Remote monitoring system

Abstract

A temperature monitoring service in which remote monitoring units are distributed to customers who then set up monitoring as desired at their facilities. The devices may be registered through a web site using the Internet. Monitoring information may be communicated using a publicly available, wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network. The service may be provided with a system, including a server, which can deliver high levels of monitoring functionality. The server may support streaming monitoring information to a customer for analysis or sending a command activating a device connected to a remote unit. Remote units associated with the same location may be in a pool, comprising one active unit and one or more spare units, in which the server automatically identifies the active unit. The server may support analyzing monitoring information according to an expected cycle pattern of a ventilation system at the monitored facility.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of remote monitoring using a plurality of remote units, each remote unit comprising a sensor and a transceiver, the method comprising:
 receiving through a web site a registration of a pool comprising at least a portion of the plurality of remote units, the registration of the pool comprising:
 an indication of each remote unit of the portion of the plurality of remote units; and 
   monitoring a monitored location, the monitoring comprising associating reports received from the portion of the plurality of remote units with the monitored location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the registration further comprises an indication of monitoring limits associated with the monitored location associated with the pool.   
     
     
         3 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the portion of the plurality of remote units comprises at least a first and a second remote units;   the method further comprises receiving status reports indicating the monitoring status of the portion of the remote units;   when a status report indicates the first remote unit is active, processing monitoring reports from the first remote unit without processing monitoring reports from the second remote unit; and   when a status report indicates the second remote unit is active, processing monitoring reports from the second remote unit without processing monitoring reports from the first remote unit.   
     
     
         4 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the registration of the pool further comprises information indicating an alarm communication mechanism; and   the method further comprises:
 when multiple remote units are active, generating an alarm in accordance with the alarm communication mechanism, the alarm comprising information indicating that multiple units in the pool are active. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the remote units is adapted and configured for operation in an AC mode and a battery mode;   a remote unit of the portion of the plurality of remote units is designated as an active remote unit based on its mode of operation; and   associating reports received from the portion of the plurality of remote units with the monitored location comprises recording a monitored parameter value from reports only from the active remote unit.   
     
     
         6 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 designating the active remote unit, the designating comprising receiving an indication from a device that it has changed its power state to operate in a battery power state from operation in an AC power state.   
     
     
         7 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving reports from the plurality of remote units, the reports comprising monitoring reports, indicating a sensor reading, and status reports, indicating a change in status of the remote units; and   designating a remote unit of the portion as an active remote unit based on status reports received from the remote units of the portion.   
     
     
         8 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 7 , wherein:
 each of the remote units is adapted and configured for operation in an AC mode and a battery mode and to transmit a status report indicating a current operating mode upon transition between AC mode and battery mode; and   designating a remote unit of the portion as the active remote unit comprises designating a remote unit as the active unit in response to a status report indicating a current operating mode is the battery mode.   
     
     
         9 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the sensor in each remote unit is a temperature sensor; and   monitoring the monitored location comprises computing a mean and a deviation of temperature reported at the monitored location over an interval of time by a remote unit designated as the active remote unit.   
     
     
         10 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 9 , wherein the mean and the deviation are computed from temperatures reported by a plurality of remote units within the portion while each remote unit of the plurality is designated as the active remote unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 7 , wherein:
 remote units of the portion that are not designated as the active remote unit are designated as inactive units; and   the method further comprises, in response to receiving reports from the active and the inactive remote units, for each received report:
 when the report is in a valid format, sending an acknowledgement; and 
 when the report is not in a valid format, sending a negative acknowledgement. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 7 , wherein:
 receiving reports from the plurality of remote units comprises receiving the reports over a GSM network.   
     
     
         13 . The method of remote monitoring of  claim 7 , wherein:
 receiving reports from the plurality of remote units comprises receiving each of the reports formatted as a UDP packet.   
     
     
         14 . A method of remotely monitoring temperature using at least one remote unit comprising a temperature sensor and a transceiver, the method comprising:
 registering the remote unit with a server over a first network;   sending from the remote unit to the server a plurality of temperature reports over a second network, each temperature report comprising an indication of the output of the temperature sensor at a time associated with the report; and   obtaining information from the server over the first network.   
     
     
         15 . The method of remotely monitoring temperature of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first network comprises the internet; and   the second network comprises a cellular network.   
     
     
         16 . The method of remotely monitoring temperature of  claim 14 , wherein:
 obtaining information from the server over the first network comprises accessing the server using an agent on a computing device; and   the method further comprises, when the obtained information indicates an improper operating state, initiating by the agent an action programmed on the computing device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of remotely monitoring temperature of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the programmed action comprises shutting down the computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of remotely monitoring temperature of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the programmed action comprises executing a user supplied program.   
     
     
         19 . A method of remotely monitoring temperature using at least one remote unit comprising a temperature sensor and a transceiver, the method comprising:
 registering a remote unit of the at least one remote units with a server over a first network;   sending from the remote unit to the server a plurality of temperature reports over a second network, each temperature report comprising an indication of the output of the temperature sensor at a time associated with the report; and   obtaining information from the server over the second network.   
     
     
         20 . The method of remotely monitoring temperature of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the at least one remote unit is attached to equipment; and   obtaining information from the server over the second network comprises receiving the information at an actuator at the customer premises, the actuator being coupled to the equipment.