Method and system for detecting an airborne trigger

• US 10,036,696 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, II, Robert Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhter, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US14/988,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20160131568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 340540, 3405452, 3405454, 340547, 340561, 340562, 340566, 340577-579, 340628-630, 324686
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/06 Investigating concentration of particle suspensions by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/10 Investigating individual particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02408 Solids in gases, e.g. particle suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/12 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/44 Processing the detected response signal , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor digital signal processing per se G06F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 5/02 by absorbing or adsorbing components of a material and determining change of weight of the adsorbent, e.g. determining moisture content absorption bulbs B01D53/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 19/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms

Abstract

An apparatus includes a communication interface configured to receive sensor data from a sensor device. The sensor device includes a resonator including a material having an affinity for a compound, and the sensor data is indicative of a vibrational frequency of the resonator. The apparatus also includes a processor to analyze the sensor data and to generate an output based on the sensor data.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive sensor data from a capacitive plate of a sensor device, the sensor device including a resonator including a material having an affinity for a compound, the sensor data from the capacitive plate indicative of a vibrational frequency of the resonator; and

a processor to analyze the sensor data and to generate an output based on the sensor data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is a mobile device and the sensor data includes information indicating a location of sensor device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is received via a wireless network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor data further includes a sensor identifier and a timestamp.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive second sensor data indicative of a second vibrational frequency of a second resonator, and the processor is further configured to generate the output based on the sensor data and the second sensor data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second resonator includes the material having the affinity for the compound.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second resonator includes a second material having an affinity for a second compound that is distinct from the compound.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sensor device includes the second resonator and a diffusion barrier.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is configured to, before receiving the sensor data, receive configuration data from the sensor device responsive to an association request from the sensor device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compound is a volatile organic compound, a particulate, or both.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein analyzing the sensor data includes comparing the sensor data to second sensor data to differentiate between a background concentration of the compound and a spike in concentration of the compound.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device having a processor, sensor data from a capacitive plate of a sensor device, the sensor device including a resonator including a material having an affinity for a compound, the sensor data from the capacitive plate indicative of a vibrational frequency of the resonator;

analyzing, by the processor, the sensor data; and

generating, by the processor, an output based on the sensor data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor device is associated a facility including one of a home, a managed care facility, or a hospital.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein an individual associated with the facility has a sensitivity to the compound.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying a particular compound based on a comparison of the sensor data and second sensor data to data accessible to the processor, the data indicating a group of sensors associated with the particular compound.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

before receiving the sensor data, sending a scan start command to the sensor device, wherein the sensor data is received in response to the scan start command; and

after receiving the sensor data, sending a stop scan command to the sensor device, wherein the sensor device ceases transmitting sensor data based on the stop scan command.

17. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving sensor data from a capacitive plate of a sensor device, the sensor device including a resonator including a material having an affinity for a compound, the sensor data from the capacitive plate indicative of a vibrational frequency of the resonator;

analyzing the sensor data; and

generating an output based on the sensor data.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the output includes an alert sent to a mobile communication device.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the output includes a command sent to a control system at a location associated with the sensor device, the command instructing the control system to control equipment at the location responsive to the sensor data.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein controlling the equipment includes controlling a vent, a fan, or a pump.