Granted Patent B1

US 6,856,257 · App. 10/122,471 · Granted Feb 15, 2005

Abstract

Claims (114)

1. A data collection system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of telemetry devices, each configured to:

generate a series of measurements; and

transmit the measurements;

(b) a plurality of collection devices, each configured to:

receive measurements from one or more telemetry devices;

transmit data based on the measurements received from a telemetry device in a first set of telemetry devices to a monitoring station;

upon request from the monitoring station, transmit data based on measurements received from a telemetry device in a second set of telemetry devices to the monitoring station; and

(c) a monitoring station, configured to:

designate a collection device as a preferred collection device for a telemetry device and designate at least one other collection device as an alternate collection device for the telemetry device;

receive data from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device; and

based on the data received from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device, send a request to at least one alternate collection device for the telemetry device for missing data for the telemetry device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of collection devices transmit data directly to the monitoring station.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of collection devices transmit data indirectly to the monitoring station via one or more intermediate devices.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein transmissions from the plurality of telemetry devices are received directly by one or more collection devices.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein transmissions from one or more of the telemetry device are received by one or more collection devices indirectly from one or more repeater devices.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring station is configured to designate a preferred collection device and an alternate collection device for each telemetry device having transmissions received by more than one collection device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of collection devices are each further configured to generate sampling information in reference to a telemetry device and to transmit the sampling information to the monitoring station; and

the monitoring station is configured to designate a collection device as a preferred collection device and at least one collection device as an alternate collection device for the telemetry device based the sampling information received from one or more collection devices.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sampling information is based on data received from a telemetry device over a predefined sampling period.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the sampling period is approximately four to twenty-four hours.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sampling information includes a transmission success rate.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the sampling information further includes at least one of a determined signal strength and a signal to noise ratio.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring station is further configured to send a first request to a first alternate collection device for missing data for a telemetry device and, based on a response to the request, send a second request to a second alternate collection device for the missing data.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of telemetry devices includes:

a sensor configured to generate a series of successive measurements by measuring the parameter at a series of measurement times;

a memory configured to store a plurality of measurements from said series of successive measurements; and

a transmitter configured to transmit measurements stored in memory at a series of transmission times, each of said transmitted measurements being transmitted at a plurality of different transmission times.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter of each telemetry device is configured to generate wireless transmissions.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of electrical power, fluid flow, voltage, current, temperature, pressure and humidity.

16. A data collection system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of telemetry devices, each configured to:

generate a series of measurements; and

transmit the measurements;

(b) a plurality of collection devices, each configured to:

receive measurements from one or more telemetry devices;

transmit data based on the measurements received from a telemetry device in a first set of telemetry devices to a monitoring station;

upon request from the monitoring station, transmit data based on measurements received from a telemetry device in a second set of telemetry devices to the monitoring station; and

(c) a monitoring station, configured to:

designate a collection device as a preferred collection device for a telemetry device and designate at least one other collection device as an alternate collection device for the telemetry device;

receive data from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device; and

based on the data received from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device, send a request to at least one alternate collection device for the telemetry device for missing data for the telemetry device,

 wherein the monitoring station is further configured to:

generate statistics in reference to a telemetry device based on data received from the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device designated for the telemetry device; and

determine whether to re-designate one or more of the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device for the telemetry device based on the statistics.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the statistics include:

a data collection success rate for each of the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the monitoring station is configured to generate the statistics periodically.

19. A data collection system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of telemetry devices, each configured to:

generate a series of measurements; and

transmit the measurements;

(b) a plurality of collection devices, each configured to:

receive measurements from one or more telemetry devices;

transmit data based on the measurements received from a telemetry device in a first set of telemetry devices to a monitoring station;

upon request from the monitoring station, transmit data based on measurements received from a telemetry device in a second set of telemetry devices to the monitoring station; and

