Abstract:
The application discloses a processing system that includes a processor configured to qualify, based at least in part upon meta information, environmental status information extracted from signals received from a plurality of remote sensors, each of the sensor signals being indicative of the condition of a respective environment being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors. The processor preferably is configured to generate a report of the status of a plurality of physically distributed environments based at least in part upon correlation of environmental status information extracted from a plurality sensor signals indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective monitored environments with information relating to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with the monitored environments. Methods of processing information received from a plurality of remote sensors also are disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to apparatus and methods of processing and presenting information received from a plurality of remote sensors. 
     The operation, maintenance, management and security of a system of physically distributed endpoints (e.g., parking meters, vending machines, photocopiers, traffic lights and other distributed devices) often may require the allocation of significant monitoring efforts and the deployment of significant resources. In an effort to reduce the monitoring and resource demands associated with operating, maintaining, managing and securing multiple physically distributed endpoints, sensors which are configured to monitor the status of each endpoint have been proposed. For example, in the case of parking meters, sensors which are configured to wirelessly transmit status information, such as the occurrence of a meter malfunction and the opening of a meter vault without an authorized key, have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,903. Further improvements in the collection, processing, distribution and presentation of information received from such remote and physically distributed sensors are possible. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the invention features a processing system that includes a processor configured to qualify, based at least in part upon meta information, environmental status information extracted from signals received from a plurality of remote sensors, each of the sensor signals being indicative of the condition of a respective environment being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors. 
     In another aspect, the invention features a processing system that includes the above-identified processor, a plurality of remote sensors each configured to monitor one or more parameters representative of the condition of a respective environment and to transmit signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters, and at least one collector configured to extract environmental status information from signals received from one or more of the plurality of sensors. 
     Another aspect of the invention features a processor configured to generate a report of the status of a plurality of physically distributed environments based at least in part upon correlation of environmental status information extracted from a plurality sensor signals indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective monitored environments with information relating to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with the monitored environments. 
     Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. 
     Each of the sensors preferably has a wireless transmitter for transmitting signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters. The processor preferably is configured to receive from a user meta information for qualifying the environmental status information. The processor may be configured to receive meta information in the form of a schedule of planned visits to each of the monitored environments. The processor may be configured to receive in real time meta information from a user in the form of a schedule of one or more planned visits to one or more of the monitored environments. The may be configured to qualify sensor signals representative of an alarm condition based upon the received meta information. The processor also may be configured to qualify sensor signals representative of an alert condition based upon the received meta information. 
     The processor preferably is configured to present the qualified environmental status information on a display. The processor may be configured to present on the display a form prompting a user to enter meta information for qualifying the environmental status information. 
     Each of the sensors preferably is configured to monitor the physical condition of a respective parking meter. Each of the sensors may be configured to monitor opening and closing of the parking meter. Each of the sensors may be configured to monitor the physical condition of a respective vending machine or an article of office equipment. Each of the sensors may be configured to monitor the physical condition of a respective residential home. 
     The environmental status information may correspond to the amount of funds contained in a plurality of remote, physically distributed parking meter systems, and the processor may be configured to qualify the environmental status information to provide an indication when the parking meter systems should be scheduled for collection. 
     In another aspect, the invention features a processing method, comprising: based at least in part upon meta information, qualifying environmental status information extracted from signals received from a plurality of remote sensors, each of the sensor signals being indicative of the condition of a respective environment being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors. 
     Environmental status information may be extracted from signals received from one or more sensors. One or more parameters representative of the condition of a respective environment may be monitored and wirelessly transmitting signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters. Meta information for qualifying the environmental status information may be received from a user. The meta information may be received in the form of a schedule of planned visits to each of the monitored environments. The meta information may be received in real time from a user in the form of a schedule of one or more planned visits to one or more of the monitored environments. 
     Sensor signals representative of an alarm condition may be qualified based upon the received meta information. Sensor signals representative of an alert condition may be qualified based upon the received meta information. 
     The qualified environmental status information may be presented on a display. A form prompting a user to enter meta information for qualifying the environmental status information may be presented on the display. 
     Another aspect of the invention features a processing method, comprising: with a plurality of sensors monitoring one or more parameters indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective environments, each being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors; wirelessly transmitting signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters; receiving the transmitted signals; extracting environmental status information from the received signals; and qualifying the extracted environmental status information based at least in part upon meta information received from a user. 
