Patent Application
20100013599
Embodiments are generally related to sensor methods and systems. Embodiments are also related to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Embodiments are additionally related to smart monitoring and wireless query systems.
Monitoring systems are capable of carrying out “intelligent” functions (e.g., detecting, sensing, recording, tracing, communicating, applying scientific logic, etc.) to facilitate decision making, extending shelf life, enhancing safety, improving quality, providing information, and warning about possible problems associated with products on the market today. A “smart” monitoring system should include internal or external sensors for monitoring external conditions (e.g., temperature) or indicator compounds (e.g., volatiles) from the products that can indicate the quality status.
The quality of a packaged product can vary considerably during its useful life. Hence, wireless “smart” monitoring of such products during transportation, storage and use in a chain of logistic is highly desirable. Monitoring the quality during transport and storage in the production chain, for example, provides additional information for predicting the product quality, while also providing important information for logistic control of the supply and distribution chain. Also, package-tampering events, illegal openings, as well as other parameters such as, for example, temperature, pressure, humidity or chemical composition change endured by the products during transportation, storage and use, are to be monitored.
In the majority of prior art monitoring systems, a wire is utilized to transmit information from the sensors to a control module, Due to the nature of wires utilized in many areas of the world, the signal can become degraded or lost and the monitoring system may fail to perform as desired. Additionally, the collected information that is transferred may be limited at best to the basic operation of the utilized electronic device. Such systems, however, require maintenance personnel to examine the product to determine the cause of a fault, which could even be the communication wire that exists between the product and the control module. Therefore, for widespread use of smart monitoring system, a low cost and efficient solution is required.
Based on the foregoing, it is believed a need exists for an improved “smart” monitoring and wireless query based system utilizing RFID technology. Such an improved monitoring method and system is described in greater detail herein.
The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the embodiments disclosed and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.
It is, therefore, one aspect of the present invention to provide for an improved smart monitoring and wireless query system and method.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide for an improved smart monitoring and wireless query system based on RFID technology.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide for a suite of sensors for smart monitoring and wireless query systems.
The aforementioned aspects and other objectives and advantages can now be achieved as described herein. A smart monitoring and wireless query system is disclosed which includes a sensor suite, an RFID chip and a microcontroller. The sensor suite with appropriate sensors can be mounted to a separate circuit board installed in a housing of a fixture with the RFID chip in proximity to the sensors. The sensor suite includes, but is not limited to, various sensors for monitoring humidity, light intensity, temperature, and/or power consumption to determine the entire status of a product. A microcontroller can be employed to determine the condition of the fixture from the sensor inputs and convert that information into an RFID signal having a specific timing and pattern. A remote reader can receive said RFID signal pattern from the fixture and can then decode the signal in order to identify which particular fixture from which the signal is received and the status of that particular fixture. The remote reader also can provide an alert to maintenance personnel and a submission of current status information including, but not limited to, the nature of any fault condition to an end-user device.
The RFID chip utilized can wirelessly indicate the health of the system through predetermined timing of ID pulses in a short time period. Additionally, the RFID communication quickly determines which fixture is malfunctioning and the fault condition can be sent to alert maintenance personnel for repair. Such a “smart” monitoring system thus provides a low cost solution for wireless monitoring of products including those having large dimensions, while also capable of monitoring the status of the product.
The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the embodiments and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the embodiments disclosed herein.
The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.
The RFID chip 130 wirelessly indicates the health of the smart monitoring and wireless query system 100 through a predetermined timing of ID pulses 135. A microcontroller 140 determines the status of the fixture 110 via inputs from the sensor suite 120 through the analog-to-digital converter 125 as appropriate and adjusts the timing and pattern of the RFID signal 135 to indicate the condition of the fixture 110. The RFID chip 130 transmits the ID pulses 135 to a remote reader 150. The fixture 110 may optionally include a memory 145. Memory 145 stores processed information from the sensors 165, microcontroller 140, and RFID chip 130. The information may be stored permanently or temporarily. In an embodiment of the present invention, memory 145 is a programmable memory. The stored information may be utilized internally by the microcontroller 140 or may be communicated for use externally by the wireless remote reader 150 and an end user device 160. The remote reader 150 receives the signal 135 from the fixture 110 and decodes the ID pulses 135 utilizing a decoder 155 in order to identify the particular fixture 110 from which the signal is received and its current status. The decoded signal can be utilized by the end user device 160, which represents the status of the product in the fixture 110. The end user device 160 also includes logic to process received data from the fixture 110. The RFID chip 130 also identifies which particular fixture is being read and indicates an alert to maintenance personnel in the event of a malfunction or malfunctions.
The system 100 can be utilized to provide real-time on-demand status information to end-user device 160, as well as alarm notifications to the end-user and other appropriate entities if certain pre-defined conditions and/or events are detected. The suite of sensors 165 is typically, but not exclusively, a conventional transducer for measuring a particular parameter and provides analog signals indicating the measured parameter to the ADC 125 for conversion to digital signals compatible with the microcontroller 140. The ADC 125 may be bypassed in the event that the signal from the sensor is digital or the microcontroller 140 includes a built-in analog-to-digital converter. Events are defined as changes in a monitored input (of a sensor 165) that result in the performance of an action. An event report may be sent to the user and/or stored on the EPROM 145 when the circuit board 115 detects a valid event.
As depicted at block 345, a determination can be made whether a fault is found. If a fault is found, the RFID chip 130 identifies which particular fixture is being read and provides an alert to maintenance personnel as to the nature of the malfunction in the event of a fault, as illustrated at block 350. The fault can be analyzed and repaired, as depicted at block 355. The decoded signal can be submitted to an end-user device 160 representing the status of the product in the fixture 110, as depicted at block 360. The RFID chip 130 remotely communicates the health of the system 100 through the predetermined timing of ID pulses 135 in less time. Additionally, the RFID communication quickly determines which fixture is malfunctioning and the fault in order to alert maintenance personnel for the repair. Such smart monitoring system 100 provides a low cost solution for wireless monitoring of products including large dimensions ones and also monitors the status of the product.
It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
