Abstract:
A system for monitoring environmental conditions at a facility which has suffered water damage which includes one or more sensors or sensor nodes adapted in certain embodiments to measure environmental conditions and to transmit or communicate information or data relating to such environmental conditions through a wireless transmitter. In certain aspects, the monitoring system comprises a wireless mesh network having a mesh router, a plurality of sensor nodes and a remote operating unit adapted to receive such environmental condition information.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/782,902, filed Mar. 16, 2006. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a system for remotely monitoring moisture, humidity, temperature, and other conditions within a building or structure undergoing water mitigation treatment.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The process of water damage restoration requires accurate and routine monitoring to produce optimal results. Technicians in the water mitigation industry must inspect sites daily to insure that the appropriate drying equipment is installed and working correctly and to determine whether the structure is drying properly. Such monitoring becomes problematic in commercial structures when technician entry is limited on weekends or holidays. Similarly, if the damaged structure is a private dwelling, residents may not feel comfortable allowing a technician necessary access if the home is unoccupied.  
         [0004]     Systems for monitoring environmental conditions in a remote location are known in the prior art. However, most systems are permanently installed or designed for use in only one location, and none provide a valuable analysis of incoming data specific to the water mitigation business or industry.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,437,692 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,563 teach systems for monitoring various conditions within a remotely located region. These systems, however, are designed for permanent installation and are permanently connected to a wide area network. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,043 discloses an environmental data system which is hard wired to a communication network, i.e. permanent not portable.  
         [0006]     Individuals and companies in the water damage restoration business could perform more effectively and efficiently with a system to remotely monitor drying status, and other conditions in a building or structure damaged by water. The system should be portable so it can be redeployed at subsequent sites, among other things. Ideally, the system should collect and analyze sensor data instead of merely transmitting data, as seen in prior art systems. In addition, a system that performs periodic or real-time monitoring of each location would amass a more reliable data set than a technician with daily reporting.  
         [0007]     There is a need, therefore, for an improved system for remote monitoring of homes, commercial buildings and other structures undergoing treatment and cleanup for flood or other water-related damage.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     With parenthetical reference to the corresponding parts, portions or surfaces of the disclosed embodiment, merely for purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides an improved system for remote monitoring of homes, commercial buildings and other structures ( 18 ) undergoing treatment and cleanup for flood or other water-related damage, comprising a site monitoring apparatus ( 15 ) and a remote operating unit ( 16 ). In one aspect, the site monitoring apparatus comprises a sensor or sensors ( 22 ) with a wireless transmitter and a central processor or processing unit ( 19 ). In certain aspects, the sensor or sensors ( 22 ) detect(s) one or more environmental conditions and relay(s) environmental condition information through the wireless transmitter to the central processor ( 19 ) equipped with a wireless receiver ( 21 ). The central processor in turn relays the information to a remote operating unit ( 16 ) through a modem ( 20 ) in one aspect of the invention. In other aspects, the sensor(s) or sensor node(s) are part of and/or communicate through a mesh network (which, in one embodiment, is a wireless mesh network) in which a mesh router communicates information to a remote operating unit. In other embodiments, alternate wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, are used to communicate between the component parts of the system. In one aspect, the remote operating unit ( 16 ) can receive information from multiple sites undergoing water damage mitigation. In another aspect of the invention, clients and restoration professionals can access the information from a remote site or remote operating unit via the internet, thereby monitoring drying activity and other conditions at multiple sites in real-time, without dispatching technicians. In other aspects, the system or apparatus is configured to communicate alerts to the remote operating unit via internet, e-mail, cell phone or pager when a pre-selected environmental condition is measured. In another aspect, the remote operating unit is configured to generate insurance forms relative to said water damage.  
         [0009]     The general object of the invention is to provide an improved water damage mitigation monitoring system. Another object is to provide an improved water damage mitigation monitoring system with components that can be temporarily installed in a structure undergoing water damage mitigation.  
         [0010]     Another object of the invention is to provide improved water damage mitigation monitoring system that records accurate multi-point readings from various locations within one structure undergoing water damage mitigation. Yet another object is to provide an improved water damage mitigation monitoring system that simultaneously monitors air outside the structure, unaffected air inside the structure, dehumidifier output air, and other affected points inside the structure.  