(c) a monitoring station, configured to:

designate a collection device as a preferred collection device for a telemetry device and designate at least one other collection device as an alternate collection device for the telemetry device;

receive data from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device; and

based on the data received from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device, send a request to at least one alternate collection device for the telemetry device for missing data for the telemetry device,

 wherein the monitoring station is further configured to:

receive sampling information from one or more collection devices for a known telemetry device having a designated preferred collection device and at least one alternate collection device, wherein the one or more collection devices are not the designated preferred or alternate collection devices;

generate statistics for the known telemetry device based on data received from the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device; and

determine whether to re-designate the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device for the known telemetry device based on the statistics and the sampling information.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the sampling information includes a transmission success rate for the one or more collection devices; and

the statistics include a data collection success rate for each of the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein:

the transmission success rate included in the sampling information is converted into an anticipated data collection rate for the one or more collection devices;

the monitoring station is configured to determine whether to re-designate the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device for the known telemetry device by comparing the anticipated data collection rate for the one or more collection devices and the transmission success rates for the preferred collection device and at least one alternate collection devices.

22. A data collection system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of telemetry devices, each configured to:

generate a series of measurements; and

transmit the measurements;

(b) a plurality of collection devices, each configured to:

receive measurements from one or more telemetry devices;

transmit data based on the measurements received from a telemetry device in a first set of telemetry devices to a monitoring station;

upon request from the monitoring station, transmit data based on measurements received from a telemetry device in a second set of telemetry devices to the monitoring station;

 wherein each of the plurality of collection devices include:

a receiver configured to receive transmissions from one or more telemetry devices, the transmissions including a series of successive measurements;

a processor configured to extract the series of successive measurements from a series of received transmissions and further configured to generate processed data for the parameter by analyzing the series of successive measurements;

a transceiver configured to transmit data comprising the processed data to a monitoring station and to receive a transmission from a monitoring station

(c) a monitoring station, configured to:

designate a collection device as a preferred collection device for a telemetry device and designate at least one other collection device as an alternate collection device for the telemetry device;

receive data from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device; and

based on the data received from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device, send a request to at least one alternate collection device for the telemetry device for missing data for the telemetry device.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the transmitter of each collection device is configured to generate wireless transmissions.

24. A monitoring station, comprising:

(a) at least one receiver for receiving transmissions from a plurality of collection devices, the transmissions including sampling data and processed metered function data in reference to a plurality of telemetry devices;

(b) at least one processor programmed to:

analyze sampling data in reference to a telemetry device to designate a collection device as a preferred collection device for the telemetry device and to designate at least one other collection device as an alternate collection device for the telemetry device; and

generate a request for missing data in reference to a telemetry device based on metered function data received from the preferred collection device for the telemetry device;

(c) at least one transmitter to transmit a request for missing data to the at least one alternate collection device.

25. The monitoring station of claim 24 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

generate statistical information for a telemetry device based on the metered function data received in reference to the telemetry device from the designated preferred and at least one alternate collection device; and

determine whether to re-designate a preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device based on the statistical information.

26. The monitoring station of claim 24 , wherein the monitoring station includes a plurality of receivers, a plurality of processors and a plurality of transmitters.

27. A method of collecting data, comprising:

generating a series of measurements at a plurality of telemetry devices by measuring a parameter and transmitting the measurements;

collecting the measurements at a plurality of collection devices and processing the measurements at the collection devices to generate metered function information of the parameter;

designating a collection device as a preferred collection device and at least one other collection device as an alternate collection device for each of the plurality of telemetry devices;

receiving metered function information from the preferred collection devices at a monitoring station; and

generating a request for any missing data based on the metered function information received from the preferred collection devices and transmitting the request to at least one alternate collection device.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

transmitting sampling information in reference to a telemetry device from one or more collection devices to the monitoring station; and

using the sampling information to designate a preferred collection device and at least one alternate collection device for a telemetry device.

29. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

generating statistical information in reference to a telemetry device based on the data received from a designated preferred collection device and at least one designated alternate collection device for the telemetry device; and

determining whether to re-designate one or more of the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device for the telemetry device based on the statistical information.

30. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

transmitting sampling information in reference to a telemetry device having a designated preferred and at least one alternate collection device from one or more collection devices to the monitoring station, wherein the one or more collection devices are not the designated preferred or alternate collection devices;

generating statistical information in reference to the telemetry device based on the data received from the preferred collection device and the at least one designated alternate collection device for the telemetry device; and

determining whether to re-designate the preferred collection device and the at least one alternate collection device for the telemetry device based on the sampling information and the statistical information.

Assignments (10)