INSULATION PANEL AND SYSTEM

Abstract

Insulation panel comprising: at least one sensor unit comprising at least one moisture senor configured to provide moisture data; at least one communication interface configured to establish a communication with a read-out device and to transmit the moisture data to the read-out device; at least one memory unit configured to store identification data of the insulation panel.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. Insulation panel (110) comprising: at least one sensor unit comprising at least one moisture senor configured to provide moisture data; at least one communication interface configured to establish a communication with a read-out device and to transmit the moisture data to the read-out device; at least one memory unit configured to store identification data of the insulation panel.

17. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit, the memory unit and the communication interface are provided as an integrated part.

18. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit further comprises at least one temperature sensor configured to provide temperature data.

19. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit further comprises at least one pressure sensor configured to provide pressure data or at least one acoustic sensor configured to provide acoustic data.

20. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit further comprises at least one radon sensor configured to provide radon exposure data.

21. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the memory unit is further configured to store data referring to the material of the insulation panel.

22. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the insulation material of the insulation panel is Styrodur, Neopor, Styropor, mineral wool, rock wool, silica aerogel, polyurethane aerogel, polyurethane foam, organic materials, like cellulose or straw, or a mixture of these insulation materials.

23. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit, the communication interface or the memory unit are configured to collect energy transmitted by a read-out device.

24. Notification system (100) comprising: at least one insulation panel (110) according to claim 16; at least one read-out device (120) configured to establish a communication with the communication interface of the insulation panel (110) and receive at least the moisture data and the identification data of the insulation panel; at least one analysis unit (130) to which at least the moisture data and the identification data of the insulation panel is transmitted and wherein the at least one analysis unit (130) is configured to provide notification massages based on the moisture data and the identification data of the insulation panel (110).

25. Notification system (100) according to claim 24, wherein the at least one read-out device (120) is a handheld device or an on-site device positioned within a transmission range of the communication interface of at least one insulation panel (110) such that a communication between the read-out device (120) and the communication interface of the at least one insulation panel (110) can be established and data can be transmitted.

26. Notification system (100) according to claim 24, wherein the read-out device (120) comprises a position determining unit, preferably a Global Positioning System (GPS), configured to assign to the moisture data and identification data of the insulation panel (110) positioning information data.

27. Notification system (100) according to claim 24, wherein the at least one read-out device (120) is further configured to receive temperature data, pressure data or radon exposure data, wherein this data is transmitted to the at least one analysis unit (130), wherein the analysis unit (130) is further configured to provide notification massages further based on the temperature data, pressure data or radon exposure data.

28. Notification system (100) according to claim 24, wherein the insulation panel (110) and the on-site device (130) are configured to send and receive moisture data and identification data of the insulation panel (110) in predetermined time intervals.

29. Notification system according to claim 24, wherein the at least one analysis unit (130) provides at least one of the following notification massages: situation massage notifying a user about the read-out data assigned to at least one specific insulation panel (110); inspection massage notifying a user that at least one specific insulation panel (110) has to be inspected; alarm massage notifying a user that at least one specific insulation panel (110) has urgently to be replaced; alarm massage notifying a user that at least one specific insulation panel (110) has a temperature above a predetermined value; waste disposal massage notifying a user which waste treatment at least one specific insulation panel (110) requires.

30. Use of the moisture data, identification data, temperature data, pressure data or radon exposure data obtained from an insulation panel (110) according to claim 16 for determining at least one of the following notification massages: situation massage notifying a user about the read-out data assigned to at least one specific insulation panel (110); inspection massage notifying a user that at least one specific insulation panel (110) has to be inspected; alarm massage notifying a user that at least one specific insulation panel (110) has urgently to be replaced; alarm massage notifying a user that at least one specific insulation panel (110) has a temperature above a predetermined value; waste disposal massage notifying a user which waste treatment at least one specific insulation panel (110) requires.

31. Insulation panel (110) according to claim 16, wherein the sensor unit, the memory unit and the communication interface are provided as an integrated part, wherein the integrated part is provided as a label, which is applied onto the insulation panel by means of an adhesive layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In the following, the invention is described exemplarily with reference to the enclosed figure, in which

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a notification system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention using insulation panels according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a notification system 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The preferred notification system 100 comprises a plurality of insulation panels 110, at least one read-out device 120 and at least one computing device 130 and at least one output device 140.

[0038] The insulation panels 110 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention comprise a sensor unit, a communication interface and a memory unit. In the memory unit, identification data suitable to identify each one of the insulation panels 110, e.g. by means of a serial number, is stored. The sensor unit comprises a moisture sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor and a radon sensor for providing respective data. Notably, the flooring can be provided only by means of insulation panels according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, i.e. comprising a sensor unit with one or more sensors, a communication interface and a memory unit. However, depending on the respective application, it is possible that only one or several such insulation panels are used and that the remaining area is covered with common insulation panels, i.e. without a sensor unit, a communication interface or a memory unit.

