System and method for maintenance and monitoring of filtrations systems

An apparatus comprising:

• a first fluid-filter monitor for operating at a first fluid-maintenance site and a second fluid-filter monitor for operating at a second fluid-maintenance site, each of the first and second fluid-filter monitors including a fluid filter, one or more sensors configured and arranged to provide parameters that characterize fluid flowing through the fluid filter, and a wireless interface circuit,
• a remotely-situated server includes a database with entries correlating identification information corresponding to and indicative of the parameters of the respective fluid filters at the first and second fluid-maintenance sites,
• wherein the wireless interface circuit of the first fluid-filter monitor is configured and arranged to
• operate in a set-up mode by communicating authentication data over a short-distance wireless communication medium with at least one mobile data-processing device while said at least one mobile data-processing device is proximate to the fluid-maintenance site, the authentication data being defined by an authentication protocol and including connection-authorization information for connecting to a local WiFi network for communication to the remotely-situated server;
• and
• operate in a normal-operation mode by sending the parameters wirelessly, according to the authentication protocol, to the remotely-situated server via a wireless communication medium and a broadband connection;
• and
• wherein the wireless interface circuit of the second fluid-filter monitor is configured and arranged to
• operate in a set-up mode by communicating authentication data over a short-distance wireless communication medium with said at least one mobile data-processing device while said at least one mobile data-processing device is proximate to the fluid-maintenance site, the authentication data being defined by an authentication protocol and including connection-authorization information for connecting to the remotely-situated server;
• and
• operate in a normal-operation mode by sending the parameters wirelessly, according to the authentication protocol, to the remotely-situated server via a wireless communication medium and a broadband connection, and wherein the remotely-situated server is configured and arranged to maintain status information based on the parameters, and to communicate notifications indicative of the status of each of the first fluid-filter monitor and the second fluid-filter monitor.

A method of operating and maintaining a fluid-filter with a fluid-filter monitor at a fluid-maintenance site including:

• operating the fluid-filter monitor in a set-up mode, and awaiting operator authentication data;
• receiving operator authentication data, defined by an authentication protocol and including connection-authorization information for connecting to a local WiFi network for communication to a remotely-situated server, from at least one mobile data-processing device over a short-distance wireless communication medium, while the at least one mobile data-processing device is proximate the fluid-maintenance site;
• initiating a normal-operation mode by sending parameters, according to the authentication protocol, by one or more sensors that characterize fluid flowing through the fluid filter, to the remotely-situated server via a broadband communication medium;
• analyzing the parameters at the remotely-situated server, and determining if any of the parameters are outside a programmed threshold limit;
• sending notifications from the remotely-situated server to the mobile data-processing device associated with unique filter-identification information of the fluid-filter monitor;
• notifying a customer or service provider through said at least one of mobile data-processing device, associated with unique filter-identification information of the fluid-filter monitor, of a parameter that is outside the programmed threshold limit, if any of the parameters are outside a programmed threshold limit;
• and
• servicing the fluid-filter, and thereby bringing the parameter that is outside the programmed threshold limit within the programmed threshold limit.