         [0011]     A further object of the invention is to provide an improved water damage mitigation monitoring system that monitors a structure in real time. Another object is to provide an improved water damage mitigation monitoring system that allows clients to access environmental condition information via the internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from any internet connected device such as a computer, laptop, or internet-enabled PDA. Another object is to provide an improved water damage mitigation monitoring system that delivers automatic alerts via email, telephone, cell phone and/or pager to notify customers that equipment has stopped, equipment has malfunctioned, or drying or other goals have been met. Another object is to provide an improved water damage mitigation monitoring system that automatically completes insurance forms.  
         [0012]     These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the foregoing and ongoing written specification, and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of the water damage mitigation monitoring system.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a server listener service in one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     At the outset, it should be clearly understood that like reference numerals are intended to identify the same structural elements, portions or surfaces consistently throughout the several drawing figures, as such elements, portions or surfaces may be further described or explained by the entire written specification, of which this detailed description is an integral part. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read (e.g., cross-hatching, arrangement of parts, proportion, degree, etc.) together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “left”, “right”, “up” and “down”, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “rightwardly”, “upwardly”, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms “inwardly” and “outwardly” generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.  
         [0016]     Referring now to the drawings, and, more particularly, to  FIG. 1  thereof, the present invention provides a water damage mitigation monitoring system comprising a site monitoring apparatus  15  for installation in a structure  18  undergoing water mitigation treatment, and a remote operating unit  16 . In one embodiment, the site monitoring apparatus  15  comprises sensors, severally indicated at  22  and a central processor or processing unit  19 . The sensors measure one or more environmental conditions such as moisture level, temperature and humidity. The sensors  22  in one embodiment, are equipped with wireless transmitters and transmit environmental condition information through the wireless to a central processor  19  equipped with a wireless receiver  21 . In this embodiment, the central processor  19  receives the environmental condition information and proceeds to transmit that information through a modem  20  to a remote operating unit  16 . In another embodiment, sensor nodes  22  communicate wirelessly with a mesh router which in turn communicates with a remote operating unit  16 . The remote operating unit  16  proceeds to store the incoming data, which is then available for client and restoration professional access.  
         [0017]     In one embodiment, the present invention can monitor several locations at once. Each structure  18  undergoing water mitigation treatment is outfitted with a sensor or sensors  22 , and a processor  19 , and all such processors communicate with one remote operating unit  16 .  
         [0018]     In one embodiment, sensors  22  are temporarily installed in the structure  18  undergoing water mitigation treatment. The sensors detect various environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity and relay the resultant information to central processor  19  through wireless transmitter. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , this embodiment utilizes more than one sensor  22 , and each sensor  22  may measure a different environmental condition. The system may monitor air outside the structure, unaffected air inside the structure, dehumidifier output air and/or other affected points in the structure.  
         [0019]     Sensors and sensor nodes  22  carry out a networking function because they communicate wirelessly from various points within the structure  18  back to a centrally located processor  19  and/or mesh router. In a preferred embodiment, each sensor node  22  is part of a mesh wireless network, but it is contemplated that other wireless networks, such as Bluetooth and others, may be used as alternatives. Each sensor or sensor node  22  may be mounted on a wall, baseboard, dehumidifier or other drying equipment  25 , or placed on the floor. Sensors and sensor nodes  22  may have probes or tethers  24 , for example. The EMS100, manufactured by B&amp;B Electronics Manufacturing Company, is one example of a sensor that measures temperature and humidity. B&amp;B also produces the MM100, a 2-channel sensor that measures moisture, which may be used as part of the invention described herein. It is contemplated that other sensors with wireless communication capability, and sensors equipped with a wireless communication device could be used as alternatives.  
         [0020]     A mesh network (also sometimes referred to as a “multi-hop” network), as described above, provides for transmitting, routing or otherwise communicating data and information between nodes. Mesh nodes are typically line powered devices and remain in a receive or “listening” mode, reducing latency throughout the network. Multiple mesh nodes may be utilized in line to “multi-hop” messages through a mesh network. One advantage of a mesh network is that such data and information may be communicated even if one or more nodes is inoperable, improving reliability. Another advantage is that various components of a mesh network can connect or communicate with each other via multiple hops between various combinations of nodes. As known to those skilled in the art, mesh networks use mesh routers to continuously monitor network activity and receive and maintain data or other information relative to all sensor nodes and/or other devices in a network, and automatically adjust to the addition and subtraction of network components. Mesh routers may be dedicated devices or may be laptop computers, for example, configured or programmed to act as a network router. In other words, mesh routers are intelligent routing modules that may serve to “multi-hop” messages in and through a mesh network, e.g. to receive environmental condition information from sensor nodes and to communicate with a remote operating unit. Mesh routers may receive incoming messages and attempt send them to a gateway (or to other mesh routers), leveraging multiple possible routes to ensure system reliability.  
