GB2478826A

GB2478826A - Monitoring usage of a data projector

Info

Publication number: GB2478826A
Application number: GB1103514A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dominic Ewan Moffat; Mark David Baker
Original assignee: SAY Ltd
Current assignee: SAY Ltd
Priority date: 2011-03-02
Filing date: 2011-03-02
Publication date: 2011-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-02
Also published as: GB2478826B; GB201103514D0

Abstract

An authenticating, automatic shut down and monitoring device for a data projector comprising of an RFID authentication system, that on receiving an authenticated RFID tag number, transmits the infrared signals necessary to start-up the data projector; a usage monitoring system that monitors the running times of the data projector and reports back to an external central server or database, an automatic shutdown system that monitors the inactivity of a projector and transmits the infrared signals necessary to safely shut down the data projector after a preset time if inactivity.

Description

A monitoring and control device for a data projector

Background

This invention relates to a monitoring and control device for a data projector.

The data projector burden Data projectors are used in many different situations; be it educational, industrial or in recent times, the domestic settings for enhanced media experiences. Data projectors rely on high-intensity mercury lamps or high-power LED matrixes to provide the powerful light source needed for the clear projection of images. The very nature of these light sources are largely responsible for the hefty financial and environmental costs of the data projector -brought about by large power consumption, component wear and replacement, and or disposal of highly toxic mercury lamps. It is therefore essential that we use data projectors responsibly, ensuring they are neither left running accidently nor used without authority; and unfortunately, in many situations this is not the case.

Current solutions for limiting power consumption Most electronic equipment can benefit from energy saving devices that are widely available on the commercial market. Such devices include: energy usage monitors - advising you of the current energy consumption and costs; or an automatic mains timer -that can shut-off mains supply at certain times in the day. Although these solutions can provide benefits for most electronic devices, they do, however, pose an issue in situations where the appliance uses a soft-off approach to shutting off the device, such situations include data projectors.

Soft-off is defined as a software approach (logic electronics and transistors) to shutting down the electronic equipment, rather than a hardware approach (switches, relays). Some electronic devices require important shutdown procedures, such as cooling fans, resets, data saving, or any other essential processes that require the appliance to remain powered for a short time after the user has requested the appliance be switched off. An automatic mains timer would shut-off the power at the mains inlet before the important shutdown procedures would have completed or even begun. In the case of the data projector these shutdown procedures are essential to prevent damage to the fragile high-intensity mercury lamps or LED matrixes. In some instances, injury may result from leaking and sparking of the mercury based lamps, not to mention additional expense to replace the damaged components.

Data projectors should only be shutdown via their infrared remote control or with the soft power-off switch on the projector unit. Most data projectors can cope with the occasional power cut; however, constant shutting down of a projector in this way will ultimately cause damage and additional costs.

Current solutions for authentication and usage monitoring Use of data projectors can incur high costs from the initial outlay of the data projector and installation; to power consumption and the inevitable lamp replacement. Even with the advent of LED data projectors, which replaces the use of high-intense discharge mercury lamps with a high power LED matrix, such data projectors still only offer a limited life span before the data projector requires maintenance. All of these costs suggest it would be favourable to limit the use of the data projector in different situations. Due to the large volume and various types of data projector, larger organisations, such as schools, colleges and universities may find the control, monitoring and auditing of data projectors to be a daunting, if not impossible task.

Statement of Invention

To overcome the issues mentioned, the invention propose is to provide a monitoring and control device for a data projector: A RFID authentication system, that on receiving an authenticated RFID tag number, transmits the stored infrared signals necessary to start-up the data projector; a usage monitoring system that monitors the running times of the data projector and reports back to a central server; an automatic shutdown system that monitors for any inactivity of the data projector and transmits the infrared signals necessary to safely shutdown the data projector if a preset inactivity time is exceeded.

Advantages Essentially, the RFID authentication system will provide a secured operation of the data projector, allowing only users with an authenticated RFID tag number to start-up the data projector using the data projector's infrared communication system preventing unauthorised use of the data projector.

Essentially, the usage monitoring system will provide a method of monitoring a data projector's usage statistics and report back to a central server or database which will assist in maintenance and auditing of the data projector.

Essentially, the automatic shutdown system provides protection against the accidental running of a data projector by monitoring periods of inactivity and transmitting the necessary stored infrared signals to safely shutdown the projector if a preset inactivity time is exceeded therefore preventing excess power consumption and component wear.

Preferably, the usage monitoring and reporting system will be provided by via TCP/IP or USB communication to provide compatibility with existing communication networks.

Introduction to Drawings

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows the block diagram of the monitoring and control device for a data projector.

Detailed Description

Electronic Circuit Description

The monitoring and control device for a data projector essentially comprises of the following: an infrared signal capture circuit with an infrared receiver (1 in figure 1); a high power infrared emitter (2 in figure 1); RFID authentication circuit (3 in figure 1); TCP/IP and USB communication circuit (4 in figure 1); a human interface module (5 in figure 1), and a firmware embedded microcontroller circuit (6 in figure 1).

Infrared Signal Capture For the data projector to be controlled via its infrared communication system, essential infrared signals must first be captured from the projector's infrared remote control. The burst and pause times of the infrared signal are captured and stored using the infrared receiver and an algorithm on the firmware embedded microcontroller. These essential infrared control signals are stored for later use.

Authenticated Start-up The device monitors for the presence of a RFID tag number with an RFID interrogator circuit. Once an authenticated RFID tag has been detected its identification number is logged by the embedded microcontroller, the captured infrared signals necessary to start-up the projector are then transmitted. A firmware timer is started in the embedded microcontroller to measure the duration of projector running time. An inactivity timer, is also started to measure for a periods of inactivity.

Automatic Shutdown If the inactivity timer expires after a user selectable time, an alert sound is given for the user to cancel the automatic shutdown of the projector using the human interface. If the user fails to cancel the automatic shutdown, the captured infrared signals that are necessary to shut down the projector are transmitted. The user can also manually shutdown the projector via the human interface module.

Usage Monitoring and Reporting The device will report the running time, RFID tag number and projector ID number logged by the embedded microcontroller by transmitting the data to a central server or database via a USB connection or Ethernet using TCP/IP protocol. The usage statistics are then processed by the server software for graphical display and analysis.

Claims

Claims 1. A monitoring and control device for a data projector comprising of a microprocessor based circuit that provides: an infrared remote control signal capture system to learn projector control signals; a means of transmitting captured control infrared signals on successful user authentication; a means of monitoring and communicating a data projector's usage time to an external server; and an inactivity monitoring system to provide automatic shutdown of the data projector in times of inactivity.
2. A monitoring and control device for a data projector claimed in any preceding claims in which the authenticated operation of the data projector is provided by means of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system.
3. A monitoring and control device for a data projector as claimed in any preceding claims of which logs the current RFID tag number operating that projector.
4. A monitoring and control device for a data projector as claimed any preceding claims of which utilises an embedded-software timer to monitor and log the data projector's operating duration times.
5. A monitoring and control device for a data projector as claimed in any preceding claims that utilises TCP/IP or USB communication to report RFID tag numbers logged with the operating duration times to a centralised server or computer for usage statistics.
6. A monitoring and control device for a data projector as claimed in any preceding claims that utilises an embedded-software timer to automatically shut down the data projector correctly via the infrared communication system of the data projector after a preset period of inactivity is exceeded.