Patent Description:
The subject matter described herein relates to communication and sensing, and more particularly to an integrated system for communication and sensing for a distributed antenna system.

Many buildings today include systems that enhance wireless communications within the building. These systems could be radio frequency (RF) repeater-type systems, Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), small cells and other solutions. The types of wireless signals that may be enhanced using these types of systems include cellular systems, Wi-Fi systems and Public Safety systems. In particular, Public Safety systems are being deployed more frequently as fire code requirements become increasingly more stringent.

In addition to enhancement systems for wireless communications, there is also rapid growth in so-called smart buildings. A smart building is any structure that uses automated processes to automatically control the building's operations including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security and other systems. A smart building uses sensors, actuators and microchips, in order to collect data and manage it according to a business' functions and services. This infrastructure helps owners, operators and facility managers improve asset reliability and performance, which reduces energy use, optimizes how space is used and minimizes the environmental impact of buildings.

This level of automation coupled with the requirements for wireless enhancement systems leads to extremely complex in-building systems to connect all of the devices together. Various techniques have been considered to minimize this complexity including, wireless mesh networking techniques such as ZigBee and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), as well as wired techniques such as Power Line Communications (PLC). However, systems to reduce the complexity of building automation and systems improving RF signal quality in a building have typically not been integrated.

<CIT> discloses a system for automatically ascertaining the locations of wireless functional devices. <CIT> discloses using network nodes in a building automation system for a positioning system, whereby devices can be mapped based on their location. <CIT> discloses an apparatus and method for visualizing environmental conditions in a data center using wireless sensor networks. <CIT> discloses techniques for the creation of maps of indoor spaces. <CIT> discloses apparatus for internetworked wireless integrated network sensors.

The aforementioned problem is solved by the features of the independent claims.

This document presents an-building integrated communication and sensing system and method that generates a map view of a building based on a distributed antenna system located therein, and shows sensor data of one or more sensors associated with each antenna. The sensors sense a condition or environment associated with the building. These systems and methods reduce the complexity of smart building systems, among other features.

In one aspect, a system for communicating and sensing for distributed antennas associated with a building includes a plurality of antennas distributed geographically within the building. Each of the plurality of antennas includes one or more sensors. Each of the one or more sensors is configured to sense an environmental condition associated with the building and generate sensor data. Each of the plurality of antennas further includes a communication module to transmit the sensor data. The system further includes a signal distribution network configured to communicate the sensor associated with each of the plurality of antennas from the communication module. The system further includes a sensor processor configured to receive the sensor data and generate a digital map view of a portion of the building based on locations of the plurality of antennas, the map view including a digital representation of the sensor data. The system further includes a user interface configured to allow a user to select sensor data to be shown in the map view.

In some other aspects, a method for communicating and sensing for distributed antennas associated with a building includes the step of sensing, by one or more sensors associated with each of a plurality of antennas distributed geographically within the building, an environmental condition associated with the building and generate sensor data. The method further includes transmitting, by a communication module of each of the plurality of antennas, the sensor data to a signal distribution network, and receiving, by a sensor processor associated with the plurality of antennas, the sensor data from the signal distribution network. The method further includes generating, by the sensor processor, a digital map view of a portion of the building based on locations of the plurality of antennas, the map view including a digital representation of the sensor data. The method further includes showing selected sensor data in the map view, the selected sensor data selected by a user on a user interface.

Implementations of the current subject matter can include, but are not limited to, methods consistent with the descriptions provided herein as well as articles that comprise a tangibly embodied machine-readable medium operable to cause one or more machines (e.g., computers, etc.) to result in operations implementing one or more of the described features. Similarly, computer systems are also described that may include one or more processors and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors. A memory, which can include a non-transitory computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium, may include, encode, store, or the like one or more programs that cause one or more processors to perform one or more of the operations described herein. Computer implemented methods consistent with one or more implementations of the current subject matter can be implemented by one or more data processors residing in a single computing system or multiple computing systems. Such multiple computing systems can be connected and can exchange data and/or commands or other instructions or the like via one or more connections, including but not limited to a connection over a network (e.g. the Internet, a wireless wide area network, a local area network, a wide area network, a wired network, or the like), via a direct connection between one or more of the multiple computing systems, etc..

