Remote data monitoring and collection system with multi-tiered analysis
A system collects and stores data from a source at a high resolution and/or a high data rate (“more detailed data”) and sends a low-resolution and/or downsampled version of the data (“less detailed data”) to a remote server via a wireless network. The server automatically analyzes the less detailed data to detect an anomaly, such as an arrhythmia, earthquake or failure of a structural member. A two-tiered analysis scheme is used, where the first tier is less specific than the second tier. If the first tier analysis detects or suspects the anomaly, the server signals the data collector to send more detailed data that corresponds to a time period associated with the anomaly. The more specific second tier analyses the more detailed data to verify the anomaly. The server may also store the received data and make it available to a user, such as via a graphical or tabular display.
1. A system for remotely monitoring data from a data source, comprising:
a data collection unit configured to:
(a) collect data from the data source at a sampling rate;
(b) periodically transmit a first subset of the collected data to a remotely located analysis unit at a transmission duty cycle, wherein the transmission duty cycle defines a time interval between successive data transmissions in the periodic transmission, and wherein the analysis unit is configured to change the transmission duty cycle of the data collection unit; and
(c) transmit a second subset of the collected data to the analysis unit in response to a signal for additional data from the analysis unit; and
the analysis unit, wherein the analysis unit is configured to:
(i) automatically analyze the first subset of data received from the data collection unit using a first computer algorithm;
(ii) transmit the signal for additional data to the data collection unit when the analysis of the first subset of data indicates an anomaly; and
(iii) automatically analyze the second subset of data received from the data collection unit using a second computer algorithm to confirm the anomaly.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first subset is at least one of (i) a lower resolution data than the collected data or (ii) data at a lower sampling rate than the collected data.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis unit is configured to:
automatically analyze the first subset of data using a first analysis technique; and
automatically analyze the second subset of data using a second analysis technique, wherein the second analysis technique has a higher specificity for the anomaly than the first analysis technique.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis unit is configured to receive a first analysis criteria from a user and analyze the first subset of data based on the received first analysis criteria.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the analysis unit is further configured to receive a second analysis criteria from a user and analyze the second subset of data based on the received second analysis criteria.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis unit is configured to change the sampling rate at which the data collection unit collects data from the data source.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the analysis unit is configured to change the sampling rate and/or the transmission duty cycle automatically in response to detecting that a data value of the first subset or the second subset of data exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold value.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anomaly includes one of an earthquake, a tsunami, an unsafe condition in at least one of a gas well, an oil well and a mine, severe weather, an unsafe mechanical condition in a structural member of a construct, failure of a structural member of a construct, an unsafe condition within a geological structure, a nuclear radiation level that exceeds a predetermined value, an explosion, or a decompression.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data collection unit includes one or more sensors configured to collect data from the data source operatively coupled to a wireless transceiver configured to transmit data to the analysis unit.
10. A method for remotely monitoring data from a data source, comprising:
(a) collecting data from the data source at a sampling rate using a data collection unit;
(b) periodically transmitting a first subset of the collected data from the data collection unit to a remotely located analysis unit at a transmission duty cycle, wherein the transmission duty cycle defines a time interval between successive data transmissions in the periodic transmission, wherein the analysis unit is configured to change the transmission duty cycle of the data collection unit;
(c) automatically analyzing the first subset of data received from the data collection unit using a first computer algorithm in the analysis unit;
(d) transmitting a signal for additional data from the analysis unit to the data collection unit when the analysis of step (c) indicates an anomaly;
(e) transmitting a second subset of the collected data from the data collection unit to the analysis unit in response to the signal for additional data from the analysis unit; and
(f) automatically analyzing the second subset of data received from the data collection unit using a second computer algorithm in the analysis unit to confirm the anomaly.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first subset is at least one of (i) a lower resolution data than the data collected in step (a), or (ii) data at a lower sampling rate than the data collected in step (a).
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
automatically analyzing the first subset of data includes analyzing the first subset of data using a first analysis technique; and
automatically analyzing the second subset of data includes analyzing the second subset of data using a second analysis technique, wherein the second analysis technique has a higher specificity for the anomaly than the first analysis technique.
13. The method of claim 10 , further including receiving in the analysis unit a first analysis criteria from a user, wherein automatically analyzing the first subset of data includes analyzing the first subset of data based on the received first analysis criteria.
14. The method of claim 13 , further including receiving in the analysis unit a second analysis criteria from a user, wherein automatically analyzing the second subset of data includes analyzing the second subset of data based on the received second analysis criteria.
15. The method of claim 10 , further including changing the sampling rate at which the data collection unit collects data from the data source using the analysis unit.
16. The method of claim 15 , further including changing the transmission duty cycle at which the data collection unit transmits the first subset of data to the analysis unit using the analysis unit.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein changing the sampling rate includes automatically changing the sampling rate in response to the analysis unit detecting that a data value of the first subset or the second subset of data exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold value.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the anomaly includes one of an earthquake, a tsunami, an unsafe condition in at least one of a gas well, an oil well and a mine, severe weather, an unsafe mechanical condition in a structural member of a construct, failure of a structural member of a construct, an unsafe condition within a geological structure, a nuclear radiation level that exceeds a predetermined value, an explosion, or a decompression.