         [0021]     A mesh router is an intelligent repeater that optimizes and extends the operating range of a wireless sensor. In one embodiment of the invention, a mesh router establishes direct communication links with two other mesh routers or gateways in the mesh network. This redundancy ensures that a wireless message coming from or going to a wireless sensor or another mesh router will be received. The use of mesh routers also minimizes the latency and maximizes the scalability within a mesh network of the present invention. The flexible and redundant nature of mesh networks also increases fault tolerance. Mesh routers require a low-voltage DC power input that can be achieved through an AC power transformer or a directly connected low-voltage DC power line. In one embodiment, such routers include a battery back-up capability to ensure continuous network operations in the event of a power failure.  
         [0022]     In one embodiment of the invention, the mesh network is established or created by simply turning on all of the devices or components in the system. In this case, a mesh router automatically recognizes the components of the network. In this embodiment, every device supports bi-directional communication, assuring that transmitted messages are acknowledged by the intended receiver (in the case of a transmitting wireless sensor, the intended receiver would be either a mesh router or a gateway). If no acknowledgement is received, the message will be re-transmitted to a redundant, secondary receiver. In a preferred embodiment, if new wireless sensors or mesh routers are added to or removed from the network, the mesh network automatically reconfigures the network in real-time, permitting the node access if it has authorization.  
         [0023]     In a preferred embodiment, the mesh network is a wireless mesh network. In this embodiment, wireless sensor nodes, also known as end points or star nodes, may be battery-operable and last for many years. In one embodiment of the invention, wireless sensor nodes spend most of their time in a deep sleep mode, conserving energy, and then awake to either receive messages or transmit sensing or status information. These devices can either communicate directly with the gateway, or if added range or redundancy is required by the application, they can communicate with a routing device.  
         [0024]     In one embodiment, the central processor or processing unit  19  is a Linux-embedded computer equipped with a bridge or wireless receiver  21  and a modem  20 . It is contemplated that the processor  19  can function on other operating systems, such as Windows. In this embodiment, the central processor  19  logs data from the sensors, severally indicated at  22 , communicates with a remote operating unit  16 , and transfers data. The bridge or wireless receiver  21  is hardware for interfacing to the processor  19  to allow communication with sensors, severally indicated at  22 .  
         [0025]     In one embodiment, a central processor  19  is the key communication element between the wireless sensor network and remote operating unit  16 . The processor  19  stores all of the required data from the wireless sensor  22  system and communicates this data to a remote operating unit  16  via a modem  20  or other connection. The processor  19  provides the interface between the wireless network within a structure  18  and the remote operating unit  16 . In another embodiment, a mesh router is the key communication element between the wireless sensor network and remote operating unit  16 .  
         [0026]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the remote unit  16  will receive and store incoming data from multiple central processors  19  or mesh routers. This data transfer from each processor  19  may be accomplished in one aspect of the invention by a Server Listening Service (SLS) but it is contemplated that any data transfer technique could be used as an alternative. An illustration of the operation of SLS is shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0027]     In addition to storing all data from all central processors  19 , the remote operating unit  16  has the capability to store data from clients, alert data, and billing data. The remote operating unit  16  allows client access via the internet or telephone lines, whereby clients can manage their alerting options and view data from processors  19  located in structures in which they provide water damage mitigation treatment.  
         [0028]     In one embodiment of the invention, a client utilizing the water damage mitigation system will have access to a website that will display pertinent data received from each location. By entering a username and password, the client can view site-specific information such as moisture level, humidity, temperature, and other environmental conditions to determine, among other things, if the selected equipment is sufficient and functional. In addition, this embodiment will provide automatic alerts via email, telephone, cell phone, and pager, to notify a customer that equipment has stopped, equipment has malfunctioned, or drying goals have been met. Clients that know precisely when drying goals are met can reallocate resources and make more efficient use of time and equipment among other things.  
         [0029]     While there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. The terminology and phraseology used herein is for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Accordingly, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.