Csi Technology, Inc.

Other

James W Pearce

James C Robinson

Ronald G Canada

Zbigniew Czyzewski

Taylor L Davidson, Jr

A decentralized, mobile system for reporting and monitoring vehicular traffic status. A vehicle has a position determining device, a transceiver, and a local display and controller connected to a processor. The transceiver receives, transmits, and repeats local traffic and vehicle information, such as location, direction, and speed. The processor is programmed to execute processes including receiving messages, repeating received messages, transmitting messages, reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message, and displaying traffic status information based on the received data.

Decentralized vehicular traffic status system

A method of configuring and synchronizing a wireless machine monitoring system that has at least one chain, that includes at least one machine monitor and at least one repeater is disclosed. The wireless machine monitoring system may further include a master repeater that is in communication with the chain and a command station that is in communication with the master repeater. The wireless machine monitoring system is configured so that only one element of the system is communicating at any given time. In addition, bit error rate transmission tests are performed on the elements of the system to determine their ability to communicate at different transmission power levels. Thus, power consumption of battery powered elements is minimized by decreasing the amount of time the devices are active and by configuring the communicating elements to transmit at the lowest acceptable power level. An installation and configuration unit is provided for installing and configuring the machine monitors and the repeaters within each chain of the wireless machine monitoring system.

Method and apparatus for configuring and synchronizing a wireless machine monitoring and communication system

A wireless machine monitoring and communication system includes one or more machine monitors which attach to one or more machines to sense a physical characteristic of the machine, such as vibration or temperature, and to produce wireless transmissions corresponding to the sensed characteristic. A command station executes machine status polling in accordance with a time-division communication protocol and processes machine status data obtained during polling to determine the status of the machine. The machine monitor incorporates a wireless transmitter for transmitting at least status information, and the command station incorporates a wireless receiver for receiving monitor transmissions. To conserve power, the machine monitors are turned on only at preprogrammed times in accordance with the time-division communication protocol. Each machine monitor includes a receiver and the command station includes a transmitter to enable the command station to send commands to each machine monitor. A microcomputer in each monitor analyzes sensor data and a memory stores the analyzed sensor data. Repeaters are employed as necessary to assist in propagating wireless transmissions throughout the system. A tachometer sensor is employed at each machine to provide monitors and sensors with information relating to machine speed. A computer network is connected to the command station for transferring data and for controlling the overall operation of the system.

Wireless machine monitoring and communication system

An apparatus is disclosed consisting of one or more machine monitors which attach to one or more machines to sense a physical characteristic of the machine, such as vibration or temperature, and produce wireless transmissions corresponding to the sensed characteristic, and a command station which receives the transmissions from the machine monitors and processes the information to give an indication of the condition of the machine. The machine monitor incorporates a wireless transmitter to transmit the sensor data, and the command station incorporates a wireless receiver to receive the sensor data. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the machine monitors are not continuously on, but turn on only at preprogrammed times according to turn-on commands generated by a timer circuit within each machine monitor. In another preferred embodiment, each machine monitor includes a receiver and the command station includes a transmitter to enable the command station to send commands to each machine monitor. Each machine monitor includes a microcomputer to analyze the sensor data and a memory to store the analyzed sensor data prior to transmission to the command station. A repeater receives the sensor data transmissions from the machine monitors and retransmits the data to the command station when, due to site conditions, the machine monitors are beyond the receiving range of, or out of the line of sight to the command station.

Growing community of inventors

Lenoir City, TN, United States of America

James W Pearce