FIELD

Disclosed are telemetric devices configured for dynamic transmission frequency and methods of dynamic transmission frequency.

BACKGROUND

An asset can be configured and utilized to contain products. An asset can be, for example, a tank, an enclosure or a meter. Assets can contain liquid, gas, solid and/or any type of product, for example, gas cylinders in a cage, or edible products in a refrigerator. Fuel, a liquid product, or other liquid or gas products are often stored for immediate use at a location. Accordingly, frequently assets are at outdoor locations worldwide. Therefore, assets frequently are subjected to environmental conditions, in particular, weather and events of every extreme.

With the advent of wireless networks such as cellular and IoT (Internet of Things) networks, devices including one or more sensors to monitor the product content level or usage of an asset and configured with telemetry for reporting sensor data, can be coupled to assets to report the asset's product contents level or usage data. Accordingly, a housed wireless telemetric sensor device which is fitted to an asset therefore can be subjected to the same conditions as any asset in any location, worldwide. A housed sensor device may sample the contents or product level or product usage of the asset and transmit sensor data, for example, to a remote location.

Assets can be located within a product distribution area. Asset maintenance and fulfillment planning may depend upon accurate data within tolerances being delivered by a sensor via telemetry to a remote server so that data can be reported to distributors of such contents or products and/or other interested parties or entities. Reliability of the device may dictate that electronic components and one or more batteries are in a sealed housing to avoid the effects of environmental conditions on the device. Therefore, it may not be possible to change the batteries of the device while maintaining its seal against environmental conditions. Whilst increased battery size and thus capacity can contribute to longer battery life, constraints of a device's optimum housing configuration may dictate that smaller batteries, such a AAA or AA size cells are utilized in a sealed housing. Replacement of a device because the batteries are drained should occur as infrequently as possible to avoid time and expense spent by replacement, any waste of electronic components and plastics, and any disruption of services or expense caused by the need for replacement.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the disclosed methods and devices to at least partially ameliorate problems described above, and others where possible.

According to a first aspect, the embodiments provide a method of a battery powered telemetric device configured with a processor, a sensor to measure data to indicate the contents or usage of a product within an asset generating sample data, data storage, at least one battery and a transmitter, comprising keeping in the data store at least one instance of previous data samples represented in a previously transmitted packet, awakening the telemetric device at a fixed predetermined time interval so that the sensor provides sample data to the data storage to indicate the contents or usage of the product within the asset wherein the telemetric device is otherwise asleep for the fixed predetermined time interval to minimize battery drain, storing all the sample data since the transmission of the previously transmitted packet and the kept at least one instance of previous data samples represented in the previously transmitted packet in the data storage as all the stored sample data, transmitting a packet including representations of the contents or usage of the product within in the asset of all the stored sample data in a manner to limit the number of transmissions to as few as possible unless: the stored sample data indicates changes in the contents or usage of the product within the asset are equal to or exceed a predetermined change value; or there has been no change in the contents or usage of the product within the asset over a prolonged period of time.

According to a second aspect, the embodiments provide a battery powered telemetric device configured with a processor, a sensor to measure data to indicate the contents or usage of a product within an asset generating sample data, data storage, at least one battery, and a transmitter, comprising the processor configured to keep in the data storage at least one instance of previous data samples represented in a previously transmitted packet, the processor configured to awaken the telemetric device at a fixed predetermined time interval so that the sensor provides sample data to the data storage to indicate the contents or usage of the product within the asset wherein the telemetric device is otherwise asleep for the fixed predetermined time interval to minimize battery drain, the processor configured to store all the sample data since the transmission of the previously transmitted packet and the kept at least one instance of previous data samples represented in the previously transmitted packet in the data storage as all the stored sample data, the transmitter configured to transmit a packet including representations in the contents or usage of the product within in the asset of all the stored sample data in a manner to limit the number of transmissions to as few as possible unless: the stored sample data indicates changes in the contents or usage of the product within the asset are equal to or exceed a predetermined change value; or there has been no change in the contents or usage of the product within the asset over a prolonged period of time.

According to a third aspect, the embodiments provide an asset monitoring device configured with a processor, a sensor to measure data to indicate the contents or usage of a product within an asset generating sample data, data storage, at least one battery, and a transmitter, comprising the processor configured to keep in the data storage at least one instance of previous data samples represented in a previously transmitted packet, the processor configured to awaken the telemetric device at a fixed predetermined time interval so that the sensor provides sample data to the data storage to indicate the contents or usage of the product within the asset wherein the telemetric device is otherwise asleep for the fixed predetermined time interval to minimize battery drain, the processor configured to store all the sample data in the data storage since the transmission of the previously transmitted packet and the kept at least one instance of previous data samples represented in the previously transmitted packet in the data storage as all the stored sample data, the transmitter configured to transmit a packet including representations in the contents or usage of the product within in the asset of all the stored sample data in a manner to limit the number of transmissions to as few as possible, wherein the representations are compressed to limit the battery power required for the transmission.