     In another aspect, the invention features a processing method, comprising: receiving environmental status information extracted from a plurality sensor signals indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective, physically distributed environments; receiving information relating to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with the monitored environments; correlating the environmental status information with the authorized interaction information; and generating a report of the status of the plurality of physically distributed environments based at least in part upon the results of the correlation. 
     The report may be presented to a supervising entity. 
     Among the advantages of the invention are the following. The invention enables end users to optimize the management, collection, maintenance and security monitoring of a plurality of physically distributed end points (e.g., parking meters, vending machines, and other distributed devices). The invention provides implicit communication channels among a variety of separate and distinct entities that may be assigned one or more tasks involving interaction with such endpoints. These implicit communication channels are implemented in an efficient, cost effective and centralized way and enable various authorized and supervising entities to efficiently carry out their assigned tasks. For example, the invention enables a supervising entity (e.g., a police department) to easily distinguish an entity interacting with an endpoint with authorization from an entity interacting with the endpoint without authorization. This feature of the invention is enabled without requiring each endpoint to include a system (e.g., a password or other verification system) for distinguishing authorized users from unauthorized users. 
     Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, including the drawings and the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of two entities which are authorized to interact with multiple physically distributed endpoints, an entity responsible for supervising interactions with the endpoints, and an entity which is not authorized to interact with the endpoints. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a system for collecting and processing information received from a plurality of endpoints and for distributing and presenting that information to a plurality of end users. 
     FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a system for collecting, processing and presenting information relating to the condition of a plurality of parking meter systems. 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a parking meter system, including a plurality of sensors, a processor and a transmitter. 
     FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method of qualifying meter status information extracted from signals received from the parking meter systems of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6A is a diagrammatic view of a computer terminal and a computer monitor for displaying qualified status information relating to the condition of the plurality of parking meter systems of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6B is a diagrammatic view of a computer terminal and a computer monitor for displaying a form prompting a user to enter meta information for qualifying the meter status information received from the parking meter systems of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment, multiple endpoints  10  (e.g., parking meters, vending machines, office equipment such as photocopiers, traffic lights and other distributed devices) must be operated, managed, maintained and protected against theft and destruction. The physical distribution of endpoints  10  poses a number of efficiency issues that often may be (or inherently must be) addressed by assigning various interaction tasks to separate entities. The separate entities may be part of the same organization or may be part of separate and distinct organizations. For example, where the endpoints  10  are parking meters, a first entity  12  may be authorized to maintain endpoints  10  and a second entity  14  may be authorized to collect the funds deposited into endpoints  10 ; each of these tasks involves various interactions between the agents of authorized entities  12  and  14  and multiple endpoints  10 . A supervising entity  16  (e.g., the police department or a private security firm) may be responsible for the security of multiple endpoints  10 . In carrying out this responsibility, supervising entity  16  must monitor interactions with endpoints  10  and must deploy resources when unauthorized interactions (e.g., theft or vandalism) have been observed. Unless special measures are taken, however, the interactions of authorized entities  12  and  14  (e.g., opening the vault portion of a parking meter in order to maintain the meters or to collect funds from the meters) are difficult or impossible to distinguish from the interaction of an unauthorized entity  18  (e.g., breaking into a parking meter vault in order to steal funds). Such special measures might include posting one or more security guards to visually monitor endpoints  10 , or requiring authorized entities  12 ,  14  to enter an access code or other verification information to prevent an alarm from being sent to supervising entity  16  upon interaction with one of the endpoints  10 . These measures, however, may be costly and may lead to an inefficient allocation of resources. 
     As explained in detail, below, one aspect of the invention enables entities assigned with the task of interacting with physically distributed endpoints  10  to efficiently utilize their resources in carrying out these tasks, at least in part, by providing implicit communication channels between authorized entities  12  and  14  and supervising entity  16  that enable supervising entity  16  to distinguish easily authorized interactions with endpoints  10  from unauthorized interactions with endpoints  10 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a system  20  is configured to collect and process information received from a plurality of endpoints  10  ( 1 -N) and to distribute and present that information to a plurality of end users  22  ( 1 -M). System  20  includes a private network  24  (e.g., a wireless network available from CellNet Data Systems, Inc. of San Carlos, Calif.), a servicing center  26 , and a public network  28  (e.g., the internet or the public telephone network). In operation, each endpoint  1 -N transmits signals  30  indicative of its condition. These signals  30  are transmitted through private network  24  to servicing center  26 , where status information relating to the condition of endpoints  10  is extracted from signals  30 . Servicing center  26  also receives certain meta information (e.g., information relating to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with endpoints  10 ) from end users  22  over public network  28 . Servicing