[0039] It is preferred that the insulation panels 110 do not comprise an own energy source for the senor unit, the communication interface or the memory unit for a stand-alone operation. In this respect, it is preferred that the required energy for measuring and communication is provided by the read-out device 120, for example, by means of an inductive coupling or the like as used in an RFID-device (radio-frequency identification device). However, depending on the specific installation conditions, it is also possible to add an energy source to one or more of the insulation panels 110, e.g. by an inductive rechargeable battery or by providing prefabricated conductors in the insulation panels 110 which can be connected to an energy source, e.g. at a centralized feed-in point.

[0040] The read-out device 120 in the shown preferred embodiment is an on-site device positioned within a transmission range of the communication interfaces of the insulation panels 110 such that a communication between the read-out device 120 and the communication interfaces of the insulation panels 110 can be established and data and energy can be transmitted. In an alternative embodiment, the read-out device 120 is a handheld device with which a user can walk over the insulation panels 120. It is preferred that the read-out device 120 comprises a GPS-unit such that respective positioning data can be assigned to the data of the sensor units.

[0041] In the preferred embodiment, the read-out device 120 is configured to transfer the sensor data, the identification data and the assigned positioning data to a computing device 130, e.g. a central computing device or a cloud computing device, comprising an analysis unit. However, it is also possible that the sensor data, the identification data and the assigned positioning data is transmitted to a cloud memory bevor an analysis of the data by the analysis unit is performed. By means of the analysis unit of the computing device 130, the provided data is analyzed and a respective notification massage is prepared and transmitted to the output device 140. In this respect, it is preferred that the analysis unit is configured to execute an analysis algorithm based on the results of a machine-learning algorithm, wherein it is preferred that the input data to the analysis algorithm is at least one of the following data: the moisture data, the temperature data, the pressure data and the radon data provided by the respective sensors of the insulation panels. In this respect, it is preferred that the machine-learning algorithm is also trained based on these input data. The output device 140 can be provided by any device comprising a display, e.g. a computer, laptop, smartphone, etc. Notably, the notification massages can be provided to a user and also to a data storage of a service provider for further analysis.

[0042] In the following, a method providing respective notification massages by the above explained notification system is explained:

[0043] In a first step, the insulation panels 110 are installed, e.g. on a floor, wall or roof, wherein additional layers or sealing may be applied below or above the insulation panels 110. The identification data of the insulation panels 110, e.g. a serial number of the insulation panel or of the used sensor unit, and the position of the insulation panel 110 is recorded and stored in a database. As a result, each laid insulation panel 110, identified by means of the stored identification data, it is known where it has been laid.

[0044] In a next step, a handheld read-out device is used to energize the sensor unit and the communication interface of the insulation panels 110 by placing the handheld read-out device near the respective insulation panels 110, e.g. by walking over the insulation panels 110 holding the handheld read-out device. After energizing the sensor unit and the communication interface of the insulation panels 110, the sensor data and the identification data is transmitted to the handheld read-out device. Moreover, it is preferred that also GPS-data provided the handheld read-out device is recorded and assigned to the measured data.

[0045] Subsequently, the data transmitted by the insulation panels 110 is in turn transmitted, preferably by the read-out device, to a computing device comprising an analyzing unit, wherein the data can be transmitted to the analyzing unit directly or via a cloud memory and wherein the computing device can be provided by a central computer or by a cloud computing solution.

[0046] The analyzing unit is configured to execute an analysis algorithm, preferably based on the results of a machine-learning algorithm.

[0047] Finally, the analysis unit outputs at least one of the following notification massages onto one or more output devices 140: [0048] situation massage notifying an user about the read-out data assigned to at least one specific insulation panel; [0049] inspection massage notifying an user that at least one specific insulation panel has to be inspected; [0050] alarm massage notifying an user that at least one specific insulation panel has urgently to be replaced; [0051] alarm massage notifying an user that at least one specific insulation panel has a temperature above a predetermined value; [0052] waste disposal massage notifying an user which waste treatment at least one specific insulation panel requires.

[0053] A situation massage may contain information about present situation, i.e. about the read-out data, which can be presented on any suitable output device, e.g. dashboards, tablet, smartphones or the like. In this respect, the measured values can be assigned to each specific insulation panel and presented as a graphic or as numerical values.

[0054] An inspection massage may contain information about areas where increased values have been measured, e.g. values which are still within a tolerance range, but which are higher with respect to other areas of the area covered by the insulation panels.

[0055] An alarm massage may contain information that a breach has been detected and that it is highly likely that water may penetrating the covered area requiring an immediate attention for avoiding lager damages. An alarm massage with respect to the measured temperature may contain information that it is highly likely that a fire has been detected. Notably, such alarm massages may be provided directly to third parties such that urgent actions can be issued.

[0056] Notably, the above notification massages may be provided to a user or also to third parties, in particular, in case immediate actions are required. Moreover, in particular, the situation massages can be used to evaluate the long term specifics of the used insulation panels in order to provide data for planning future projects and to improve the life time of such insulation panels.

[0057] The present invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment as examples as well. However, other variations can be understood and effected by those persons skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of the drawings, this disclosure and the claims. In the claims as well as in the description the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in the mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used in an advantageous implementation.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0058] 100 Notification system

[0059] 110 Insulation panel

[0060] 120 Read-out device

[0061] 130 Computing device

[0062] 140 Out-put device