Dust measuring apparatus and mobile terminal for controlling the same

• US 10,215,680 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Yongho, Kim, Bolam, Park, Seonghong, Lee, Sangkeun, Jeong, Pilwon
• Primary Examiner(s): Akanbi, Isiaka
• Application Number:
  US15/651,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20180024037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 356335-336, 356343, 356338, 356438- 9
• 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 15/075 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1429 Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0046 in gas, e.g. smoke

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a dust measuring apparatus and a mobile terminal for controlling the same. The dust measuring apparatus includes a flow channel defining unit for defining a flow channel allowing a fluid containing dust to move through, a light emitter for emitting light into the flow channel, a light detector for detecting light scattered from the dust in the flow channel and converting the same into an electrical signal, and a controller for controlling the flow channel defining unit, the light emitter and the light detector. The controller is configured to verify whether a detection value received from the light detector is within an effective measurement range, vary the effective measurement range when the detection value is outside the effective measurement range, and measure, when the detection value is within the varied effective measurement range, a dust concentration based on the detection value.

Claims

1. A dust measuring apparatus comprising:

a flow channel defining unit for defining a flow channel allowing a fluid containing dust to move through;

a light emitter for emitting light into the flow channel;

a light detector for detecting light scattered from the dust in the flow channel and converting the same into an electrical signal; and

a controller for controlling the flow channel defining unit, the light emitter and the light detector,

wherein the controller is configured to;

verify whether a detection value received from the light detector is within an effective measurement range;

vary the effective measurement range by varying an impedance of a signal received from the light detector when the detection value is outside the effective measurement range; and

measure, when the detection value is within the varied effective measurement range, a dust concentration based on the detection value without varying an impedance of a signal received from the light detector.

2. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the controller varies the effective measurement range,

the controller is further configured to increase a maximum value and minimum value in the effective measurement range if the detection value is greater than or equal to the maximum value in the effective measurement range, and decreases the maximum value and minimum value in the effective measurement range if the detection value is less than or equal to the minimum value in the effective measurement range.

3. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to:

decrease an impedance of a signal received from the light detector to increase the maximum value and minimum value in the effective measurement range; and

increase the impedance of the signal received from the light detector to decrease the maximum value and minimum value the effective measurement range.

4. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to vary the effective measurement range according to preset variation levels.

5. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a measurement range adjuster for adjusting the effective measurement range according to the detection value received from the light detector.

6. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller widens or narrows the effective measurement range according to an amplification rate of a signal received from the light detector.

7. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to:

widen, if the amplification rate of the signal received from the light detector increases, the effective measurement range by increasing a maximum value in the effective measurement range and decreasing a minimum value in the effective measurement range; and

narrow, if the amplification rate of the signal received from the light detector decreases, the effective measurement range by decreasing the maximum value in the effective measurement range and increasing the minimum value in the effective measurement range.

8. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light detector comprises:

a first detector for detecting light scattered within a first detection range in a light emission region of the flow channel; and

a second detector for detecting light scattered within a second detection range in the light emission region of the flow channel, the second detection range being narrower than the first detection range.

9. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first detector comprises a first lens having a first angle of view,

wherein the second detector comprises a second lens having a second angle of view, the second angle of view being narrower than the first angle of view.

10. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to:

check, when a first detection value is received from the first detector, if the first detection value is within a first effective measurement range; and

check, when a second detection value is received from the second detector, if the second detection value is within a second effective measurement range.

11. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a maximum value in the second effective measurement range is greater than a maximum value in the first effective measurement range,

wherein a minimum value in the second effective measurement range is greater than a minimum value in the first effective measurement range.

12. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit for establishing communication with an external terminal,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

transmit, when the communication with the external terminal is established, information about the measured dust concentration to the external terminal; and

vary, when a control signal is received from the external terminal, the effective measurement range according to the received control signal, measure a dust concentration based on the varied effective measurement range, and transmit information about the measured dust concentration to the external terminal.

13. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, when the controller transmits the information about the dust concentration, the controller provides the external terminal with guide information for guiding adjustment of the effective measurement range.

14. The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a sensing unit for sensing a current position,

wherein, when the communication with the external terminal is established, the controller transmits, to the external terminal, information about the current position and information about a dust concentration measured at the current position.

15. A mobile terminal for controlling a dust measuring apparatus for varying an effective measurement range enabling measurement of dust concentrations, the mobile terminal comprising:

an input unit;

a communication unit for establishing communication with the dust measuring apparatus;

a display unit for displaying a setting window for setting an effective measurement range for the dust measuring apparatus; and

a controller for controlling the input unit, the communication unit and the display unit,

wherein the controller is configured to;

establish the communication with the dust measuring apparatus when a user input is a control mode of the dust measuring apparatus;

display, when the communication is established, a setting window for setting the effective measurement range for the communication-connected dust measuring apparatus, wherein the setting window contains guide information to guide an adjustment of the effective measurement range; and

transmit, when the effective measurement range is set in the setting window, a control signal corresponding to the set effective measurement range to the dust measuring apparatus.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive, when the communication is established, information about a current position and information about a dust concentration measured at the current position from the communication-connected dust measuring apparatus; and

include, in the setting window, the received information about the current position and the dust concentration.

17. The mobile terminal according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:

collect, when the information about the current position of the dust measuring apparatus is received, environment information about the received current position from an external server; and

generate guide information for guiding adjustment of the effective measurement range based on the collected environment information and include the same in the setting window.

18. The mobile terminal according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to:

collect, when the information about the current position of the dust measuring apparatus is received, environment information about the received current position from an external server; and

generate guide information for guiding ventilation based on the collected environment information and the information about the current position and include the same in the setting window.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive, when the communication is established, the guide information from the communication-connected dust measuring apparatus; and

include and display the received guide information in the setting window.