WO2015135334A1

WO2015135334A1 - Indoor environment monitoring apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2015135334A1
Application number: PCT/CN2014/091200
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yi Jiang
Original assignee: Intelligent Green Solution Ltd.
Priority date: 2014-03-12
Filing date: 2014-11-14
Publication date: 2015-09-17

Abstract

An indoor environment monitoring apparatus includes: a base panel (10); at least one monitoring module (20) disposed in the base panel (10) detachably to monitor environmental information; and a control module (30) disposed in the base panel (10) and configured to receive the environmental information sent from the at least one monitoring module (20) and to send out a control instruction according to the environmental information.

Description

INDOOR ENVIRONMENT MONITORING APPARATUS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority and benefits of Chinese Patent Applications No. 201410089851.8 and 201420110042.6, filed with State Intellectual Property Office on March 12, 2014, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an indoor environment monitoring field, and more particularly, to an indoor environment monitoring apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In the related art, an indoor environment monitoring apparatus can measure physical parameters of the indoor environment (such as temperature and humidity, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, noise, illumination and barometric pressure) , and provide precise indoor environment quality information for a user. Also, corresponding monitoring system data can be output to a control module to actuate a corresponding indoor environmental control equipment (such as air cleaner, air conditioner, lighting etc. ) to be on or off to control an operation state of the indoor environmental control equipment, such that the indoor environment can be improved rapidly and intelligently.

The indoor environment monitoring apparatuses, particularly which detect various measurement parameters, can be divided into two types.

The first type is configured as a single apparatus, i.e. a plurality of sensors are integrated on a circuit board, and various kinds of environment parameters can be collected in one apparatus by a central control unit. However, the indoor environment monitoring apparatus with this system structure is not convenient for measuring the environment parameters of different regions or rooms at same time. In addition, it is not convenient for this system to add new functions, whatever at a manufacture process or a later maintenance. For example, it is hard to change different modules according to an actual requirement or renew those modules needed to be replaced regularly (like a formaldehyde sensing module) . Moreover, the change operation of the module is complicated.

The second type is configured as a combination of multiple apparatuses and includes a center node and various kinds of sensor nodes, and the center node collects sensing data sent from sensors in a wired or wireless manner. This kind of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus cannot satisfy the usage requirements of the user and the convenience of later replacements, and thus, the indoor environment monitoring apparatuses in the related art has disadvantages and inconveniences in installation, operation and maintain.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention seek to solve at least one of the problems existing in the related art to at least some extent. Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide an indoor environment monitoring apparatus, which has an excellent function extendibility and an variable appearance.

The indoor environment monitoring apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention, includes: a base panel； at least one monitoring module disposed in the base panel detachably to monitor environmental information； and a control module disposed in the base panel and configured to receive the environmental information sent from the at least one monitoring module and to send out a control instruction according to the environmental information.

With the indoor environment monitoring apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention, the monitoring module and the control module are disposed in the base panel detachably, which facilitates the disassembly and replacement of the modules, and thus not only can the user select different monitoring modules according to different requirements, but also can place the monitoring modules with different arrangements to form different appearances of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus. Also, the control module can control a corresponding indoor environmental control equipment to be on or off and control an operation state of the indoor environmental control equipment according to the monitoring information of the monitoring module, such that the indoor environment can be improved rapidly and intelligently, and a function extendibility and an appearance variability of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus are improved.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the indoor environment monitoring apparatus further includes a communicating module disposed in the base panel and configured to transmit the control instruction sent by the control module.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the indoor environment monitoring apparatus further includes a displaying module disposed in the base panel detachably and configured to display the environmental information.

In an embodiment of the present invention, each of the at least one monitoring module comprises a display screen configured to display a corresponding environmental information.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the monitoring module includes: a housing body connected with the base panel detachably； and a sensor disposed in the housing body.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the housing body is of a regular hexagon cylinder shape.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of grooves formed on the base panel, the monitoring module is fitted into the groove.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the base panel is connected with the monitoring module, the control module, the communicating module and the displaying module via a metal conductive member.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the base panel is connected with the monitoring module, the control module, the communicating module and the displaying module via a magnetic connector.

In an embodiment of the present invention, data transmissions between the control module and the monitoring module, between the control module the communicating module and between the control module and the displaying module are wireless data transmission.

Additional aspects and advantages of embodiments of present invention will be given in part in the following descriptions, become apparent in part from the following descriptions, or be learned from the practice of the embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following descriptions made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an indoor environment monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention；

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of an indoor environment monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention； and

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of an indoor environment monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure. The same or similar elements and the elements having same or similar functions are denoted by like reference numerals throughout the descriptions. The embodiments described herein with reference to drawings are explanatory, illustrative, and used to generally understand the present disclosure. The embodiments shall not be construed to limit the present disclosure.

