably, communication between at least some of the plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices and the computer is wired. Additionally or alternatively, communication between at least some of the plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices and the computer is wireless.
Preferably, the computer is connectable to a data projector. Preferably, communication between the computer and the data projector is wired. Additionally or alternatively, communication between the computer and the data projector is wireless.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the computer is operative to employ the environment/experimental data aggregated from the plurality of portable sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring devices to perform a comparative analysis of environment/experimental data aggregated from different ones of the devices.
Preferably, the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor is formed on an outer circumferential surface of each of the devices. Preferably, each of the devices also includes an extendible stand formed on a bottom surface thereof, the stand operable for generally semi-vertical mounting of the device on a horizontal surface. Preferably, each of the devices also includes sensor activation buttons operable for activating corresponding ones of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor. Preferably, each of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor is generally aligned with a corresponding one of the activation buttons. Preferably, each of the devices also includes a display operable for displaying sensor readings of activated ones of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the sensor selector cover is rotatably mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the device. Preferably, the sensor selector cover includes a generally rectangular aperture formed therewithin, whereby rotating the sensor selector cover relative to the device is operative to align the aperture with at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor thereby providing access thereto and thereby simultaneously preventing access to at least a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention each of the devices also includes at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket, the socket enabling connection of an external environment/experiment monitoring sensor thereto. Preferably, rotating the sensor selector cover relative to the device is also operative to align the aperture with at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket thereby providing access thereto and thereby simultaneously preventing access to at least one of one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor and a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket. Alternatively, rotating the sensor selector cover relative to the device is also operative to align the aperture with at least a first one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor thereby providing access thereto and thereby simultaneously preventing access to at least one of a second one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor and one of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket.
Preferably, the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket is formed on an outer circumferential surface of each of the devices. Preferably, each of the devices also includes sensor activation buttons operable for activating corresponding ones of the external environment/experiment monitoring sensors connected to the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket. Preferably, each of the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket is generally aligned with a corresponding one of the activation buttons. Preferably, the display is also operable for displaying sensor readings of activated ones of the external environment/experiment monitoring sensors connected to the at least one selectable environment/experiment monitoring sensor socket.
The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Reference is now made to
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As further shown in
External sensor connection sockets 130 are also preferably provided on outer circumferential surface 110 of devices 100, interstitial to integral sensors 108, which sockets are operable for connecting external sensors 132 to monitoring devices 100. External sensors 132 are useful for collecting and monitoring data in environment/experiments which are not accessible to integral sensors of 108, such as environment/experiments which require immersion of a sensor in a liquid in order to measure the temperature or analyze the chemical composition thereof. Additionally, external sensor connection sockets 130 enable connection of additional sensors which are not integrally provided with device 100.
As shown in
An extendible stand 140 is preferably provided on a bottom surface 142 of devices 100 for generally semi-vertical mounting of monitoring device 100 on a horizontal surface.
Sensor activation buttons 150 are preferably provided on a top surface 152 of devices 100 for activating corresponding ones of integral sensors 108 and external sensors 132 connected to external sensor connection sockets 130. It is appreciated that each of activation buttons 150 is preferably generally aligned with a corresponding one of integral sensors 108 and external sensor connection sockets 130.
It is appreciated that upon activation, data collected by sensors 108 and 132 is preferably stored in devices 100. A display 160 is preferably formed in top surface 152 for displaying sensor readings of activated ones of integral sensors 108 and activated ones of external sensors 132 connected to external sensor connection sockets 130.
Preferably, devices 100 also include locator functionality, such as GPS locator functionality, which is operative to associate geographical coordinates with the collected data. Display 160 is also preferably operative to display the geographical coordinates associated with the sensor readings.
It is a particular feature of the present invention that, as seen in
As further shown in
It is another particular feature of the present invention that the instructor may use the data aggregated by computer 180 from devices 100 to perform a comparative analysis of data aggregated from different ones of devices 100. The comparative analysis may include, for example, mutual overlay and comparison of data trends and averages of collected data parameters.
Reference is now made to
The sensor-selectable environment/experiment monitoring device of
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As described hereinabove, extendible stand 140 is preferably provided on bottom surface 142 of device 100 for generally semi-vertical mounting of monitoring device 100 on a horizontal surface. Sensor activation buttons 150 are preferably provided on top surface 152 of device 100 for activating corresponding ones of integral sensors 108 and external sensors connected to external sensor connection sockets 130. It is appreciated that upon activation of a sensor, data collected by sensors 108 and 132 is preferably stored in device 100. Display 160 is preferably formed in top surface 152 for displaying sensor readings of activated ones of integral sensors 108 and external sensors connected to external sensor connection sockets 130.
As also described hereinabove, devices 100 also preferably include locator functionality, such as GPS locator functionality, which is operative to associate geographical coordinates with the collected data. Display 160 is preferably operative to display the geographical coordinates associated with the sensor readings.
Sensor selector cover 204 is preferably rotatably mounted on outer circumferential surface 110 of main portion 202. A generally rectangular aperture 240 preferably formed in cover 204 provides access to some of integral sensors 108 and sensor connection sockets 130. As shown in
Reference is now made to
External sensor connecting cable 250 preferably includes a cable element 252 and a connector element 254. As shown in
As shown in particular in
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the invention also includes various combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing and which are not in the prior art.