Environmental monitoring system

Abstract

A system for monitoring conditions relating to the status of items such as perishable food products stored in enclosed spaces has a number of sensors mounted in the spaces. Tables maintained by the system hold a description of the spaces to be monitored and the location and identity of the sensors within each space. The values detected by each sensor are periodically recorded and tested against benchmark values established for the stored items adjacent to the sensor. Values outside of the benchmark values create an alarm condition, and a set of alarm messages are displayed on a display unit. The alarm messages include suggested corrective actions. The user has the opportunity to signal to the system the corrective actions taken, and the system stores a record of these corrective actions in association with the corrective actions and the alarm condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for use by a supermarket, the system comprising: 
 a first display case including a first controlled environmental space that is adapted to maintain products, the first controlled environmental space having a first varying and measurable parameter, and a first sensor coupled to the first environmental space, the first sensor sensing the first parameter and generating a first signal including a first parameter level;    a second display case including a second controlled environmental space that is adapted to maintain products, the second controlled environmental space having a second varying and measurable parameter, and a second sensor coupled to the second environmental space, the second sensor sensing the second parameter and generating a second signal including a second parameter level;    a processor and memory in communication with the first and second display cases, the memory including a first predetermined parameter value associated with the first sensor, a second predetermined parameter value associated with the second sensor, a first set of message strings associated with the first predetermined parameter value, a second set of message strings associated with the second predetermined parameter value, and software instructions executable by the processor to 
 configure the processor to receive the first and second signals,  
 receive the first and second predetermined parameter values,  
 compare the first parameter level with the first predetermined parameter value,  
 responsive to a relationship between the first parameter level and the first predetermined parameter value, retrieve at least a first message string from the first set of message strings,  
 encode a message including the first message string.  
   
     
     
         2 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the software instructions are further executable by the processor to 
 compare the second parameter level with the second predetermined parameter value,  
 responsive to a relationship between the second parameter level and the second predetermined parameter value, retrieve at least a second message string from the first and second message strings, and  
 further encode the message including the second message string.  
 
     
     
         3 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the software instructions are further executable by the processor to 
 compare the second parameter level with the second predetermined parameter value,  
 responsive to a relationship between the second parameter level and the second predetermined parameter value, retrieve at least a second message string from the first and second message strings, and  
 encode a second message including the second message string.  
 
     
     
         4 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the first predetermined parameter value is associated with at least one of product safety and product quality.  
     
     
         5 . A system as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the message provides instructions for correcting environmental conditions dealing with at least one of product safety and product quality.  
     
     
         6 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the memory further includes a third predetermined parameter value associated with the first sensor, and a third set of message strings associated with the third predetermined parameter value, and wherein the software instructions are further executable by the processor to 
 receive the third predetermined parameter value,  
 compare the first parameter level with the third predetermined parameter value,  
 responsive to a relationship between the first parameter level and the third predetermined parameter value, retrieve at least a second message string from the third set of message strings, and  
 further encode the message including the second message string.  
 
     
     
         7 . A system as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the first varying and measurable parameter is a temperature, wherein the first predetermined parameter value is a temperature associated with product safety and wherein the third predetermined parameter value is a quality temperature associated with product quality.  
     
     
         8 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the memory further includes a third predetermined parameter value associated with the first sensor, and a third set of message strings associated with the third predetermined parameter value, and wherein the software instructions are further executable by the processor to 
 receive the third predetermined parameter value,  
 compare the first parameter level with the third predetermined parameter value,  
 responsive to a relationship between the first parameter level and the third predetermined parameter value, retrieve at least a second message string from the third set of message strings, and  
 encode a second message including the second message string.  
 
     
     
         9 . A system as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the first varying and measurable parameter is a temperature, wherein the first predetermined parameter value is a temperature associated with product safety and wherein the second predetermined parameter value is a temperature associated with product quality.  
     
     
         10 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the first parameter is a temperature, and wherein the memory receives and records temperature levels associated with the first sensor.  
     
     
         11 . A system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the software instructions are further executable by the processor to 
 retrieve at least one previously recorded temperature level,  
 processes the at least one retrieved temperature according to an algorithm to provide an algorithm value,  
 compare the algorithm value to a predetermined benchmark value, and  
 provide an alarm signal responsive to a predetermined relationship between the algorithm value and the benchmark value.  
 
     
     
         12 . A system as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the software instructions are further executable by the processor to 
 record the current time at which each temperature is recorded,  
 retrieve temperatures recorded within a trend interval ending with the current time, and  
 calculate the algorithm value as the average of the temperatures so retrieved.  
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first varying and measurable parameter level indicates the condition of a first plurality of products stored in the first environmental space and the second varying and measurable parameter level indicate the condition of a second plurality of products stored in the second environmental space.  
     
     
         14 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the memory includes a space recording a plurality of tables, each table including one or more entries, the plurality of tables comprising 
 a first table comprising fields recording a unique control point ID, a sensor ID, and a parameter value,  
 a second table having fields recording a unique sensor ID associated with a preselected sensor, and a controlled environment ID,  
 a third table having fields recording a unique controlled environment ID and a description message code string, and  
 a fourth table having fields recording a sensor ID and a control point ID.  
 
     
     
         15 . A system as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the first table further includes a product category ID field.  
     
     
         16 . A system as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the plurality of tables further comprises 
 a fifth table having a field recording a product category ID,  
 a sixth table having a field recording a unique corrective action type ID and a corrective action message code string, and  
 a seventh table having a field recording a product category ID and a corrective action type ID.  
 
     
     
         17 . A system as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the plurality of tables further comprises 
 a eighth table having fields recording a unique product category ID and a product description message code string.  
 
     
     
         18 . A system for use by a supermarket, the system comprising: 
 a first display case including a first controlled environmental space that is adapted to maintain products, the first controlled environmental space having a first varying and measurable parameter, and a first sensor coupled to the first environmental space, the first sensor sensing the first parameter and generating a first signal including a first parameter level;    a second display case including a second controlled environmental space that is adapted to maintain products, the second controlled environmental space having a second varying and measurable parameter, and a second sensor coupled to the second environmental space, the second sensor sensing the second parameter and generating a second signal including a second parameter level;    a processor and memory in communication with the first and second display cases, the memory including a first at least two predetermined parameter values associated with the first sensor, a second at least two predetermined parameter values associated with the second sensor, a respective set of message strings associated with each predetermined parameter value, and software instructions executable by the processor to    configure the processor to receive the first and second signals,    receive at least one of the first at least two predetermined parameter values,    receive at least one of the second at least two predetermined parameter values,    compare the first parameter level with the received predetermined parameter value of the first at least two predetermined parameter values,    compare the second parameter level with the received predetermined parameter value of the second at least two predetermined parameter values,    responsive to relationships between the parameter levels and the predetermined parameter values, retrieve one or more message strings from the sets of message strings, and    encode one or more messages with the one or more retrieved message strings.    
     
     
         19 . A system as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the predetermined parameter values are associated with at least one of product safety and product quality.  
     
     
         20 . A system as set forth in  claim 19  wherein the message provides instructions for correcting environmental conditions dealing with at least one of product safety and product quality.  
     
     
         21 . A system as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the first parameter is a temperature, wherein each first predetermined parameter value is a safety temperature associated with food safety and wherein each second predetermined parameter value is a quality temperature associated with food quality.