DESC:The system describes a system and a method for centralized temperature monitoring along with environment monitoring using interchangeable or swappable sensors.
The system consists of a network of units of temperature sensors deployed at various locations inside the space to be measured.
The network in question could be physically realized (wired) or virtually realized (wireless).
Each sensor unit is connected to a local node which collates the data from each of the sensors by means of a multiplexer unit.
The local node consists of multiple sub-modules packaged on a printed circuit board (PCB). The first sub-module is the power unit which receives power from the main line and supplies it to other modules. The power module may also be equipped with a battery as a source of power that may or may not be rechargeable. The power module is isolated from the mains power for safety. A separate sub-module may act upon data from the isolated power module to calculate energy consumption, etc.
The second module is the processor module which includes a multiplexer unit to receive and combine data from each sensor and a processor that acts on this data and processes it to display it on the device or to feed it to a remote storage location – or cloud storage – where it may be further processed. The processor module receives power from the power module described previously.
The next module is the sensor module. It consists of a plurality of smaller expansion modules. Different sensors may be plugged into the expansion slots and deployed. The expansion slots may be grouped into three types.
The first kind of expansion modules are the slots receiving data from the plurality of sensors that have been deployed. In the simplest form, the sensors are temperature sensors and could be one or many of the type of a Thermocouple, or Resistance Thermal Detector (RTD) or Thermistor.
The sensors may be mechanically detached and replaced by another sensing unit carrying a different sensor element. This could be, for example, a pressure sensor, or a gas sensor, or an imaging device.
The second group of expansion modules consists of ports into which signal conditioning units may be plugged in, wherever necessary. The signal conditioner expansion unit receives unprocessed data from some sensors and processes it before feeding it to the main nodal board wherever necessary.
The third group of ports allows communications units, such as wireless transmitters/ receivers to be plugged in. These units communicate wirelessly with the remotely located sensors, receive their data and pass it on to the multiplexer unit. This group can also include modules that provide digital and analog control signals for external devices and appliances.
In the preferred embodiment, the device is designed to fit onto a regular wall power outlet. Therefore, the device carries an electrical plug (power inlet) at the rear end and it also features a plurality of power outlets on the other side/sides into which other devices may be plugged in, to avoid loss of functionality of the original wall-outlet. ,CLAIMS:What is claimed is:
1. A device that plugs into an existing electrical socket (domestic/industrial) on one side and also provides a electrical socket/sockets on its other surfaces, with internal/external measurement and control capabilities, through modular construction.
2. The device of claim 1, which is capable of measuring multiple parameters such as but not limited to power, temperature, humidity and other environmental parameters, with a form factor that allow it to fit on a regular power socket, of 3 pin 2 pin home and industrial variety.
3. The device of claim 1, with the capability to fit above existing power sockets, with two or more contacts, and provide extensible ports including but not limited to sensing electronics, which may include circuitry and optics.
4. The device of claim 1, with the capability to take measurements and also toggle output power, to output socket or sockets provided on its surfaces.
5. The device of claim 1, capable of providing supervision of cold storage assets, including but not limited to temperature, power consumption and power control.
6. The device of claim 1, capable of providing measurements and control signals, either digital or analog in nature, for internal and external relays/switches, for control of external devices and appliances.
7. The device of claim 1, with the capability to control incubators and operating theater environments through internal measurement capability, with either internal or external sensors, and control capability.
8. The device of claim 1, with the provision to accept plugin module, consisting of electronics, optics, and mechanical components to expand the devices capability in the area of measurement and control.
9. The device of claim 1, with communication capability including but not limited to wired, wireless, powerline and optical, including LED and laser techniques, for dissemination of measurement data and external control of the device.
10. The device of claim 1, with the capability to accept a external communication interface via plugin including but not limited to wired, wireless, Bluetooth radio, Ethernet, power line and optical, including LED and laser techniques.
11. The device of claim 1, with a capability to accept external control signal from cloud, server, mobile, PC, laptop, etc.
12. The device of claim 1, which can be modified by changing plugin modules to meet different requirements in the area of sensing and control.
13. The device of claim 1, which can incorporate temperature, pressure, visual, audible, spectral, vibrational, sensing elements as plugins.
14. The device of claim 1, with onboard memory and storage capability to save measured parameters and configurations values.
15. The device of claim 1, with the capability to accept processing and computing device through a modular plugin to augment internal capability.
16. The device of claim 1, with the capability to accept an external data storage device through a modular plugin. Memory may be volatile or non-volatile in nature.
17. The device of claim 1, with the capability to run of internal and external battery power.
18. The device of claim 1, with the capability to accept a battery power input through a modular plugin.
19. The device of claim 1, with the capability to run on power extracted from the electrical socket to which it is connected.
20. The device of claim 1, with the capability to run on power extracted from optical/solar sources through internal or external plugin.
21. The device of claim 1, with the capability to run on power extracted through wireless power techniques, either through an internal antenna or through a modular plugin.
22. The device of claimc1, with the capability to provide visual, audio, digital, analog, SMS, and email alarms through either internal mechanism or plugins.