Environmental monitoring device

Abstract

An environmental monitoring device that monitors the operation of a legacy electronic device is described. In particular, a sensor in the environmental monitoring device provides sensor data that represents an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device. This environmental condition is associated with the operation of the legacy electronic device in the external environment. The environmental monitoring device analyzes the sensor data and provides feedback about the operation of the legacy electronic device based on the analyzed sensor data. Moreover, the sensor provides the sensor data without or excluding communication and/or electrical coupling between the environmental monitoring device and the legacy electronic device. In this way, the environmental monitoring device facilitates monitoring, analysis and feedback of the sensor data without directly interacting with the legacy electronic device.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An environmental monitoring device, comprising:
 a sensor configured to provide sensor data that represents an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device;   an antenna;   an interface circuit, coupled to the antenna, configured to communicate with an archive device and another electronic device;   a processor; and   a memory, coupled to the processor, which stores a program module configured to be executed by the processor and a set of secure hash functions, the program module including:
 instructions for receiving the sensor data from the sensor; 
 instructions for receiving a protection preference from one of: the archive device, and the other electronic device; 
 instructions for protecting the sensor data, wherein protecting the sensor data involves hashing, using a secure hash function, specified by the protection preference, in the set of secure hash functions, the sensor data, a random number and an identifier of the environmental monitoring device; 
 instructions for providing the protected sensor data to the archive device; 
 instructions for receiving a request for the sensor data from the other electronic device; and 
 instructions for providing authorization information to the archive device to release the sensor data to the other electronic device. 
   
     
     
         22 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the authorization information is based on a predefined authorization preference of a user associated with the environmental monitoring device. 
     
     
         23 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the program module further includes:
 instructions for requesting user feedback about the request; and   instructions for receiving the user feedback, wherein the authorization information is provided if the user feedback includes approval of the request.   
     
     
         24 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the random number is generated by the environmental monitoring device. 
     
     
         25 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the program module further includes instructions for communicating, to the archive device, information specifying how to unprotect the sensor data. 
     
     
         26 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the program module further includes instructions for communicating, to the other electronic device, information specifying how to unprotect the sensor data. 
     
     
         27 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 21 , wherein the request includes an address of the other electronic device; and
 wherein the authorization information includes the address.   
     
     
         28 . A computer-program product for use in conjunction with a processor in an environmental monitoring device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to authorize access to sensor data, the computer-program mechanism including:
 instructions for receiving the sensor data from a sensor in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the sensor data represents an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device;   instructions for receiving a protection preference from one of: an archive device, and another electronic device;   instructions for protecting the sensor data, wherein protecting the sensor data involves hashing, using a secure hash function, specified by the protection preference, in a set of secure hash functions stored in the environmental monitoring device, the sensor data, a random number and an identifier of the environmental monitoring device;   instructions for providing the protected sensor data to the archive device;   instructions for receiving a request for the sensor data from the other electronic device; and   instructions for providing authorization information to the archive device to release the sensor data to the other electronic device.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-program product of  claim 28 , wherein the authorization information is based on a predefined authorization preference of a user associated with the environmental monitoring device. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-program product of  claim 28 , wherein the computer-program mechanism further includes:
 instructions for requesting user feedback about the request; and   instructions for receiving the user feedback, wherein the authorization information is provided if the user feedback includes approval of the request;   
     
     
         31 . The computer-program product of  claim 28 , wherein the random number is generated by the environmental monitoring device. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-program product of  claim 28 , wherein the computer-program mechanism further includes instructions for communicating, to the archive device, information specifying how to unprotect the sensor data. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-program product of  claim 28 , wherein the computer-program mechanism further includes instructions for communicating, to the other electronic device, information specifying how to unprotect the sensor data. 
     
     
         34 . A processor-implemented method for authorizing access to sensor data, wherein the method comprises:
 receiving the sensor data from a sensor in an environmental monitoring device, wherein the sensor data represents an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device;   receiving a protection preference from one of: an archive device, and another electronic device;   using the processor in the environmental monitoring device, protecting the sensor data, wherein protecting the sensor data involves hashing, using a secure hash function, specified by the protection preference, in a set of secure hash functions stored in the environmental monitoring device, the sensor data, a random number and an identifier of the environmental monitoring device;   providing the protected sensor data to the archive device;   receiving a request for the sensor data from the other electronic device; and   providing authorization information to the archive device to release the sensor data to the other electronic device.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the method further comprises:
 requesting user feedback about the request; and   receiving the user feedback, wherein the authorization information is provided if the user feedback includes approval of the request.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the random number is generated by the environmental monitoring device. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the method further comprises communicating information specifying how to unprotect the sensor data to the archive device. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the method further comprises communicating information specifying how to unprotect the sensor data to the other electronic device. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the authorization information is based on a predefined authorization preference of a user associated with the environmental monitoring device. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the request includes an address of the other electronic device; and
 wherein the authorization information includes the address.