Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090256699 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALIBRATION OF RADIO FREQUENCY LOCATION SENSORS - A method includes receiving, in a scanner, at least one radio-frequency (RF) signal from a sensor proximate to the scanner. The method also includes storing location information, corresponding to a location of the scanner, and signal strength information corresponding to the scanner. The method further includes calibrating location records according to the signal strength information and location information. There is also a system for calibrating location records. The system includes a plurality of sensors each configured to transmit an RF signal. The system also includes a scanner configured to receive at least one RF signal from a sensor proximate to the scanner, store location information corresponding to a location of the scanner, and store signal strength information corresponding to the scanner. The system further includes a location manager configured to receive the stored signal strength information and location information from the scanner and to calibrate location records according to the stored signal strength information and location information. | 10-15-2009 |
20110161044 | Wireless Location-Based System for Detecting Hazardous Conditions - A method and apparatus are provided for estimating the location of a portable device. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of location anchor transceivers and a plurality of enhanced location anchor transceivers within a region, each of the plurality of location anchor transceivers and enhanced location anchor transceivers operating from respective predetermined locations, a portable transceiver within the region detecting and measuring a signal parameter of a signal from at least some of the plurality of location anchor transceivers and enhanced location anchor transceivers within the region, a location engine determining a location of the portable transceiver based upon the signal measurements of the portable transceiver and the respective predetermined locations of the plurality of location anchor transceivers and enhanced location anchor transceivers within the region, each of the plurality of enhanced location anchor transceivers detecting and measuring a signal parameter of a signal from at least some of the plurality of location anchor transceivers and other enhanced location anchor transceivers, the location engine receiving the measured signal parameters from each of the plurality of enhanced location anchor transceivers, the location engine calculating an estimated location for each of the plurality of enhanced location anchor transceivers from the measured signal parameters and the location engine calculating a location error for each of the plurality of enhanced location anchor transceivers based upon the estimated location and predetermined location of the enhanced location anchor transceiver. | 06-30-2011 |
20110161885 | WIRELESS LOCATION-BASED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING HAZARDOUS AND NON-HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS - 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. | 06-30-2011 |
20110193422 | SECURE NON-CONTACT SWITCH - A redundant non-contact switch reports a status as closed or open for a first member and a second member that move relative to each other between an open state and a closed state. In some embodiments, the redundant non-contact switch includes a wireless authentication (WA) pair and a magnetic pair. The WA pair may include a WA responder attached to one of the first member and the second member, and a WA interrogator attached to the other of the first member and the second member. The WA pair may be configured to register a WA status of closed or open, depending on a WA authentication between the WA responder and the WA interrogator. The magnetic pair may include a magnet attached to one of the first member and the second member, and a magnet sensor attached to the other of the first member and the second member. The magnetic pair may be configured to register a magnetic status of closed or open, depending on whether a magnet distance between the magnet and magnet sensor is beyond a threshold magnet distance. In some instances, the redundant non-contact switch reports the status as closed only if both the WA status is registered as closed and the magnetic status is registered as closed. | 08-11-2011 |
20120236768 | ADAPTER DEVICE FOR COUPLING AN INDUSTRIAL FIELD INSTRUMENT TO AN INDUSTRIAL WIRELESS NETWORK AND RELATED SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method includes coupling an adapter device to a field instrument in an industrial control system to provide a wireless communication capability to the field instrument. The method also includes converting, by the adapter device, information from a first protocol native to the field instrument into a second protocol native to a wireless network. The method further includes transmitting the information to at least one other device over the wireless network. | 09-20-2012 |
20130030600 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT - Systems and methods for managing a programmable thermostat are described herein. One or more system embodiments include a programmable thermostat having a first management profile; a data acquisition subsystem; and a data analysis subsystem. The data acquisition subsystem is configured to receive thermostat data from the programmable thermostat, and the data analysis subsystem is configured to receive the thermostat data from the data acquisition subsystem, and determine a second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the thermostat data. | 01-31-2013 |
20130030732 | DEVICES, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS FOR OCCUPANCY DETECTION - Devices, methods, and systems for occupancy detection are described herein. One device embodiment includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to determine energy consumption data associated with a structure at a point in time, and determine whether the structure is occupied at the point in time based, at least in part, on the determined energy consumption data. | 01-31-2013 |
20130031046 | DEVICES, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS FOR MODEL BASED DEGREE-OF-ANGLE LOCALIZATION - Devices, methods, and systems for model based degree-of-angle localization are described herein. One device includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to construct a model of a number of signals, where the model includes a number of parameters. The processor executes the executable instructions to estimate the number of parameters and calculate range information of the number of signals. The processor executes the executable instructions to estimate a location of a transmitter transmitting the number of signals. | 01-31-2013 |