center  26  includes a processor configured to generate one or more reports of the status of the plurality of physically distributed endpoints  10  based at least in part upon correlation of environmental status information extracted from endpoint signals  30  with the received meta information. Servicing center  26  transmits the generated reports to end users  22  over public network  28 . As explained in detail below, end users  22  may use these reports to optimize their interactions with end points  10  (e.g., to efficiently allocate resources needed to carry out one or more assigned tasks). The meter information and the report information may be encrypted; alternatively, a password or other verification information may be required in order to transmit information to or receive information from servicing center  26 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, in one implementation, endpoints  10  consist of a plurality of parking meter systems  40  that are physically distributed and organized along a plurality of collection/maintenance routes ( 1 -K). Each parking meter system  40  within an assigned route transmits to a corresponding collector  42  a signal  30  indicative of various aspects of the condition of the meter (e.g., the status of the doors providing access to the interior of the meter, diagnostic information about the operational status of various components of the meter, and collection information relating to the amount of finds contained in the meter). In general, one collector  42  is assigned to collect signals  30  transmitted by the parking meter systems of a particular route; although additional collectors may be needed depending upon the geographic area of the route and the strength of parking meter system transmissions. A collector may be mounted to a utility pole (as shown) or may be placed at any other suitable location within the geographic vicinity of the parking meter systems of the assigned route. Each collector includes a processor for extracting meter status information from signals  30 , a memory for storing parking meter system transmissions, and a transmitter for transmitting information contained in the received transmissions to a parking gateway  44  (or servicing center). Parking gateway  44  processes the information into a status report and transmits the status report to a police department  46  which is responsible for preventing theft and vandalism of the parking meter systems  40 . Parking gateway may receive meta information (e.g., information, such as collection schedule information and maintenance schedule information, that relates to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with parking meter systems  40 ) from police department  46  or from another entity, such as one of the entities authorized to interact with parking meter systems  40 . 
     Details of the construction and operation of collectors  42 , as well as details of the form of transmissions  30 , are contained in U.S. application Ser. No. 08/597,724, filed Feb. 7, 1996, and entitled “A Metering System,” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, a parking meter system  40  includes a top door  50  which may be opened to access internal components of the meter system, and a vault door  52  which may be opened to access finds (e.g., coins) deposited into the meter system. Parking meter system  40  also includes a top door sensor  54  which monitors the opening and closing of top door  50 , a vault door sensor  56  which monitors the opening and closing of vault door  52 , and a tilt sensor  58  which monitors the orientation of the meter system relative to a vertical axis. Parking meter system  40  further includes a meter diagnostics sensor system  60  for monitoring various aspects of the operation of the meter system. Signals from sensors 54-60 are transmitted to a processor  62  which processes the information and packages the information for transmission to collector  42  by a transmitter  64 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, in one embodiment, parking gateway  44  processes the information received from collectors  42 , as follows. Parking gateway  44  determines whether an alarm signal has been received (step  70 ). If not, the received meter status information is transmitted to police department  46  (step  72 ). If an alarm signal has been received, parking gateway  44  determines whether the meter system which transmitted the alarm signal is in service (step  74 ). If the meter is not in service, parking gateway  44  qualifies the alarm by logging the fact that an alarm signal has been received by an out-of-service meter (step  76 ); parking gateway  44 , however, does not transmit an alarm condition indication to the police department  46 . The meter service information may be received from police department  46  or from an entity responsible for taking meters into and out of service. If the meter is in service, parking gateway  44  determines whether the meter currently is scheduled for maintenance (step  78 ). This information may be received from police department  46  or from the entity responsible for maintaining parking meter systems  40 . If the meter currently is scheduled for maintenance, parking gateway  44  qualifies the alarm by logging an indication that a maintenance activity has triggered an alarm (step  80 ); parking gateway  44 , however, does not transmit an alarm condition indication to the police department  46 . If the meter currently is not scheduled for maintenance, parking gateway  44  determines whether the meter is scheduled for collection (step  82 ). This information may be received from police department  46  or from the entity responsible for collecting funds from parking meter systems  40 . If the meter currently is scheduled for collection, parking gateway  44  qualifies the alarm by logging an indication that a collection activity has triggered an alarm (step  84 ); parking gateway  44 , however, does not transmit an alarm condition indication to the police department  46 . If the meter currently is not scheduled for collection, parking gateway  44  transmits an alarm condition signal to police department  46  (step  86 ). 
     Among the types of signals transmitted by parking gateway  44  to police department  46  are Alarm signals, Alert signals and Other signals. Alarm signals correspond to sensor signals that usually are triggered by an activity (e.g., theft or vandalism) that would call for immediate action by police department  46 . Alert signals correspond to sensor signals that usually are triggered by changes in the operating characteristics of the parking meter system that usually would call for action by maintenance personnel in the near future. Other signals correspond to general operational features of the parking meter system. Examples of such Alarm, Alert and Other signals are presented in Tables 1-3, below. The FLAG indication identifies the qualified meter status information transmitted by parking gateway  44  to police department  46 . 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Alarm Signals 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 FLAG 
                 DESCRIPTION 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 HA 
                 Housing Open 
               
