Devices and Methods for Determining and Acting Upon Cumulative Exposure of a Building Occupant to a Hazardous Substance

• US 20160282320A1
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sloo, David, Matsuoka, Yoky
• Granted Patent: US 10,416,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0063 using a threshold to release an alarm or displaying means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A computing system performs a method of determining cumulative exposure to a gas. The computing system receives data that correspond to local concentrations of a gas from a plurality of stationary gas sensors in a home. Respective stationary gas sensors are located at respective fixed locations in respective rooms in the home. The computing system also receives data that correspond to occupancy of the home, including occupancy by a first occupant. The computing system determines a cumulative exposure of the first occupant to the gas in the home, based at least in part on the received data that correspond to local concentrations of the gas and the received data that correspond to occupancy of the home. The computing system performs and/or sends instructions to perform one or more predefined operations in accordance with the determined cumulative exposure of the first occupant.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a computing system;

receiving data that correspond to local concentrations of a gas from a plurality of stationary gas sensors in a home;

wherein;

the stationary gas sensors are located in a plurality of rooms in the home, and

a respective stationary gas sensor is located at a respective fixed location in a respective room in the home;

receiving data that correspond to occupancy of the home, including occupancy by a first occupant;

determining, based at least in part on the received data that correspond to local concentrations of the gas and the received data that correspond to occupancy of the home, a cumulative exposure of the first occupant to the gas in the home; and

performing and/or sending instructions to perform one or more predefined operations in accordance with the determined cumulative exposure of the first occupant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data that correspond to occupancy of the home includes an arrival time for the first occupant in the home.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data that correspond to occupancy of the home includes respective time spent by the first occupant in respective rooms of the home since the first occupant arrived in the home.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data that correspond to occupancy of the home includes respective time spent by a mobile phone of the first occupant in respective rooms of the home since the first occupant arrived in the home.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data that correspond to occupancy of the home is derived from one or more of:

processing information derived from video cameras distributed in respective rooms of the home to identify the occupant therein;

processing information derived from signals emitted from a mobile phone or wearable electronic device on the occupant for identifying the identity and location of the occupant within the home; and

/or

processing information derived from passive electromagnetic signature tags located on or within the occupant for identifying the identity and location of the occupant within the home.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the cumulative exposure of the first occupant to the gas in the home is determined with a time-weighted exposure model.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing and/or sending instructions to perform one or more predefined operations is in accordance with predefined criteria that are tailored to the first occupant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing and/or sending instructions to perform one or more predefined operations in accordance with the determined cumulative exposure of the first occupant comprises:

determining whether the cumulative exposure of the first occupant meets first predefined cumulative exposure criteria; and

in accordance with determining that the cumulative exposure of the first occupant meets the first predefined cumulative exposure criteria, sending instructions to sound an alarm to devices containing the plurality of stationary gas sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein performing and/or sending instructions to perform one or more predefined operations in accordance with the determined cumulative exposure of the first occupant includes:

determining whether the cumulative exposure of the first occupant meets first predefined cumulative exposure criteria; and

in accordance with determining that the cumulative exposure of the first occupant meets the first predefined cumulative exposure criteria, sending a notification to a phone associated with the first occupant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein performing and/or sending instructions to perform one or more predefined operations in accordance with the determined cumulative exposure of the first occupant includes:

determining whether the cumulative exposure of the first occupant meets first predefined cumulative exposure criteria; and

in accordance with determining that the cumulative exposure of the first occupant meets the first predefined cumulative exposure criteria, sending a notification to a phone associated with a caregiver of the first occupant.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a housing that contains the computing system also contains one of the plurality of stationary gas sensors.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a housing that contains the computing system also contains one of the plurality of stationary gas sensors and at least one sensor that provides data that correspond to occupancy of the home.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing system is located in the home at a separate location from locations of the plurality of stationary gas sensors in the home.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing system is located in a server system remote from the home.

15. A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving data that correspond to local concentrations of a gas from a plurality of stationary gas sensors in a home;

wherein;

the stationary gas sensors are located in a plurality of rooms in the home, and

a respective stationary gas sensor is located at a respective fixed location in a respective room in the home;

receiving data that correspond to occupancy of the home, including occupancy by a first occupant;

determining, based at least in part on the received data that correspond to local concentrations of the gas and the received data that correspond to occupancy of the home, a cumulative exposure of the first occupant to the gas in the home; and

performing and/or sending instructions to perform one or more predefined operations in accordance with the determined cumulative exposure of the first occupant.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to:

receive data that correspond to local concentrations of a gas from a plurality of stationary gas sensors in a home;

wherein;

the stationary gas sensors are located in a plurality of rooms in the home, and

a respective stationary gas sensor is located at a respective fixed location in a respective room in the home;

receive data that correspond to occupancy of the home, including occupancy by a first occupant;

determine, based at least in part on the received data that correspond to local concentrations of the gas and the received data that correspond to occupancy of the home, a cumulative exposure of the first occupant to the gas in the home; and

perform and/or send instructions to perform one or more predefined operations in accordance with the determined cumulative exposure of the first occupant.