Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-06
2001-06-26
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S545600, C340S584000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252505
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to the monitoring of environmental conditions, and in particular to an on-site environment monitoring system wherein an on-site microprocessor in communication with at least one environment condition sensor such as a temperature or humidity sensor activates at least one on-site alarm when at least one on-site sensed environment condition value is below or above a pre-set range of values programmed within the microprocessor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Proper and on-going operation of many types of equipment and many types of processes require that such equipment and/or processes be operated in an environment whose parameters are maintained within certain values. Chief among such environmental conditions are those relating to humidity and to temperature, and can non-limitedly include operability dependable upon proper mechanical interactions, to chemical reactions such as those encountered in curing procedures, and to protective maintenance of crop and food items during shipping or storage.
Because of this importance of certain environmental conditions as correlated to certain requirements dependent upon articles affected, it is likewise important that such environmental conditions can be monitored so that any untoward change of required conditions can be rectified as soon as possible. Prior art devices employed for environment monitoring generally comprise networked systems that are spread throughout a building or complex and that feed ambient information to a central monitoring station where a designated person notes monitored information and thereafter contacts and dispatches appropriate personnel to a problem site. Thus, such networked systems generally do not address immediate notification of on-site personnel via an on-site alarm signal for immediate cognizance and correction of the environmental flaw. Other prior art devices that provide on-site alarm capabilities generally sense only conditions where an excess of a condition (e.g. high temperature, high humidity, etc.) exists, but provide no on-site alarm capabilities where sub-minimum conditions (e.g. unfavorably low temperature, humidity, etc.) are present, even though sub-minimal conditions may be as dangerous as beyond-maximum conditions.
In view of the above considerations wherein on-site alarms are not provided or are only triggered at one end of a spectrum of environmental dangers, it is apparent that a need is present for an on-site environment monitoring system where one or more on-site environment-condition sensors can provide environmental information immediately transferrable to on-site alarm signals if appropriate. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an on-site environment monitoring system with an on-site microprocessor programmable to reflect both upper and lower limits of acceptable selected environmental conditions and cause an on-site alarm signal where a condition exists that falls above a pre-programmed upper limit or below a pre-programmed lower limit.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an on-site environment monitoring system wherein the microprocessor correlatively stores alarm activation with occurrence time and sensed value of a condition causing such activation.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an on-site environment monitoring system wherein system activation and deactivation can be accomplished on-site.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an on-site environment monitoring system comprising at least one on-site environment condition sensor, an on-site alarm signal, and an on-site alert system. The monitoring system comprises an on-site alert system comprising an on-site programmable microprocessor for activating the on-site alarm signal and in communication with the at least one environment condition sensor. The microprocessor is programmable to thereby provide pre-set respective ranges of environment condition values such that activation of the on-site alarm signal occurs when at least one on-site sensed environment condition value is below or above the programmed pre-set range of values. Two environment conditions that commonly affect operability of equipment, storage of products, and the like are temperature and humidity. Thus, as non-limitedly exemplified in the maintenance of food product freshness, a food processing or storage area can have mounted therein the present on-site environment monitoring system wherein a pre-set temperature range value of 40°-60° and a pre-set humidity range value of 25%-40% may be programmed into the microprocessor. Should the temperature fall below 40° or exceed 60°, and/or should the humidity rise or fall to be outside the 25%-40% values, such information will be detected by the respective temperature and humidity sensors and conveyed to the microprocessor which thereafter immediately activates the on-site alarm signal to alert on-site personnel who can rectify the problem. In addition to temperature and humidity values, other non-limitedly exemplified environment conditions can include a required presence of a particular concentration of one or more of a number of gases that may be involved in product processing, a required range of an amount of light (e.g. lumens) for proper organism growth, a home or workplace fresh-air make-up range, and the like.
Because of the importance and benefit of having the present entire monitoring system on-site, such on-site operations include a power switch for activating and deactivating the system, a battery back-up power source for the system, and an alarm signal that can provide either or both of a visual (e.g. light) and audible (e.g. bell) stimulus. The microprocessor along with visually observable programmed parameters as desired preferably are within a housing whose closed entry door or the like is secured with an integrity seal to thereby provide tamper evidence should anyone attempt interference with the operation of the monitoring system. The present system achieves local control of environmental factors by providing on-site monitoring coupled with on-site alerting to thereby facilitate correction of unwanted ambient conditions by on-site personnel without requiring network interaction and consequent time consumption.
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Anderson Terry J.
Hoch, Jr. Karl J.
La Anh
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Wu Daniel J.
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