Environmental monitoring system

• US 6,055,480 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albert Einstein Healthcare Network (Main Line Health System)
• Original Assignee: Albert Einstein Healthcare Network (Main Line Health System)
• Inventors: Dagalur, Srinivas S., Newman, Mark, Salah, Maher, Nevo, Igal
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr., Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US08/967,124
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/4, 702/5
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/06 giving a combined indication of weather conditions catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment G01W1/17; computers per se G06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring environmental conditions that processes information to create and display information concerning changes in the status of environmental conditions. The apparatus comprises a means of transforming measured values of more than one parameter of the condition using a function dependent on at least one of the baseline and critical values of the conditions. In a preferred form, the function is a non-linear transformation function. The apparatus further includes mapping values for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each parameter. The deviation indicators are then analyzed to generate and display information concerning the changed status of the environmental (i.e., meteorological or geological) conditions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring variable environmental conditions in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm, said apparatus comprising,:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of environmental index values associated with the environment using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the index value;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each environmental index value; and

c. analysis means for analyzing the deviation indicators and generating an average deviation indicator in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the analysis means generates an average deviation indicator employing a function of the form:

##EQU13## wherein DI_avg represents the average deviation indicator, y_i, represents the mapped value of the i^th value and n represents the total number of values being measured.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a maximum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the environmental index value.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the transformation means employs a function of the form:

##EQU14## wherein x represents the value of the particular environmental index;

BL represents the baseline value for the environmental index;

Xmax represents a predefined maximum value for the environmental index;

a, b, and w represent predefined numbers; and

y represents the value of the function, and Y_m represents a predefined maximum value of the function.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the environmental index value.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the transformation means employs a function of the form:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">y=1/2{1-exp(-G(x-BL).sup.2)},

wherein y represents the mapped value of the parameter, x represents the measured value of the parameter, BL represents the baseline value for the parameter, and G represents the mapping parameter such that ##EQU15## wherein y'"'"' represents the value of the function at x_min, x_min represents the minimum value of the parameter, y" represents the value of the function at x_max, and x_max represents the maximum value of the parameter.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the transformation means employs a non-linear transformation function.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the mapping means comprises a means for determining the deviation indicators employing a function of the form:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">DI=.left brkt-bot.K×

Abs(y-0.5).right brkt-bot.

wherein DI represents the deviation indicator, K represents a constant, Abs represents absolute values, y represents the value of the function, and ".left brkt-bot..right brkt-bot." represents a floor function that returns the largest integer value of an expression contained between the ".left brkt-bot." and the ".right brkt-bot." symbols.

9. An apparatus for monitoring variable environmental conditions comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of environmental index values associated with the environment using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the index value;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each environmental index value;

c. analysis means for analyzing the deviation indicators and generating an average deviation indicator; and

d. a plurality of sensors operative to measure the environmental index.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 further comprising a display means for displaying the average environmental index.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the environmental index value.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein the transformation means employs a function of the form:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">y=1/2{1-exp(-G(x-BL).sup.2)}

wherein y represents the mapped value of the parameter, x represents the measured value of the parameter, BL represents the baseline value for the parameter, and G represents the mapping parameter such that ##EQU18## wherein y'"'"' represents the value of the function at x_min, x_min represents the minimum value of the parameter, y" represents the value of the function at x_max, and x_max represents the maximum value of the parameter.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the transformation means employs a non-linear transformation function.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the mapping means comprises a means for determining the deviation indicators employing a function of the form:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">DI=.left brkt-bot.K×

Abs(y-0.5).right brkt-bot.

wherein DI represents the deviation indicator, K represents a constant, Abs represents absolute values, y represents the value of the function, and ".left brkt-bot..right brkt-bot." represents a floor function that returns the largest integer value of an expression contained between the ".left brkt-bot." and the ".right brkt-bot." symbols.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 further comprising a plurality of sensors operative to measure the environmental index values.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 further comprising a display means for displaying the system criticality indicator.

11. An apparatus for monitoring an environmental system in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm, said apparatus comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of environmental index values associated with the environmental system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the environmental index value;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each environmental index value; and

c. analysis means for analyzing the deviation indicators and generating a system criticality indicator in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the analysis means generates the system criticality indicator employing a function of the form:

##EQU16## wherein DI_cri represents the system criticality indicator, n represents the total number of measured values, DI_max represents a maximum deviation indicator for all the measured values, DI_avg represents an average of the deviation indicators for all the measured values, n_m is the total number of values with a deviation indicator equal to DI_max.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a maximum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the environmental index value.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein the transformation means employs a function of the form:

##EQU17## wherein x represents the value of the particular environmental index;

BL represents the baseline value for the environmental index;

x_max represents a predefined maximum value for the environmental index;

a, b, and w represent predefined numbers; and

y represents the value of the function, and Y_m represents a predefined maximum value of the function.

21. An apparatus for monitoring an environmental system in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm, said apparatus comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of environmental indices associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the environmental index value, wherein the function exhibits a maximum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the environmental index value; and

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each environmental index value in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein the transformation means employs a function of the form:

##EQU19## wherein x represents the value of the particular environmental index;

BL represents the baseline value for the environmental index;

x_max represents a predefined maximum value for the environmental index;

a, b, and w represent predefined numbers; and

y represents the value of the function, and Y_m represents a predefined maximum value of the function.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein the transformation means employs a function which exhibits a minimum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the environmental index value.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein the transformation means employs a function of the form:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">y=1/2{1-exp(-G(x-BL).sup.2)},

wherein y represents the mapped value of the parameter, x represents the measured value of the parameter, BL represents the baseline value for the environmental parameter, and G represents the mapping parameter such that ##EQU20## wherein y'"'"' represents the value of the function at x_min, x_min represents the minimum value of the parameter, y" represents the value of the function at x_max, and x_max represents the maximum value of the parameter.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein the mapping means comprises a means for determining the deviation indicators employing a function of the form:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">DI=.left brkt-bot.K×

Abs(y-0.5).right brkt-bot.

wherein DI represents the deviation indicator, K represents a constant, Abs represents absolute values, y represents the value of the function, and ".left brkt-bot..right brkt-bot." represents a floor function that returns the largest integer value of an expression contained between the ".left brkt-bot." and the ".right brkt-bot." symbols.

26. An apparatus for monitoring an environmental system comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of environmental indices associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline and critical values of the environmental index value, wherein the function exhibits a maximum sensitivity for deviations close to the baseline value of the environmental index value;

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each environmental index value; and

c. a plurality of sensors operative to measure the values of the environmental index values.

27. An apparatus for monitoring an environmental system in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm, said apparatus comprising:

a. transformation means for transforming each value of a plurality of environmental index values associated with the system using a function dependent on at least baseline values of the environmental system; and

b. mapping means for mapping the function to a sequence of reference values and generating a deviation indicator for each environmental index value in order to analyze any changes and/or deviations from a predetermined norm.