Wireless location-based system and method for detecting hazardous and non-hazardous conditions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9978251-B2
Application number	US-69573610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2010
Priority date	Dec 28, 2009
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A wireless location-based gas detection system and method includes a gas detector for wirelessly detecting location information associated with a hazardous gas event. The gas detector includes one or more remote gas sensors that monitor for the occurrence of a gas event and wirelessly communicates information with respect to the location of the event in association with time information to a server or location manager. A wireless communication device in association with one or more location anchor points periodically and under event conditions, transmits the location information and the gas concentration level. A location engine calculates an estimated location of the gas detector based on information received from the wireless communication device and provides the location data to the location manager. The location manager records the gas concentration level, the estimated location, and the time information and stores this information within a database. A graphical user interface is provided for visualizing the current and historical information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for reporting the detection of a potentially hazardous condition, the method comprising:
preconfiguring data into a portable detector, the data comprising at least one of a detector device ID;
measuring, by the portable detector, data related to a presence or an absence of the potentially hazardous condition in a location;
measuring, by the portable detector, information including the received RF signal strength level from RF signals received from a plurality of location anchors at the location, wherein the plurality of location anchors are stationary;
sending the data related to the presence or absence of the potentially hazardous condition and the information including the received RF signal strength level from the RF signals received from the plurality of location anchors at the location to at least one server via a location anchor of the plurality of location anchors that includes an access point function, wherein the at least one server comprises pre-configured location anchor data comprising geographic coordinates for each location anchor of the plurality of location anchors and an RF transmission power tier each location anchor of the plurality of location anchors;
estimating a geographic position of the location based on the information including the received RF signal strength level from RF signals received from the plurality of location anchors at the first location, the geographic coordinates for each location anchor of the plurality of location anchors, and the RF transmission power for each location anchor of the plurality of location anchors; and
recording the estimated geographic position and the data related to the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition in the estimated geographic position in a database associated with the at least one server for subsequent retrieval, display, and review for use in detecting the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
retrieving a particular subset of the data related to the potentially hazardous condition, the subset comprising gas detection status information and the estimated geographic position related to the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition in the location; and
displaying the particular subset of said potentially hazardous condition, the subset comprising the gas detection status information and the geographic position related to the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition in the location.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
measuring the data related to the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition in the location utilizing a gas detector, wherein the gas detector periodically reports a gas concentration level to the at least one server; and
creating a heat map of the potentially hazardous condition if the potentially hazardous condition is present, wherein the heat map comprises a color-coded contour plot of gas concentrations over an area inclusive of the estimated geographic position at a particular time.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
estimating the geographic position of the detection of the potentially hazardous condition including longitude and latitude coordinates by receiving signals from a global navigation satellite system; and
sending, to the at least one server, the estimated geographic position.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data related to the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition in the location is based on a measurement of a wireless RF signal strength level received at a location anchor of the plurality of location anchors; and
wherein estimating the geographic position of the location is further based on the measurement of the wireless RF signal strength level received at the location anchor.

6. A system for porting the detection of a potentially hazardous condition, the system comprising:
at least one portable device configured to measure a presence or an absence of the potentially hazardous condition and generate a measurement thereof, wherein the at least one portable device is further configured to measure information related to a location including a received RE signal strength level from RF signals received from a plurality of location anchors, wherein the at least one portable device is further configured to send data related to the presence or absence of the potentially hazardous condition and the information elated to the location to at least one server via a location anchor of the plurality of location anchors that includes an access point functionality, wherein the at least one portable device is preconfigured with data comprising device ID;
the at least one location anchor of the plurality of location anchors with the access point functionality, wherein the at least one location anchor is configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one portable device to receive the measurement information and the information related to the location and forward both to the at least one server;
at least one location engine configured to receive information related to the location of the at least one portable device, wherein the at least one server comprises pre-configured location anchor data comprising geographic coordinates for each location anchor of the plurality of location anchors and an RF transmission power for each location anchor of the plurality of location anchors, and wherein the at least one location engine is further configured to calculate an estimated geographic position of the location of the at least one portable device based on the information related to the location of the at least one device, the pre-configured location anchor data, and the RF transmission power for each location anchor of the plurality of location anchors; and
the at least one server for collecting, logging, and displaying server data, the server data comprising the information related to the measurement of the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition and the estimated geographic position of the location.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server data further comprises a location time associated with a time that the information related to the location was generated and a measurement time associated with a time of the measurement of the presence or the absence of the potentially hazardous condition.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of location anchors are configured to communicate wirelessly with the at least one portable device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one location anchor of the plurality of location anchors comprises at least one receiver.

10. The system of claim 8 ,
wherein the information related to the location further includes location anchor identification information;
wherein the at least one portable device is configured to send the information related to the location wirelessly by the at least one portable device to the at least one location anchor with access point functionality; and
wherein the at least one server is configured to plots a heat map of the hazardous condition if the potentially hazardous condition is present, wherein the heat map comprises a color-coded contour plot of gas concentrations over the geographic position at a particular time.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one portable device is configured to estimate a global location of at least one portable device including at least longitude and latitude coordinates by receiving signals from a global navigation satellite system, and wherein the information related to the location further comprises an esti

Assignees

• Gonia Patrick
• Kolavennu Soumitri
• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Gonia Patrick
• Kolavennu Soumitri

Classifications

• G08B17/10

  Actuation by presence of smoke or gases {, e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means} · CPC title

• G08B25/009 Primary

  Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range · CPC title

• G08B21/12

  responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms · CPC title

• G08B21/14

  Toxic gas alarms (G08B21/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08B25/14

  Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements · CPC title