In the specification, unless specified or limited otherwise, relative terms such as “length” , “width” , “thickness” , “above” , “below” , “front” , “rear” , “right” , “left” , “vertical” , “horizontal” , “top” , “bottomā, “inner” , “outer” should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the present disclosure be constructed or operated in a particular orientation.

In addition, terms such as “first” and “second” are used herein for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance. Thus, features limited by “first” and “second” are intended to indicate or imply including one or more than one these features. In the description of the present disclosure, “a plurality of” relates to two or more than two.

In the description of the present disclosure, unless specified or limited otherwise, it should be noted that, terms “mounted, ” “connected” “coupled” and “fastened” may be understood broadly, such as permanent connection or detachable connection, electronic connection or mechanical connection, direct connection or indirect connection via intermediary, inner communication or interaction between two elements. These having ordinary skills in the art should understand the specific meanings in the present disclosure according to specific situations.

In the description of the present disclosure, a structure in which a first feature is “on” a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature directly contacts the second feature, and may also include an embodiment in which an additional feature is formed between the first feature and the second feature so that the first feature does not directly contact the second feature, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, a first feature “on, ” “above, ” or “on top of” a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is right “on, ” “above, ” or “on top of” the second feature, and may also include an embodiment in which the first feature is not right “on, ” “above, ” or “on top of” the second feature, or just means that the first feature has a sea level elevation larger than the sea level elevation of the second feature. While first feature “beneath, ” “below, ” or “on bottom of” a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is right “beneath, ” “below, ” or “on bottom of” the second feature, and may also include an embodiment in which the first feature is not right “beneath, ” “below, ” or “on bottom of”the second feature, or just means that the first feature has a sea level elevation smaller than the sea level elevation of the second feature.

As shown in Figs. 1-3, an indoor environment monitoring apparatus 100 according to embodiments of the present invention includes a base panel 10, at least one monitoring module 20 and a control module 30.

Specifically, the monitoring modules 20 can monitor the indoor environment, and each monitoring module 20 can monitor an indicator of the indoor environment, or monitor a plurality of indicators of the indoor environment. For example, a plurality of single modules, such as a temperature monitoring module and an indoor formaldehyde monitoring module, may be disposed in the base panel 10 detachably to monitor environmental information. The control module 10 is disposed in the base panel 10 and is configured to receive the environmental information sent from the at least one monitoring module 20, and then to send out a control instruction according to the environmental information, so as to control a corresponding indoor environmental control equipment to be one or off and to control an operation state of the indoor environmental control equipment, thus, the indoor environment can be improved rapidly and intelligently. It can be understood that, the control module 30 may be connected with the base panel 10 detachably, or may be integrated on the base panel 10 directly, and a shape of the control module 30 may be identical with that of the monitoring module 20.

With the indoor environment monitoring apparatus 100 according to embodiments of the present invention, the monitoring module 30 and the control module 20 are disposed in the base panel 10 detachably, which facilitates the disassembly and replacement of modules, and thus not only can the user select different monitoring modules 20 according to different requirements, but also can place the monitoring modules 20 with different arrangements to form different appearances of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus. Also, the control module 30 can control a corresponding indoor environmental control equipment to be on or off and control an operation state of the indoor environmental control equipment according to the monitoring information of the monitoring module 20, such that the indoor environment can be improved rapidly and intelligently, and a function extendibility and an appearance variability of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus 100 are improved.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the indoor environment monitoring apparatus 100 further includes a communicating module 40. The communicating module 40 is configured to send the control instruction sent from the control module 30. In other words, the control instruction sent from the control module 30 is sent out via the communicating module 40. The communicating module 40 may be disposed in the base panel 10 detachably, or may be integrated on the base panel 10 directly. It should be noted that, positions and interfaces for the expanded modules may be pre-formed in the base panel 10, such that a function expansion of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus 100 can be easily achieved.

In an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the indoor environment apparatus 100 further includes a displaying module 50. Specifically, the displaying module 50 is configured to display the environmental information monitored by the at least one monitoring module 20. The displaying module 50 is disposed in the base panel 10 detachably and is able of receiving corresponding environmental information sent from the monitoring module 20.

Correspondingly, a display screen configured to display the corresponding environment is further disposed in the each monitoring module 20, i.e., the each monitoring module 20 can combine a monitoring function and a displaying function. The displaying module 50 is connected with the display screen to control the display screen to display the environmental information. Thus, the user can observe the environmental information timely.

Preferably, the displaying module 50 may be connected with a plurality of the display screens, i.e. the plurality of the display screens share one displaying module 50, thus simplifying the structure and reducing the cost of the indoor environment apparatus 100.