               
                   
                 VA 
                 Vault Door Open 
               
               
                   
                 MA 
                 Meter Tilt 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Alarm signals HA, VA and MA directly correspond to signals sent by top door sensor  54 , vault door sensor  56  and tilt sensor  58 , respectively. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Alert Signals 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 FLAG 
                 DESCRIPTION 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 HR 
                 Housing Sensor Reset 
               
               
                   
                 HT 
                 Housing Tamper 
               
               
                   
                 LB 
                 Low Battery 
               
               
                   
                 LC 
                 Loss of Communication 
               
               
                   
                 MR 
                 Meter Tilt Sensor Reset 
               
               
                   
                 VR 
                 Vault Door Sensor Reset 
               
               
                   
                 VT 
                 Vault Door Tamper 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Alert signals HR, VR and MR are triggered at parking gateway  44  when the duration of the HA, VA and MA alarm signals exceeds a preselected period of time (e.g., one hour). The HA Alert signal indicates that the top door of a meter has been open for a period that exceeds the time needed for a typical collection or maintenance procedure. The VA Alert signal indicates that the vault door of a meter has been open for a period that exceeds the time needed for a typical collection or maintenance procedure. The MR Alert signal indicates that the tilt sensor  58  has been activated for a period that exceeds a preselected period of time (e.g., the time needed for a typical collection or maintenance procedure). The HT, VT and LB Alert signals correspond to signals generated by meter diagnostics sensor system to indicate, for example, that a transmitter cable has been damaged (HT) or that vault door sensor  56  has been damaged (VT) or that the charging level of the battery supplying power to the meter is low (LB). 
     The LC Alert signal is triggered at parking gateway  44  when transmissions from a particular meter have not been received for a period exceeding a preselected period of time (e.g., when a transmission has not been received for more than two consecutive scheduled transmission times). In this way, parking gateway  44  qualifies prior transmissions received from a particular meter, by transmitting an Alert signal after a certain number of subsequent, scheduled transmissions have not been received. The prior transmissions are qualified based at least in part upon meta information, including the transmission schedule of the meter and the preselected number of consecutive transmissions that must be missed before the LC Alert signal would be generated. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Other Signals 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 FLAG 
                 DESCRIPTION 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 DC 
                 Post Discovered 
               
               
                   
                 OS 
                 Out-Of-Service 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The DC Other signal is generated at parking gateway  44  the first time a signal from a parking meter system  40  has been received by parking gateway  44 . The OS Other signal is generated at parking gateway  44  in response to an indication by an authorized entity that a particular meter has been taken out-of-service. 
     After sensor information has been extracted from signals  30  and processed, parking gateway  44  may distribute and present the processed information to one or more entities in a variety of ways. 
     Referring to FIG. 6A, in one embodiment, information transmitted by parking gateway  44  over public network  28  is received at a computer terminal  90  in police department  46 . Computer terminal  90  processes the received information and displays the information on a computer monitor  92  in the form of a report  94 . Report  94  includes a list of transmission times  96  corresponding to the times at which a signal  30  is transmitted from a particular meter, an indication whether any alarms  98  or alerts  100  were transmitted, and an identification of the pole number  102  and location  104  correspond to the meter which made the transmission. A user (e.g., a police officer or dispatcher) may interaction with parking gateway  44  over public network  28  in order to configure the report in a desired way. For example, a report showing only alarm transmissions or only alert transmissions may be generated by parking gateway  44  and displayed on monitor  92 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6B, parking gateway  44  may display on computer monitor  92  a form  110  prompting a user (e.g., a police officer or dispatcher) to enter information relating to planned collection or maintenance schedules. In the example shown, the user may indicate in real time whether a particular route currently is scheduled for collection or maintenance or both simply by entering a check mark in the collection and maintenance boxes for a particular route. An authorized entity responsible for meter collection and maintenance also may connect to parking gateway  44  and send information relating to collection and maintenance activities to parking gateway  44  over public network  28 . 
     Other embodiments are within the scope of the claims. 
     For example, other parking meter system configurations may be used. Certain available parking meter systems are capable of monitoring the total amount of funds that have been deposited into the vault since the last collection. This information may be transmitted to parking gateway  44  for processing. Parking gateway  44  may be configured to analyze the total fund information received from the parking meters systems corresponding to each route to determine when the meters along each route such be collected. This qualified information may be transmitted to the entity responsible for collections to enable this entity to optimize the allocation of resources deployed to collect funds from the meter systems. For example, when the average total meter capacity of a particular route is greater than 50% full and more than 5% of the meter systems along this route are greater than 90% fill, parking gateway  44  may send a signal to the collection entity indicating that this route should be scheduled for collection in the near future. 
     Still other embodiments are within the scope of the claims.