Surface-mounted monitoring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829396-B2
Application number	US-201113642785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2011
Priority date	Apr 22, 2010
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A surface mounted monitoring system is disclosed that is useful for detecting the presence of both ordinary and excessive loads on a surface, and for providing real-time or near real-time trending data. The system includes an array of force transducers disposed on the exterior surface of a structural member such as a roof. In an exemplary embodiment, transducers may be placed on an interior surface, such as embedded within insulation. The force transducers detect the magnitude of a load force acting on the surface. A data analysis module (DAM) may record force readings in a circular memory buffer, so that recent data can be recovered in the event of a catastrophic collapse. The DAM may also communicate with a monitoring device that can display real-time loading data to a user and perform other analysis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface mounted monitoring system for monitoring loading on a structural member, the surface mounted monitoring system comprising:
a sensor array comprising a plurality of force transducers disposed in an irregular grid on an external surface of a roof, the force transducers being small in width compared to the thickness of the roof between an exterior surface and an interior surface and configured to electrically sense a magnitude of an external force and provide a signal representative of the external force magnitude;
a data analysis module (DAM) comprising a processor, a storage, and a transmitter, the DAM communicatively coupled to the sensor array and configured to:
poll the sensor array at an interval of less than one second;
record the force magnitude signal for each transducer in a circular memory buffer in the storage;
compare the force magnitude of each transducer to a first force magnitude threshold for that sensor, at least one first force magnitude threshold of a first sensor being different than a first force magnitude threshold of a second sensor;
upon detecting that the force magnitude of any sensor is greater than the force magnitude threshold for that sensor, enter a non-emergency alert state and send an alert signal on the transmitter;
compare the force magnitude of each transducer to a second force magnitude threshold for that sensor; and
upon detecting that the force magnitude of any sensor is greater than the force magnitude threshold for that sensor, enter an alarm state and send an alarm signal on the transmitter.

2. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 1 further comprising:
a real time warning system communicatively coupled to the DAM and configured to receive the alarm signal and upon receiving the alarm signal to provide a visible and audible evacuation alarm.

3. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the real-time warning system is further configured to provide evacuation instructions to residents.

4. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the storage of the DAM is hardened so that it does not break down even if the DAM is subject to floor or impact or fire.

5. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 1 further comprising a remote monitoring device communicatively to the DAM, the remote monitoring device comprising a user interface and the remote monitoring device configured to receive force magnitudes, the alert signal, and the alarm signal from the DAM.

6. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 5 wherein the user interface is configured to provide a real-time loading display based on the force magnitudes received from the DAM.

7. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the real-time loading display includes a wire mesh drawing of the structural member, and a color-coded strain display.

8. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 5 wherein the user interface provides the ability for a user to customize force magnitude thresholds.

9. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 5 wherein the user interface provides the ability for a user to define additional force magnitude thresholds and to create programmable actions to take in response to the thresholds.

10. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 5 wherein the monitoring device is further configured to create a composite force magnitude profile based on the force magnitude inputs.

11. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 10 wherein the monitoring device is further configured to analyze the force magnitude profile to identify special loading events.

12. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 11 wherein one special loading event includes detecting three discrete zones with loading representing the presence of an ice dam.

13. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 11 wherein one special loading event includes detecting ice buildup around a drain area.

14. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 5 , wherein the monitoring device further comprises a data storage and wherein the monitoring device is further configured to:
upon receiving the alert signal from the DAM, begin polling the DAM and logging force magnitude data to the data storage at a first interval; and
upon receiving the alarm signal from the DAM, begin polling the DAM and logging the force magnitude data at a second interval, the second interval being less than the first interval, and provide a visible and audible alarm.

15. The surface mounted monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the transducers are load cells.

16. A surface mounted monitoring system comprising:
a structure having a roof subject to a variable magnitude load, the load caused by an input selected from the group consisting of wind, ice accumulation, snow accumulation, water accumulation and debris accumulation;
a plurality of force transducers forming a sensor array, the force transducers being small in width compared to the thickness of the roof between an exterior surface and an interior surface and selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric sensor, strain gauge, piezoresistive sensor, pressure switch, self resetting sensor, and load cell so that a magnitude of an external force is electrically sensed by one or more of the force transducers, the force transducers disposed in an irregular grid pattern on an exterior surface of the roof, the grid pattern selected to play some of the sensors at point supported directly by reinforcing support beams and other sensors at intermediate points not directly supported by reinforcing support beams;
a data analysis module (DAM) comprising a processor, a hardened storage that does not break down even if the DAM is subject to floor or impact or fire, and a transmitter, the data analysis module being communicatively coupled to the force transducers and configured to:
receive from each transducer a force magnitudes signal representative of a realtime normal force exerted on the sensor;
record the force magnitude of each transducer in a circular memory buffer contained in the hardened storage;
compare the force magnitudes signal from each transducer to a first force magnitudes threshold value for that transducer; if the force magnitude of any transducer exceeds the first threshold value for that transducer, enter an alert state and provide an alert signal on the transmitter;
compare the force magnitudes signal from each transducer to a second force magnitudes threshold value for that transducer; if the force magnitude of any transducer exceeds the second force magnitudes threshold for that transducer, enter an alarm state wherein the DAM provides an alarm signal on the communication interface;

a remote monitoring device communicatively coupled to the DAM via the transmitter, the monitoring device comprising a permanent data storage and a user interface and configured to:
receive continuously updating force magnitude inputs from the DAM;
display a wire mesh drawing of the roof, the drawing being color-coded to indicate the real-time force magnitudes exerted on each point of the roof;
upon receiving an alert state signal from the DAM, provide on the user interface an alert condition indicator and begin recording force magnitude data at a interval of less than one hour;
upon receiving an alarm condition signal from the DAM, provide a visible and audible alarm on the user interface and begin continuously recording force magnitude data;

a real-time warning system communicatively coupled to the DAM via the transmitter, and configured to:
upon receiving an alarm signal fro

Assignees

• Ayon Arturo
• Hallam Cory
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Ayon Arturo
• Hallam Cory

Classifications

• G01M5/0025 Primary

  of elongated objects, e.g. pipes, masts, towers or railways (G01M5/0058 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01L1/005 Primary

  by electrical means and not provided for in G01L1/06 - G01L1/22 · CPC title

• G01M5/0041

  by determining deflection or stress · CPC title

• G08B23/00

  Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions · CPC title

• G08B21/18 Primary

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title