System and method for searching for, collecting and generating mold spore data for mold reports using climate codes

• US 10,387,458 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eurofins EPK Built Environment Testing LLC (Eurofins Scientific SE)
• Original Assignee: EMLab P&K LLC (Eurofins Scientific SE)
• Inventors: Burge, Harriet A., Gallup, David F., Moody, Malcolm J., Chadez, Edward V. B., Devine, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Featherstone, Mark D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doraiswamy, Ranjit P
• Application Number:
  US14/697,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20150310088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A system is disclosed for obtaining historical mold spore data. The system may have a computer with a processor. At least one database may be used which contains information correlating subregion codes of a geographic area with ones of predetermined climate classification codes associated with each of the subregion codes. The database further may have available historical mold spore data for the subregion codes and be configured to receive an input indicating a target subregion code that identifies an area falling within the geographic area; to identify a specific one of the codes that is associated with the target subregion code; and to obtain portions of the stored historical mold spore data which is associated with ones of the subregion codes falling within the geographic area that have the specific one of the codes associated therewith.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing historical mold spore data comprising:

a computer having a processor and an interface subsystem;

at least one database containing information correlating subregion codes of a predetermined geographic area with ones of predetermined climate classification codes associated with each of the subregion codes, the database further including available historical mold spore data, correlated to each said predetermined climate classification code, for each one of the subregion codes;

the interface subsystem for electrically communicating with the at least one database;

a personal electronic device associated with a user of the system and configured to remotely access the computer and to communicate with the computer;

the predetermined climate classification codes including Koppen-Geiger climate classification codes;

the computer configured to;

receive an input indicating a target subregion code, wherein the target subregion code identifies an area falling within the predetermined geographic area;

identify a specific one of the predetermined climate classification codes that is associated with the target subregion code;

analyze subregion codes obtained from the database against geographical boundary information to identify what other ones of the subregion codes correlate to subregions, besides the target subregion code, which fall within the predetermined geographic area;

analyze the identified other subregion codes to determine a climate classification code associated with each other one of the subregion codes;

analyze the climate classification codes for each one of the identified other subregion codes within the predetermined geographic area, to determine which ones have climate classification codes which match the specific climate classification code associated with the target subregion code;

obtain portions of the stored historical mold spore data which is, or are, associated with the ones of the subregion codes falling within the predetermined geographic area, but which are assigned the same climate classification code, or climate classification codes, as the specific one of the predetermined climate classification codes;

using the obtained portions of the historical mold spore data to generate a report that further supplements an analysis of mold spore activity in the target subregion; and

using the computer to electrically transmit the report to the user'"'"'s personal electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the subregion codes comprise zip codes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined climate classification codes comprise codes associated with different elevations within the predetermined geographic area.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the different elevations are determined in accordance with a threshold elevation, such that each one of the subregion codes has associated therewith a code indicating whether each is above or below the threshold elevation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined climate classification codes comprise codes relating to different average annual high temperatures within the predetermined geographic area.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined climate classification codes comprise codes relating to different temperature differentials within the predetermined geographic area.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined climate classification codes comprise codes relating to average rainfall within the predetermined geographic area.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rule set accessible by the processor for determining at least one rule to be applied in the event the target subregion code has associated therewith two different ones of the climate classification codes.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the database comprises:

a first database for containing information correlating subregion codes to specific ones of the climate classification codes; and

a second database containing the historical mold spore data correlated to each of the subregion codes within the predetermined geographic area.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor implements a hierarchical test to:

make a first determination if at least a predetermined number of different ones of the climate classification codes containing a predetermined sufficient minimum amount of historical mold spore data is present within the predetermined geographic area; and

if the first determination indicates that the predetermined number of different ones of the climate classification codes containing the predetermined sufficient minimum amount of historical mold spore data is not present, then making a second determination to determine if a larger predetermined geographic area, within which the target subregion code is present, has at least the predetermined number of different ones of the climate classification codes with the minimum amount of historical mold spore data.

11. A system for analyzing mold spore data and generating mold spore data reports comprising:

a computer configured to communicate with a personal electronic device which is accessing the system;

at least one database in communication with the computer which contains information correlating subregion codes of a predetermined geographic area with ones of predetermined climate classification codes associated with each of the subregion codes, the database further including available historical mold spore data, correlated to each said predetermined climate classification code, for the subregion codes;

the computer configured to;

receive an input from the personal electronic device indicating a target subregion code, wherein the target subregion code identifies an area falling within the predetermined geographic area;

identify a specific one of the predetermined climate classification codes that is associated with the target subregion code;

analyze stored information using the database and stored geographical boundary information, to identify specific other ones of the subregion codes corresponding to those other subregions which are geographically located within the predetermined geographic area, but which differ from the target subregion code;

analyze the identified other ones of the subregion codes to determine a climate classification code associated with each;

analyze the climate classification codes for each one of the other subregion codes to identify which ones match the climate classification code the climate classification code of the target subregion code;

use a stored rule set to analyze and determine if a sufficient number of the other subregion codes, which match the target subregion code, are present within the predetermined geographic area which have at least a predetermined minimum quantity of the historical mold spore data available for use, and when the determination indicates that an insufficient number of the other subregion codes are available, then using at least one of elevation or weather data to supplement the historical mold spore data;

obtain portions of stored historical mold spore data from the database which is associated with ones of the subregion codes falling within the predetermined geographic area that have the specific one of the predetermined climate classification codes associated therewith;

using the obtained portions of the historical mold spore data to generate a report that further supplements an analysis of mold spore activity in the target subregion; and

using the computer to electrically transmit the report to the personal electronic device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the subregion codes comprise zip codes.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the climate classification codes comprise Koppen-Geiger climate classification codes.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one database comprises:

a first database for containing information correlating ones of the subregion codes to specific ones of the climate classification codes; and

a second database containing the historical mold spore data correlated to each of the subregion codes within the predetermined geographic area.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the climate classification codes are associated with at least one of:

different elevations within the predetermined geographic area;

different average temperatures within the predetermined geographic area;

different temperature differentials within the predetermined geographic area; and

different average rainfall levels within the predetermined geographic area.

16. A method for analyzing mold spore data, the method comprising:

providing at least one database containing information correlating subregion codes of a predetermined geographic area with ones of predetermined climate classification codes associated with each of the subregion codes, the database further including available, stored, historical mold spore data, correlated to each said predetermined climate classification code, for the subregion codes;

receiving an input indicating a target subregion code, wherein the target subregion code identifies an area falling within the predetermined geographic area;

using an electronic component to identify a specific one of the predetermined climate classification codes that is associated with the target subregion code;

analyzing stored information from the database and geographical boundary information to identify what other subregion codes define subregions which are located within the predetermined geographic area;

analyzing the identified other subregion codes to determine a climate classification code associated with each;

analyzing, through a comparison operation, the climate classification codes for each one of the other subregion codes, to identify which ones of the other subregion codes have a climate classification code which matches the climate classification code associated with the target subregion code;

using the electronic component to obtain portions of the stored historical mold spore data from the database which is associated with ones of the subregion codes falling within the predetermined geographic area that have the specific one of the predetermined climate classification codes associated therewith, but which are assigned the same climate classification code, or climate classification codes, as the target subregion code; and

using the obtained portions of the historical mold spore data to generate a report that further supplements an analysis of mold spore activity in the target subregion; and

using the computer to electrically transmit the report to a user'"'"'s personal electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of:

the climate classification codes comprise Koppen-Geiger climate classification codes;

or

the subregion codes comprise zip codes.