Probabilistic map for a building

• US 6,795,795 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kreichauf, Ruth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US10/171,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 702/31, 702/32, 702/94, 702/95, 702/104, 702/116, 702/122, 702/181, 702/123, 702/179, 702/180, 702/190, 702/195.199, 702/FOR.115, 702/117, 702/137, 702/139, 702/155, 702/164, 702/166, 702/167, 702/171, 714/1, 700/50, 700/51, 706/52, 706/14, 340/600, 340/627, 340/632, 165/2, 165/11.1, 165/12, 165/26
• US Class Current: 702/181
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0062 concerning the measuring method, e.g. intermittent, or the display, e.g. digital
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric

Abstract

A probabilistic map generator for indicating the probability of a chemical, biological or other agent in a structure or building. The building is mapped in to floors and several levels of cubes in each floor. The probability of an agent'"'"'s presence is indicated for each cube. Sensors are placed in various locations on each floor of the building. Inputs from the sensors go to a data processor. The probabilities of an agent'"'"'s presence may be calculated by the data processor in conjunction with a Kalman filter. The probabilities may be displayed in a diagram of cubes, each having a certain shading indicating a probability of the agent'"'"'s presence for the respective cube.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating a probabilistic map of an agent in a building, comprising:

a processor;

a database connected to said processor;

a sensing mechanism in the building connected to said processor; and

wherein;

said database has a model of the building;

data from said sensing mechanism may be processed by said processor for input to said model; and

the model has a volume divided into subvolumes to identify various places in the building, and wherein each subvolume indicates a probability that an agent may be in a subvolume of the building.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter connected to said processor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an indicator connected to said processor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said indicator is able to display the probability of each subvolume of the model.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each floor of the building represented in the model has a plurality of subvolumes.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each floor of the building has a plurality of levels of subvolumes.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said filter provides state estimates of location and concentration of an agent in the building, which can be indicated by the respective subvolumes of the model.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said filter uses continuous state updates and discrete updates upon a receipt of new data from said sensing mechanism.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said filter provides state estimates of pressure and/or flow in the building which can be indicated by the respective subvolumes of the model.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said filter comprises parameter inputs comprising:

building geometry;

conditions external to the building; and

/or

sensor descriptions and locations.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said filter comprises control inputs comprising at least some various heat, ventilation and air conditioning settings.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said filter is a Kalman filter.

13. A probabilistic map generator comprising:

a processor;

a sensor suite connected to said processor; and

a Kalman filter connected to said processor; and

wherein said Kalman filter and processor process data from said sensor suite into a probabilistic map.

14. The generator of claim 13, wherein:

said sensor suite is a set of sensors situated in a volume;

the volume comprises subvolumes;

the probabilistic map indicates a probability of an agent'"'"'s presence in at least one subvolume.

15. The generator of claim 14, wherein:

the volume is a building; and

the parameter inputs of the building are entered into said processor.

16. The generator of claim 15, wherein the probabilities of the at least one subvolume may be displayed.

17. A method for generating a probabilistic map, comprising:

taking data from a plurality of sensors situated in a structure;

entering the data into a processor;

constructing a model having parameters of the structure;

entering the model and parameters into the processor; and

processing with a Kalman filter the data and parameters into probabilities of an agent in the structure.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

segregating the model into subvolumes; and

processing a probability of an agent in each subvolume.

19. The methods of claim 18, further comprising displaying the probabilities in a map of subvolumes of the model of the structure.

20. A probabilistic map generator comprising:

means for sensing data in a structure;

means for processing connected to said means for sensing;

means for modeling the structure, connected to said means for processing;

means for Kalman filter processing connected to said means for processing; and

means for displaying a probabilistic map, connected to said means for Kalman filter processing.

21. An apparatus for generating a probabilistic map of an agent in a building, comprising:

a processor;

a database connected to the processor;

a sensing mechanism in the building connected to the processor;

a filter connected to the processor; and

an indicator connected to the processor; and

wherein;

the database has a model of the building;

data from the sensing mechanism may be processed by the processor for input to the model;

the model has a volume divided into subvolumes to identify various places in the building;

each subvolume indicates a probability that an agent may be in a subvolume of the building;

indicator is able to display the probability of each subvolume of the model;

each floor of the building represented in the model has a plurality of subvolumes;

each floor of the building has a plurality of levels of subvolumes; and

the filter provides state estimates of location and concentration of an agent in the building, which can be indicated by the respective subvolumes of the model.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the filter uses continuous state updates and discrete updates upon a receipt of new data from the sensing mechanism.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the filter provides state estimates of pressure and/or flow in the building which can be indicated by the respective subvolumes of the model.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the filter comprises parameter inputs comprising:

building geometry;

conditions external to the building; and

/or

sensor descriptions and locations.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the filter comprises control inputs comprising at least some various heat, ventilation and air conditioning settings.

26. An apparatus for generating a probabilistic map of an agent in a building, comprising:

a sensing mechanism in the building;

a filter;

an indicator;

a processor connected to the sensing mechanism, the filter and the indicator; and

a database connected to the processor; and

wherein;

the database has a model of the building;

data from the sensing mechanism is processed by the processor for input to the model;

the model has a volume divided into subvolumes to identity various places in the building;

each subvolume indicates a probability that an agent may be in a subvolume of the building;

indicator is able to display the probability of each subvolume of the model; and

the filter provides state estimates of location and concentration of an agent in the building, according to the respective subvolumes of the model.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the filter uses continuous state updates and discrete updates upon a receipt of new data from the sensing mechanism.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the filter provides state estimates of pressure and/or flow in the building which is indicated by the respective subvolumes of the model.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the filter comprises parameter inputs comprising:

building geometry;

conditions external to the building; and

/or

sensor descriptions and locations.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the filter comprises control inputs comprising at least some various heat, ventilation and air conditioning settings.

31. An apparatus for generating a probabilistic map of a chemical/biological agent in a building, comprising:

an agent sensing mechanism in the building;

a filter;

an indicator;

a processor connected to the agent sensing mechanism, the filter and the indicator; and

a database connected to the processor, and

wherein;

the database comprises a model of the building;

data from the sensing mechanism is processed by the processor for input to the model;

the model has a volume divided into subvolumes to represent various subvolumes in the building, and wherein each subvolume of the model based on data from the processor indicates a probability that an agent is in a corresponding subvolume of the building; and

the indicator displays the probability of each subvolume of the model.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein each floor of the building represented in the model has a plurality of subvolumes.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the filter has parameter inputs comprising:

building geometry;

conditions external to the building; and

sensor descriptions and locations.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein:

the filter provides state estimates of location and concentration of an agent in the building, which are indicated by the respective subvolumes of the model; and

the filter uses continuous state updates and discrete updates upon a receipt of new data from the sensing mechanism.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the filter provides state estimates of pressure and flow in the building are indicated by the respective subvolumes of the model.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the filter comprises control inputs comprising at least some various heat, ventilation and air conditioning settings.