Method and system for determining the location of a fecal insult

• US 9,933,402 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health Aktiebolag
• Original Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB (Industrivärden AB)
• Inventors: Carney, Joshua, Carln, Henrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Larkin, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Devito, Alex
• Application Number:
  US14/653,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/84 Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15138 for flatus, i.e. gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8491 including test methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 for organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/005 for H2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms

Abstract

A method for determining the location of a fecal insult, includes: detecting the concentration of at least one gas indicative of feces at a plurality of locations in a defined space; and determining whether said concentration of said gas exceeds a predetermined first threshold value. The method includes: detecting the concentration of hydrogen gas at each of said locations; detecting the concentration of at least one further gas component being indicative of feces in said space; and determining that a fecal insult has occurred in a location where said detected concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds said first threshold value, provided that the detected concentration of said further gas component also exceeds a predetermined second threshold value in said location.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a fecal insult, comprising:

detecting, by one of at least two first sensors, a concentration of hydrogen gas, which is at least one gas indicative of feces, each of the at least two first sensors at different ones of a first plurality of locations in a defined space;

determining whether said concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds a predetermined first threshold value;

detecting, by at least one second sensor, a concentration of at least one further gas component being indicative of feces, each of the at least one second sensor in said defined space, wherein said further gas component comprises at least one of an organic compound and hydrogen sulphide; and

determining that a fecal insult has occurred in one of said first plurality of locations, which occurs where said concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds said first threshold value, provided that said concentration of said further gas component also exceeds a predetermined second threshold value,

wherein there are fewer of said second sensors than said first sensors in said defined space.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the concentration of said further gas component occurs at an equal distance from each of said first plurality of locations where hydrogen gas is detected.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that a fecal insult has occurred in one of said first plurality of locations when said concentration of hydrogen gas has exceeded said first threshold value during a predetermined time period and said concentration of said further gas component has exceeded said second threshold value during a predetermined second time period.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprises:

assigning a weight value for each of said concentration of hydrogen gas and said concentration of the further gas component before determining whether a fecal insult has occurred.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first plurality of locations and location of said at least one second sensor in said defined space are at a predetermined distance from each other, which is longer than the radial distance that hydrogen gas may travel from its source of origin before a concentration of hydrogen is no longer detectable.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprises:

registering said location of said fecal insult in a receiving unit.

7. A system for determining a location of a fecal insult, comprising:

a plurality of first gas sensors for detecting the concentration of at least one gas indicative of feces at a first plurality of locations in a defined space;

at least one further gas sensor for detecting the concentration of at least one further gas component being indicative of feces in said defined space at a second location, wherein said further gas component comprises at least one of an organic compound and hydrogen sulphide; and

a receiver unit for determining whether said concentration of said gas exceeds a predetermined first threshold value,

wherein said plurality of first gas sensors are configured for detecting said concentration of hydrogen gas at each of said first plurality of locations,

wherein said receiver unit is configured to determine that a fecal insult has occurred in a location where said detected concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds said first threshold value, provided that the detected concentration of said further gas component also exceeds a predetermined second threshold value, and

wherein there are fewer of said second sensors than said first sensors in said defined space.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the receiver unit comprises an indicator for providing visual or aural information as to the location where feces have been detected.

9. The system according to claim 7, further comprises a remote server unit connectable to said receiving unit and for storing information from said gas sensors.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one further sensor unit is arranged an equal distance from each of said locations of said plurality of first sensors.