Wireless transceiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9357490-B2
Application number	US-201414168876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2014
Priority date	May 27, 2004
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A low cost, robust, wireless sensor that provides an extended period of operability without maintenance is described. The wireless sensors are configured to communicate with a base unit or repeater. When the sensor unit detects an anomalous ambient condition (e.g., smoke, fire, water, etc.) the sensor communicates with the base unit and provides data regarding the anomalous condition. The sensor unit receives instructions to change operating parameters and/or control external devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring and reporting on environmental conditions within a building, comprising:
a base unit in wireless communication with a wireless repeater, the base unit being operable to:
communicate with one or more components of the system using both wireless communication and power line communication;
receive messages from one or more sensor units that comprise smoke sensors via the wireless repeater;
receive, from a sensor unit via the wireless repeater, an emergency condition indicator indicating the existence of an emergency condition, the emergency condition indicator being generated by and communicated from the sensor unit in response to the sensor unit detecting, via a smoke sensor, an amount of smoke within the building that is outside of a threshold value for smoke, wherein the sensor unit includes a location identifier that identifies a location of the sensor unit within the building;
receive the location identifier, from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater when the emergency condition indicator is generated by and communicated from the sensor unit; and
communicate the location identifier to a computing device; and

the computing device communicatively coupled to the base unit and a user device located outside of the building, the computing device being operable to:
receive, from the base unit, information indicative of the emergency condition in response to and after the base unit receives the emergency condition indicator from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater;
receive the location identifier from the base unit;
access a stored list that relates locations with location identifiers;
communicate, to the user device and via the Internet, a notification of the emergency condition in response to and after receiving, from the base unit, the information indicative of the emergency condition; and
communicate, to the user device and via the Internet, information indicative of the location of the sensor unit as associated with the location identifier such that the user device receives an indication of the location of the sensor unit that detected the amount of smoke within the building that is outside of the threshold value for smoke.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor unit includes a carbon monoxide sensor;
the base unit is further operable to receive, from the sensor unit, a carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator, the carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator indicating that a level of carbon monoxide detected by the carbon monoxide sensor is outside of a threshold value for carbon monoxide; and
the computing device is further operable to receive, from the base unit, information indicative of the carbon monoxide emergency condition, and communicate a notification of the carbon monoxide emergency condition to the user device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit further includes:
a controller coupled to one or more sensors for sensing at least one environmental condition of the building, the one or more sensors including the smoke sensor; and
a transceiver coupled to the controller and operable to wirelessly communicate with the base unit.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the sensor unit is capable of operating in:
a low-power mode during which the controller operates with the one or more sensors to sense the at least one environmental condition of the building and the transceiver is disabled such that it does not transmit data; and
an alert mode during which the controller operates with the one or more sensors to sense the at least one environmental condition of the building and the transceiver is enabled to facilitate wireless communication with the base unit.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor unit is configured to operate in the alert mode during the existence of the emergency condition and to operate in the low-power mode when the emergency condition is non-existent.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit further includes a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base unit is operable to wirelessly communicate with the sensor unit at a frequency of substantially 900 MHz.

8. A method for monitoring and reporting on environmental conditions within a building, the method comprising:
communicating, by a base unit, with one or more components of an environmental condition monitoring system using both wireless communication and power line communication;
receiving, by the base unit, messages from one or more sensor units that comprise smoke sensors via the wireless repeater;
receiving, by the base unit, from a sensor unit via the wireless repeater, an emergency condition indicator indicating the existence of an emergency condition, the emergency condition indicator being generated by and communicated from the sensor unit in response to the sensor unit detecting, via a smoke sensor, an amount of smoke within the building that is outside of a threshold value for smoke, wherein the sensor unit includes a location identifier that identifies a location of the sensor unit within the building;
receiving, by the base unit, the location identifier, from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater when the emergency condition indicator is generated by and communicated from the sensor unit;
communicating, by the base unit, the location identifier to a computing device;
receiving, by the computing device from the base unit, information indicative of the emergency condition in response to and after the base unit receives the emergency condition indicator from the sensor unit via the wireless repeater, wherein the computing device is coupled to the base unit and a user device located outside of the building;
receiving, by the computing device, the location identifier from the base unit;
accessing, by the computing device, a stored list that relates locations with location identifiers;
communicating, to the user device and via the Internet, a notification of the emergency condition in response to and after receiving, from the base unit, the information indicative of the emergency condition; and
communicating, to the user device and via the Internet, information indicative of the location of the sensor unit as associated with the location identifier such that the user device receives an indication of the location of the sensor unit that detected the amount of smoke within the building that is outside of the threshold value for smoke.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, by the base unit from the sensor unit, a carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator, the carbon monoxide emergency condition indicator indicating that a level of carbon monoxide detected by the carbon monoxide sensor is outside of a threshold value for carbon monoxide; and
receiving, by the computing device, from the base unit, information indicative of the carbon monoxide emergency condition, and communicate a notification of the carbon monoxide emergency condition to the user device.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
operating, by the sensor unit, in a low-power mode such that the sensor unit senses the at least one environmental condition of the building and a transceiver of the sensor unit is disabled such that it does not transmit data; and
operating, by the sensor unit, in an alert mode during which the transceiver is enabled to facilitate wireless communication with the base unit.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
operating, by the sensor unit, in the alert mode during the existence of the emergency condition; and
operating, by the sensor unit, in the low-power mode when the emergency condition is non

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Kates Lawrence

Classifications

• G08B25/10 Primary

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• G08B25/001

  Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation · CPC title

• G08B13/04

  by breaking of glass · CPC title

• G06F1/3209

  Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections · CPC title