In accordance with some implementations, a system <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The system <NUM> includes one or more smart antennas <NUM> connected to one or more signal sources <NUM> through a common physical communication medium such as a coaxial cable or a fiber optic cable. The system <NUM> further includes a sensor processor <NUM> connected with signal source <NUM> and the smart antennas <NUM> via the communication medium.

As shown in <FIG>, one or more of the smart antennas <NUM>, and preferably all of the smart antennas of the system <NUM>, include one or more sensors <NUM> for sensing a local environment, activity, or feature to produce sensor data, which can be received and processed by sensor processor <NUM> or local sensor processor <NUM>. The sensor data can also be sent to one or more destinations using the shared common physical communication medium, or signal distribution network, as well as one or more antennas <NUM> or smart antennas <NUM> that may radiate the communication signals from the one or more signal sources <NUM>.

In some implementations, the communication medium is a RF mesh network such as ZigBee or BLE. The sensors <NUM> include capabilities to sense environmental conditions that may be of interest to building occupants like first responders, such as firefighters. These conditions may include, without limitation, carbon monoxide concentration, temperature, air quality, ground or building movement, and the like.

In some preferred exemplary implementations, the system is configured to generate a digitally-produced map view of a building or floor that indicates a position of each antenna, and shows the sensor readings associated with each antenna. In some implementations, a user interface is provided to allow a user to select or indicate which sensor readings should be shown. In yet other implementations, the system <NUM> is configured to only show sensor readings that exceed a predefined threshold, in time units or in quantifiable units. Such a map view may be locally accessible at the system <NUM> or remotely via, for example, a web interface via signal source <NUM>.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method <NUM> of communicating and sensing for distributed antennas associated with a building. At <NUM>, one or more sensors associated with each of a plurality of antennas distributed geographically within the building sense an environmental condition associated with the building and generate sensor data. At <NUM>, a communication module of each of the plurality of antennas transmits the sensor data to a signal distribution network. At <NUM>, a sensor processor associated with the plurality of antennas receives the sensor data from the signal distribution network. At <NUM>, the sensor processor generates a digital map view of a portion of the building based on locations of the plurality of antennas, the map view including a digital representation of the sensor data.

These computer programs, which can also be referred to programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, include machine instructions for a programmable processor, and can be implemented in a high-level procedural language, an object-oriented programming language, a functional programming language, a logical programming language, and/or in assembly/machine language.

To provide for interaction with a user, one or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein can be implemented on a computer having a display device, such as for example a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a light emitting diode (LED) monitor for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, such as for example a mouse or a trackball, by which the user may provide input to the computer. For example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as for example visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including, but not limited to, acoustic, speech, or tactile input. Other possible input devices include, but are not limited to, touch screens or other touch-sensitive devices such as single or multi-point resistive or capacitive trackpads, voice recognition hardware and software, optical scanners, optical pointers, digital image capture devices and associated interpretation software, and the like.

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>) for communicating and sensing for distributed antennas (<NUM>) associated with a building, the system (<NUM>) comprising:
a plurality of antennas (<NUM>) distributed geographically within the building, each of the plurality of antennas (<NUM>) having one or more sensors (<NUM>), each of the one or more sensors (<NUM>) being configured to sense (<NUM>) an environmental condition associated with the building and generate sensor data, each of the plurality of antennas further having a communication module (<NUM>) to transmit (<NUM>) the sensor data;
a signal distribution network configured to communicate the sensor data associated with each of the plurality of antennas (<NUM>) from the communication module (<NUM>); and charaterized in that the system comprises:
a sensor processor (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to receive (<NUM>) the sensor data and generate (<NUM>) a digital map view of a portion of the building based on locations of the plurality of antennas (<NUM>), the map view including a digital representation of the sensor data; and in that the system comprises:
a user interface configured to allow a user to select sensor data to be shown in the map view.