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Pump monitoring systemRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, With Condition Responsive Pumped Fluid ControlPump monitoring system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060078435, Pump monitoring system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/603,015 filed Aug. 19, 2004 and entitled "Wireless Communication System". FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention pertaining to devices for monitoring the status of pumps and for forwarding status information to a common location. More particularly, the invention pertains to such devices where the forwarding process is implemented, at least in part, wirelessly. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Systems that maintain fluids at predetermined levels or flow rates find application in many different types of commercial or business installations. These include controlling fluid levels in pumps, storage tanks or other types of reservoirs. In cooling or heating systems it can be important to maintain fluids at predetermined rates or pressures. [0004] Many known control systems connect sensor outputs to control elements via cables. Such hard wiring can be, on one hand inexpensive and convenient. However, on the other hand it can be very inconvenient and cost prohibitive. [0005] There is thus a continuing need for control system that can couple sensor outputs to other control circuitry in ways that avoid hard wiring. It would also be desirable to be obtain information at a common location from a variety of different pumps or pump systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0006] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system in accordance with the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0007] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawing and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. [0008] Embodiments of the invention remotely monitor one or more pump units. Monitoring can be effected wirelessly within a building. Alternately, the wireless communication can be via computer network, such as the Internet to and from a location displaced an arbitrary distance from the location of any of the pump units. [0009] In one aspect of the invention, a monitoring device can be located at each of a group of pump control systems. The monitoring device can include one or more sensors which respond to pump related conditions. [0010] Pump related conditions can include status oriented information such as reminders associated with needed maintenance for the pump backup batteries, operational sensors such as level or fluid velocity sensors, pump current draw and the like all without limitation. Alternately, the sensors can sense failures of utility supplied power, such as in the case of a power failure, inoperative pumps or failures of one or more of the backup batteries. [0011] Sensed information in another aspect of the invention can be collected at the respective monitoring device on a real time basis. A displaced user circuit can request, via the wireless link, updated status, pump condition and maintenance information from a respective monitoring device. In one disclosed embodiment of the invention, monitoring devices can be polled on a regular basis. Alternately, monitoring devices can transmit urgent messages in the absence of a polling request. [0012] Where a user circuit has successfully communicated with each of the available monitoring devices, it can, in a disclosed embodiment, enter an inactive state for a period of time to conserve energy before again seeking updates from the respective monitoring devices. [0013] Where a respective monitoring device is reporting a condition which may need intervention, the user circuit can respond by providing an audible or a visible alarm indicator. Communication failures can also be reported by the user circuit if it is unable to communicate with one or more of the monitoring devices. [0014] In another aspect of the invention, when a monitoring device is to be installed in connection with a pump and pump control system, it can be integrated into a plurality of monitoring devices known to the user circuit. The user circuit can incorporate a learn mode which enables additional monitoring devices to be added to the plurality of monitoring devices known to the user circuit. [0015] When the user circuit has been put into the learn mode it responds to received messages from one or more additional monitoring devices which are requesting inclusion into the plurality of monitoring devices associated with a respective user circuit. In response thereto the user circuit can transmit wirelessly to the respective monitoring device a pre-assigned identifier to be used by the monitoring device to recognize commands directed to it. [0016] Upon successful receipt of the identifier, the monitoring device and the user circuit both retain the assigned identifier for subsequent use in identifying a monitoring device to which a communication is being directed or from which a communication is be received. When the user circuit is switched from the learn mode, into a normal operational mode, it can initiate polling of the members of the plurality of monitoring devices. The plurality of monitoring devices will include all of those additional monitoring devices which have received identifiers from the user circuit. [0017] In yet another aspect of the invention, the monitoring devices can incorporate a programmable processor as well as a plurality of read-write memory locations which might be implemented for example with electrically erasable read-only memory. Such units might also incorporate a wireless RF transceiver and circuitry for interfacing to a plurality of motor related or pump related sensors. [0018] In one aspect of the invention, the transceiver can communicate wirelessly and directly to a common control unit. Alternately, communication can be wireless in part, and via a computer network such as the Internet, to a plurality of displaced locations. [0019] In yet another aspect of the invention, a plurality of message groups can be established at a particular motor or pump monitoring device using an installation computer temporarily coupled thereto. End users can configure the processor and memory of the respective monitoring device to further define and populate the message group subsequently to the initial installation. Continue reading about Pump monitoring system... Full patent description for Pump monitoring system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Pump monitoring system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. 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