System, Method, and Apparatus for Monitoring Refrigeration Units

Abstract

A system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit includes a temperature measuring device placed within the refrigeration unit that has a temperature sensor in ambient air within the refrigeration unit to measure instantaneous temperature within the refrigeration unit. A transmitter within the refrigeration unit is operatively coupled to the temperature sensor to periodically transmit the instantaneous temperature. A receiver device located outside of the refrigeration unit receives the instantaneous temperature and records the instantaneous temperature over a time period to learn a refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit. After the receiver device learns the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the receiver device measures a current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over a second period of time and when the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time differs from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the receiver device issues an alert.

1 . A system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit, the system comprising:
 a temperature measuring device placed within the refrigeration unit, the temperature measuring device housed within an enclosure having a temperature sensor interfaced to ambient air within the refrigeration unit, the temperature sensor measures an instantaneous temperature within the refrigeration unit;   a transmitter located within the refrigeration unit and operatively coupled to the temperature sensor, the transmitter periodically transmits the instantaneous temperature from the temperature measuring device;   a receiver device that is located outside of the refrigeration unit receives the instantaneous temperature, the receiver device records the instantaneous temperature over a time period to learn a refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit;   after the receiver device learns the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the receiver device measures a current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over a second period of time; and   when the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time differs from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the receiver device issues an alert.   
     
     
         2 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a second temperature sensor situated in a solid or liquid mass for measuring a buffered temperature within the refrigeration unit and the transmitter periodically transmits the buffered temperature from the temperature measuring device and the receiver device receives the buffered temperature and records the buffered temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , further comprising when the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time differs from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the receiver device delaying for a fixed period to account for a defrost cycle then the receiver device measures the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time and; when the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time differs from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the receiver device issues the alert. 
     
     
         4 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a rechargeable battery that provides electrical power to the temperature measuring device; and means for wirelessly recharging the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         5 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 4 , wherein the means for wirelessly recharging the rechargeable battery comprises a wireless charge receiver within the temperature measuring device, the wireless charge receiver receiving recharge power wirelessly from a wireless charge transmitter and the wireless charge receiver uses the recharge power to recharge the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         6 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 5 , wherein the wireless charge receiver receives the recharge power wirelessly from the wireless charge transmitter by induction. 
     
     
         7 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 6 , further comprising a switching device for selectively providing the electrical power from the rechargeable battery to the transmitter for preserving energy in the rechargeable battery when not in use, the switching device controlled by a memory device. 
     
     
         8 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 7 , wherein the memory device is controlled by a signal received by the wireless charge receiver that is sent from the wireless charge transmitter. 
     
     
         9 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 7 , wherein the memory device is a capacitor, and the switching device is a field-effect transistor that is controlled by the capacitor. 
     
     
         10 . A method for predicting a failure of a refrigeration unit, the method comprising:
 measuring an instantaneous temperature by a temperature sensor within the refrigeration unit;   periodically, wirelessly transmitting the instantaneous temperature for reception outside of the refrigeration unit;   receiving a first set of the instantaneous temperatures at a processor-based device that is located outside of the refrigeration unit and determining a learned cycle pattern of the refrigeration unit from the first set of instantaneous temperatures; and   later, receiving a second set of the instantaneous temperatures at the processor-based device and determining a current cycle pattern of the refrigeration unit from the second set of the instantaneous temperatures and if the current cycle pattern differs from the learned cycle pattern by a predetermined amount, issuing an alert.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing power for the step of transmitting from a rechargeable battery; and   providing recharge power to the rechargeable battery from a wireless charging circuit, the wireless charging circuit receiving the recharge power from a wireless charge transmitter that is in proximity to the wireless charging circuit.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising measuring a buffered temperature within the refrigeration unit from a second temperature sensor situated in a solid or liquid mass within the refrigeration unit and periodically transmitting the buffered temperature from the second temperature measuring device and the processor-based device receiving the buffered temperature and recording the buffered temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing the power for the transmitting includes selectively enabling of the providing of the power for the transmitting through a switching device and controlling the switching device by the wireless charging circuit. 
     
     
         14 . A system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit, the system comprising:
 a temperature measuring device placed within the refrigeration unit, the temperature measuring device housed within an enclosure having a temperature sensor interfaced to ambient air within the refrigeration unit, the temperature sensor measures an instantaneous temperature within the refrigeration unit;   a transmitter located within the refrigeration unit and operatively coupled to the temperature sensor, the transmitter periodically transmits the instantaneous temperature from the temperature measuring device;   a device, the device having a processor, memory, and receiver, and the device is located outside of the refrigeration unit;   software running on the device from the memory receives the instantaneous temperature and records the instantaneous temperature over a time period to learn a refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit;   after the software learns the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the software periodically measures a current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over a second period of time; and   when the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time differs from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit by more than a predetermined deviation, the software issues an alert.   
     
     
         15 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 14 , further comprising a second temperature sensor situated in a solid or liquid mass for measuring a buffered temperature within the refrigeration unit and the transmitter periodically transmits the buffered temperature from the temperature measuring device and when the receiver receives the buffered temperature, the software records the buffered temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 14 , further comprising when the software determines that the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time differs from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the software delays for a fixed period to account for a defrost cycle then the software measures the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time and when the software then determines that the current refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit over the second period of time differs from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration unit, the software issues the alert. 
     
     
         17 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 14 , further comprising a rechargeable battery that provides electrical power to the temperature measuring device; and means for wirelessly recharging the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         18 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 17 , wherein the means for wirelessly recharging the rechargeable battery comprises a wireless charge receiver within the temperature measuring device, the wireless charge receiver receiving recharge power wirelessly from a wireless charge transmitter and the wireless charge receiver uses the recharge power to recharge the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         19 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 18 , further comprising a switching device for selectively providing the electrical power from the rechargeable battery to the transmitter for preserving energy in the rechargeable battery when not in use, the switching device controlled by a memory device. 
     
     
         20 . The system for predicting failure of a refrigeration unit of  claim 19 , wherein the memory device is controlled by a signal received by the wireless charge receiver that is sent from the wireless charge transmitter.