In an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Fig. 1, the monitoring module 20 includes a housing body 21 and a sensor 22. Specifically, the housing body 21 is connected with the base panel 10 detachably, and the sensor 22 is disposed in the housing body 21. The sensor may be a temperature-humidity sensor, a noise sensor, an illumination sensor and an atmospheric pressure sensor respectively configured to monitor a temperature and humidity, a noise, an illumination degree and an atmospheric pressure of the indoor environment. It should be noted that the monitoring module is not limited to these, for example, the monitoring module 20 may further include an air composition monitoring apparatus configured to monitor gases affecting an air quality in the indoor environment, such as the carbon dioxide and the formaldehyde.

In an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figs. 1-3, in order to provide an appearance of the monitoring module 20 with an aesthetic feeling, the housing body 21 is configured to have a regular hexagon cylinder shape. A plurality of hexagon grooves matched with the housing body 21 are formed in the base panel 10 and the housing body 21 may be fitted into the groove, i.e., the monitoring module 20 may be inserted into the groove, and preferably fitted into the groove partially. An edge of one hexagon groove may be adjacent to an edge of another hexagon groove, and the plurality of hexagon grooves are formed in the base panel 10 with an equal interval from one another. It can be understood that, the configuration of the monitoring module 20 is not limited this. In some embodiments of the present invention, the monitoring module 20 may be connected with the base panel 10 via other connections. Therefore, the user can freely select different monitoring modules 20 according to different requirements and can also design the arrangements of the monitoring modules 20.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the base panel 10 includes metal conductive members which are connected with the monitoring module 20, the control module 30, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50, i.e., the base panel 10 is connected with the monitoring module 20, the control module 30, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50 electrically. It should be noted that the base panel 10 is connected with a power source so as to supply power to the monitoring module 20, the control module 30, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the base panel 10 is connected with the monitoring module 20, the control module 30, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50 via a magnetic connector. Specifically, the base panel 10 may be made of iron, and the magnetic connectors are respectively disposed in parts of the monitoring module 20, the control module 20, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50 contacting with the base panel 10. The monitoring module 20, the control module 20, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50 are attached to the base panel 10 by a magnetic force of the magnetic connector and the base panel 10.

Therefore, it is so convenient for the separation and combination between the each module and the base panel 10 and the displacement of the each module, so that the user can assemble, maintain and replace the each module independently. In addition, the user can arrange the modules in the base panel 10 with different pattern to improve the artistic feeling of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus 100.

It can be understood that the installation manner of the magnetic connectors is not limited to this described in above embodiments. For example, the magnetic connector may be disposed in each of the base panel 10, the monitoring module 20, the control module 30, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50 respectively, and the monitoring module 20, the control module 30, the communicating module 40 and the displaying module 50 are attached to the base panel 10 by means of an attracting force between opposite magneticpoles.

In an embodiment of the present invention, data transmissions between the control module 30 and the monitoring module 20, between the control module 30 and the communicating module 40 and between the control module 30 and the displaying module 50 may be configured as wireless data transmissions. Specifically, the monitoring module 20 and the displaying module 50 is communicated with the control module 30 via a Zigbee protocol to send data (including data collected by the sensor 22 and state data of the each module) to the control module 30. The control module 30 receives the data sent from the each module and transmits the data to the internet via a WIFI protocol. The control module 30 further has a configuration capability of sending an IP address and a port of a destination (for example to a designated mobile phone) . Therefore, the function extendibility and the appearance variability of the indoor environment monitoring apparatus are improved.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment, ” “some embodiments, ” “one embodiment” , “another example, ” “an example, ” “aspecific example, ” or “some examples, ” means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases such as “in some embodiments, ” “in one embodiment” , “in an embodiment” , “in another example, ” “in an example, ” “in a specific example, ” or “in some examples, ” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example of the present invention. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

Although explanatory embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments cannot be construed to limit the present invention, and changes, alternatives, and modifications can be made in the embodiments without departing from spirit, principles and scope of the present invention.

Claims

An indoor environment monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a base panel；

at least one monitoring module disposed in the base panel detachably to monitor environmental information； and

a control module disposed in the base panel and configured to receive the environmental information sent from the at least one monitoring module and to send out a control instruction according to the environmental information.
The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communicating module disposed in the base panel and configured to transmit the control instruction sent by the control module.
The apparatus according to in claim 2, further comprising a displaying module disposed in the base panel detachably and configured to display the environmental information.
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one monitoring module comprises a display screen configured to display a corresponding environmental information.
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring module comprises:

a housing body connected with the base panel detachably； and

a sensor disposed in the housing body.
The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the housing body is of a regular hexagon cylinder shape.
The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein a plurality of grooves formed in the base panel, the monitoring module is fitted into the grove.
The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the base panel is connected with the monitoring module, the control module, the communicating module and the displaying module via a metal conductive member.
The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the base panel is connected with the monitoring module, the control module, the communicating module and the displaying module via a magnetic connector.
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein data transmissions between the control module and the monitoring module, between the control module the communicating module and between the control module and the displaying module are wireless data transmission.