System and Tool for Wireless Retrieval of Measured Component Data

Abstract

A system for remotely retrieving sensed conditions at one or more building components. The building components are remote or numerous so that a wireless collection of the sensed conditions provides a significant benefit to a builder or building operator. A remote transceiver sends a wireless signal to a building component. The building component includes an onboard transceiver. At least some of the energy from the transmitted wireless signal is received by the onboard transceiver, sent to a storage device, and stored therein. The stored energy is used to operate a sensor for sensing an onboard condition. The onboard condition is then wirelessly transmitted by the onboard transceiver back to the remote transceiver to be displayed.

1 . A method of retrieving a sensed signal from a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly for securing two structural members together, method including the steps of:
 providing a shaft assembly, the shaft assembly including a shaft with a first end and a second end, the first end including a bolt head or the first end accommodating a threaded nut, the second end being threaded for accommodating a bolt,   providing a building component including,
 an onboard transceiver capable of one of sending and receiving a sensed condition; 
 an energy storage device; and 
 a sensor for sensing a condition at the remote location; 
   wherein the onboard transceiver, the storage device, and the sensor communicate electrically with each other,   sending a wireless signal to the onboard transceiver, receiving the signal at the onboard transceiver,   receiving energy from the wireless signal and storing the energy in the energy storage device,   using a portion of the stored energy from the energy storage device to sense a condition at the remote location, generating a first sensor signal related to the sensed condition, and sending first signal to the onboard transceiver,   transmitting a second wireless signal related to the value of the sensed condition from the onboard transceiver.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the wireless signal is received by the onboard transceiver from a network and the second wireless signal is transmitted back to the network. 
     
     
         3 . In combination, a bolt assembly and a building component for wirelessly retrieving a sensed condition at a remote location comprising:
 The bolt assembly including a shaft assembly, the shaft assembly including a shaft with a first end and a second end, the first end including a bolt head or the first end accommodating a threaded nut, the second end being threaded for accommodating a bolt,   the building component including,
 an onboard transceiver capable of one of sending and receiving a sensed condition; 
 an energy storage device; and 
 a sensor for sensing a condition at the remote location; 
   wherein the onboard transceiver, the storage device, and the sensor communicate electrically with each other,   wherein the onboard transceiver receives a wireless signal;   wherein energy from the wireless signal is received and stored in the energy storage device,   wherein the sensor uses a portion of the stored energy from the energy storage device to sense a condition at the remote location, the sensor generates a first signal related to the value of the sensed condition, and the sensor sends the first signal to the onboard transceiver,   wherein the onboard transceiver transmits a second wireless signal related to the sensed condition.   
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the wireless signal is received by the onboard transceiver from a network and the second wireless signal is transmitted back to the network. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein, the storage device is a capacitor. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein, the onboard transceiver or the remote transceiver receive and transmit wireless RFID signals. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the building component further includes an LED for visual indication. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 3 , where the building component further includes a module; and
 wherein the onboard transceiver, the energy storage device, and the sensor are contained in the module.   
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 8 , wherein the module is disk shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor is one of a strain sensor, a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, a pressure sensor, and an acceleration sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the shaft assembly is made of metal. 
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the metal is steel. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the building component is positioned between one of a compression surface of a head of the bolt and a compression surface of a nut of the bolt on one hand and the structural member to be fastened on the other. 
     
     
         14 . A tool for installing the combination of  claim 3 , the tool including a wireless transceiver that receives a signal from the building component. 
     
     
         15 . A tool for installing the combination of  claim 3 , the tool including an electronic controller that manipulates data received from the building component. 
     
     
         16 . A tool for installing the combination of  claim 3 , the tool including a data storage device for storing data transmitted to the building component or data generated by the sensor. 
     
     
         17 . A tool for installing the combination of  claim 3 , the tool including a switch that receives a signal from the controller, wherein the signal directs the switch to open and thereby interrupt power to the tool to prevent the tool from bolt tightening operations. 
     
     
         18 . A tool for installing the combination of  claim 3 , where in the tool is powered by an electric motor or by air. 
     
     
         19 . A tool for installing the combination of  claim 3 , wherein the tool is a hand tool that includes a transceiver that receives a signal from the building component, the tool further including a display capable of displaying a torque transmitted by the building component to the hand tool. 
     
     
         20 . A tool for installing the combination of  claim 3 , wherein the wrench includes a solenoid capable of setting a spring tension to adjust the maximum torque to be transmitted by the wrench.