Remote Monitoring for Autonomous Lighting via Regional Data Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote solar and wind-powered installations face challenges in maintenance due to their remote locations, leading to inefficient or unnecessary repairs, as conventional monitoring systems struggle to differentiate between environmental issues and device-specific faults.
Innovation Solution
A system that remotely monitors and maintains autonomously powered devices by comparing data signals from individual devices with similar devices in the same geographic region or across multiple geographies to assess whether defects are environmental or device-specific, using a central processor to analyze data and provide control signals for optimal operation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If service technicians undertake on-site visits to diagnose problems at remote locations, then accurate fault identification is improved, but travel costs and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the remote installation's operational data by collecting and transmitting performance parameters, environmental conditions, and diagnostic information to a centralized monitoring system. This digital replica enables remote analysis and fault identification without requiring physical presence at the site, thus maintaining measurement precision while eliminating time loss from travel.
2Ease of repair
If replacement parts are shipped to remote locations for perceived defects, then repair readiness is improved, but unnecessary repairs and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where operational data from remote installations is continuously monitored and analyzed by a centralized system. When anomalies are detected, the system provides diagnostic feedback to determine whether replacement parts are actually needed or if the issue stems from environmental factors. This feedback loop prevents premature part shipment and reduces unnecessary consumption of replacement components.
3Reliability
If conventional monitoring systems transmit all fault signals from remote devices, then comprehensive monitoring is improved, but differentiation between environmental and hardware issues deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fault diagnosis process into multiple analytical components: environmental parameter monitoring, performance data analysis, and hardware status assessment. By dividing the monitoring system into these distinct functional segments, the patent can independently evaluate each aspect and differentiate between environmental causes and hardware failures, preventing information loss while maintaining comprehensive monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A system of monitoring and/or maintaining remotely located autonomously powered lights, security systems, parking meters, and the like is operable to receive data signals from a number of the devices, and provide a comparison with other similar devices in the same geographic region to detect a default condition of a particular device, and/or assess whether the defect is environmental or particular to the specific device itself. The system includes memory for storing operating parameters and data, and outputs modified control commands to the devices in response to sensed performance, past performance and/or self-learning algorithms. The system operates to provide for the monitoring and/or control of individual device operating parameters on an individual or regional basis, over preset periods.