20130066479 | ENERGY CONSUMPTION DISAGGREGATION SYSTEM - A system for disaggregating a gross energy measurement into individual component energy consumption. A collection of components may be situated in a facility. A sensor may obtain electrical signals from one or more power input lines which convey power to the facility for the components. The signals may indicate the total energy consumption by the collection of components. Approaches and/or mechanisms may be used to disaggregate the indication of total energy consumption into indications of individual energy consumption by the components without the need for separately determining the individual energy consumption with additional measurements or instrumentation. Also, approaches and/or mechanisms may be used for integrating a known load activity with whole facility energy consumption for enhancing the component disaggregation. Indications of individual energy consumption permit a reasonable evaluation of components from efficiency, conservation and/or other perspectives. | 03-14-2013 |
20130155102 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF ACCURACY MAPPING IN A LOCATION TRACKING SYSTEM - Systems and method of accuracy mapping in a location tracking system are provided. Methods include identifying a position of at least one location anchor on a site rendering, determining, for a plurality of positions on the site rendering, an estimated error value of location accuracy as a function of position on the site rendering, generating an overlay rendering of the estimated error values of location accuracy for the plurality of position on the site rendering, and the site rendering with the overlay rendering therewith. | 06-20-2013 |
20130191660 | ELECTRICAL SWITCH CONTROLLER WITH WIRELESSLY ADDRESSABLE WEB SERVER - An electrical power switch includes a power switch body, an electrical power connector, an electrical power controller, a web server, and a wireless communication module. The electrical power controller is comprised in the power switch body and connected to the electrical power connector, and configured to control the electrical power connector. The web server is comprised in the power switch body and connected to the electrical power controller. The wireless communication module is comprised in the power switch body and connected to the web server. | 07-25-2013 |
20130297078 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH AN HVAC CONTROLLER - An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. Voice recognition software may be used to create a natural language text based message from a recorded voice message, where the natural language text based message is translated into the command recognizable by the HVAC controller. In response to the command, the HVAC controller may perform an action and/or respond with a natural language text based message. Where the HVAC controller responds to the natural language text based message, the HVAC controller may send a natural language text based message back to the user. In some cases, a user may communicate with the thermostat via an on-line social network. | 11-07-2013 |
20130303193 | BIM-AWARE LOCATION BASED APPLICATION - Systems, methods, and computer-readable and executable instructions are provided for implementing a BIM-aware location based application on a mobile device. Implementing a BIM-aware location based application on a mobile device can include displaying a floor plan of a building on the mobile device. Implementing a BIM-aware location based application on a mobile device can also include implementing a number of BIM equipment representations throughout the floor plan of the building on the mobile device. Implementing a BIM-aware location based application on a mobile device can also include providing real-time status information for the number of BIM equipment representations on the mobile device. Furthermore, implementing a BIM-aware location based application on a mobile device can include updating the floor plan with the implanted number of BIM equipment representations and real-time status information based on a determined location of the mobile device. | 11-14-2013 |
20130342347 | WI-FI MESH FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM - A Wi-Fi mesh fire detection system and methods therefor are provided. The system can include a plurality of access points, where each access point in the plurality of access points is wirelessly connected to at least two other access points in the plurality of access points. For example, a first access point can be assigned as a primary parent device to a third access point, and a second access point can be assigned as a secondary parent device to the third access point. The third access point can transmit a message to the secondary parent device when the third access point fails to confirm that the primary parent device successfully received the message transmitted by the third access point. | 12-26-2013 |
20130343202 | ACCESS POINT SYNCHRONIZATION IN WI-FI FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS - Systems and methods of backup battery support for switches and access points in fire detection systems are provided. Methods can include identifying a communications time interval for a plurality of devices, detecting a power failure, identifying a start time for a next scheduled communications time interval for a respective one of the plurality of devices, placing a wireless access point in a low power mode, and, substantially immediately prior to the start time, removing the wireless access point from the low power mode. | 12-26-2013 |
20140330435 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH A CONTROL SYSTEM THAT IS CONNECTED TO A NETWORK - A building automation system may be controlled in response to a natural language voice message. The natural language voice message may be recorded and then sent to a voice command manager via a network. The natural language voice message is then translated into a command recognizable by a building automation controller of the building automation system. Voice recognition software may be used to create a natural language text based message from the recorded natural voice message, and the natural language text based message may then be translated into the command recognizable by the building automation controller. In response to the command, the building automation controller may perform the desired action. | 11-06-2014 |
20150053780 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH AN HVAC CONTROLLER - An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat and may include a housing that at least partially houses a control module, a microphone, a speaker, a display, and a voice recognition module. The voice recognition module recognizes a predetermined audible trigger from a recorded voice message or streamed voice message, and in response, provide one or more audio clips via the speaker and/or video clips via the display to assist users in operating the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the thermostat and/or a remote device. | 02-26-2015 |
20150053781 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH AN HVAC CONTROLLER - An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat including a housing that houses a temperature sensor, a microphone, and a controller. The controller may identify a trigger phrase in an audio stream provided by the microphone. In response to identifying the trigger phrase, the controller initiates processing of the audio stream to identify a command following the trigger phrase and to generate a command understandable by the thermostat that instructs the controller to perform the identified command. The controller then executes the generated command understandable by the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the microphone of the thermostat and/or a remote device having a microphone. | 02-26-2015 |