Further disclosed is a telemetric electronic device configured with at least a sensor, a processor, a transmitter and a battery. As discussed above, the life of one or more batteries is important to the life of a device where the one or more batteries are sealed inside the housing and cannot be replaced without destroying environmental protection seals. The presently disclosed devices and methods thereof may provide the opportunity for longer battery lives. It is also understood, where the one or more batteries are replaceable in a device, the presently disclosed telemetric device may also be utilized.

Disclosed is a telemetric electronic device configured with a processor including an interface between the telemetric electronic device and an asset, the asset configured to contain a contained product, a transmitter coupled to the processor, a sensor coupled to the processor, the sensor configured to provide sample data to indicate contents level or usage of the contained product, wherein the processor is configured to: specify a particular stored change threshold value; receive and store sample data received from the sensor, wherein the stored sample data comprises previous sample data, a representation of which was transmitted in a previous transmission, and recent sample data collected since the previous transmission; determine a corresponding change value wherein the corresponding change value, is the difference between at least one instance of the recent sample data and at least one instance of the previous sample data; compare the corresponding change value with the specified particular stored change threshold value to determine whether the corresponding change value is equal to or exceeds the specified particular stored change threshold value; and trigger the transmitter to transmit a representation of the at least one instance of the recent sample data when the corresponding change value is equal to or exceeds the specified particular stored change threshold value.

In one embodiment, the disclosed devices and methods translate recent sample data to indicate the level or usage of the contained product as a percentage value of contained product remaining within the asset. In another embodiment, the specified particular change threshold value is determined based upon historical indication data. In yet another embodiment, the specified particular change threshold value varies. In a further embodiment, at least one instance of the previous data sample represents a latest reported data. In another embodiment, when the processor generates for transmission a representation of at least one instance of recent sample data, the processor replaces the at least one instance of recent sample data with zero or a representation of zero when the corresponding change value indicates substantially no change from the at least one instance of the previous sample data. In still another embodiment, the processor generates for transmission a representation of at least one instance of recent sample data, the processor replaces one or more of the recent sample data with a corresponding change value. In another embodiment, the processor generates for transmission a representation of at least one instance of recent sample data, the processor replaces one or more of the recent sample data with a reference to a corresponding change value. In a further embodiment of the disclosed methods and devices, when the corresponding change value indicates substantially no change from the at least one instance of previous sample data over a predetermined time interval, the processor is configured to transmit at least one representation of recent sample data at a predetermined time interval since the last transmission.

Also disclosed is method of a telemetric electronic device configured with a processor, comprising an interface between the telemetric electronic device and an asset, the asset configured to contain a contained product, a transmitter coupled to the processor, a sensor coupled to the processor, the sensor configured to provide sample data to indicate contents level or usage of the contained product, the method including configuring the processor to specify a particular stored change threshold value; configuring the processor to: receive and store sample data received from the sensor, wherein stored sample data comprises previous sample data, a representation of which was transmitted in a previous transmission, and recent sample data collected since the previous transmission; determine a corresponding change value wherein the corresponding change value is the difference between at least one instance of the recent sample data and at least one instance of the previous sample data; compare the corresponding change value, with the specified particular stored change threshold value to determine whether the corresponding change value is equal to or exceeds the specified particular stored change threshold value; and trigger the transmitter to transmit a representation of at least one instance of recent sample data when the corresponding change value is equal to or exceeds the specified particular stored change threshold value.

The instant disclosure is provided to explain in an enabling fashion the best modes of making and using various embodiments in accordance with the present embodiments. The disclosure is further offered to enhance an understanding and appreciation for the embodiments, principles and advantages thereof, rather than to limit in any manner the scope of the claims. While the embodiments are illustrated and described here, it is clear that the scope is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present embodiments as defined by the following claims.

It is understood that the use of relational terms, if any, such as first and second, up and down, and the like are used solely to distinguish one from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions.

Much of the inventive functionality and many of the inventive principles are best implemented with or in software programs or instructions and integrated circuits (ICs) such as application specific ICs. In the interest of brevity and minimization of any risk of obscuring the principles and concepts according to the present embodiments, discussion of such software and ICs, if any, is limited to the essentials with respect to the principles and concepts within the preferred embodiments.

