Detection and prevention of toxic gas

• US 9,989,507 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Benn, Mala
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, Roy Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aiello, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/497,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20160091471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 340501, 340506, 340628, 379 37, 702188, 700275, 700278
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/72 Carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0004 Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air gaseous biological material G01N33/497; exhaust gas of internal combustion engines G01M15/102
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/004 for CO, CO2
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23238 TV microprocessor executes also home control, monitoring of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Various arrangements for detecting and mitigating toxic gases are presented. Components of a home automation system may be used to monitor gas concentrations in home. Changes or elevated levels of gas concentrations may trigger mitigation or diagnosis procedures. Diagnosis procedures may include correlating the gas sensor readings with the activity of components of a home to identify possible causality. The activity of components may be changed and altered to test correlations or determine causality between components.

Claims

1. A method for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis, the method comprising:

receiving, at an automation controller, carbon monoxide sensor readings from one or more carbon monoxide detectors;

recording, by the automation controller, the carbon monoxide sensor readings over a first time period;

monitoring, by the automation controller, activity of components of a home over the first time period, wherein the activity of the components is at least in part based on a first activity schedule and constrained by a user input;

identifying, by the automation controller, a first correlation between the activity of the components of the home and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the first time period;

generating, by the automation controller, a second activity schedule for a second time period for at least one component of the home, wherein the second activity schedule defines second activity comprising active and inactive periods of time for the at least one component of the home, and wherein the automation controller, during the second activity schedule, is configured to;

meet user constraints; and

test the first correlation between the activity and the carbon monoxide sensor readings by activating or deactivating the at least one component of the home to follow the second activity schedule during the second time period to analyze the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period in response to the second activity;

recording, by the automation controller, the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period;

monitoring, by the automation controller, the activity of the components of the home over the second time period;

identifying, by the automation controller, a second correlation between the activity of the components and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period; and

determining, by the automation controller, if the first correlation and the second correlation are consistent.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving external data for the first time period; and

identifying a third correlation between external data and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the first time period;

wherein the external data comprises data selected from;

weather data;

temperature data; and

wind data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring readings of home sensors in the home;

determining activity of home appliances based on readings of the home sensors; and

determining a third correlation between the home sensor readings and the carbon monoxide sensor readings.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating a ventilation system when the carbon monoxide sensor readings exceed a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reporting, to the user, if the first correlation and the second correlation is consistent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second activity schedule is configured to change the activity of the components from the first activity schedule of the home that were correlated to the carbon monoxide sensor readings.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second activity schedule is configured to change relative timing of the activity of the components from the first activity schedule.

8. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis, the medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

receive carbon monoxide sensor readings from one or more carbon monoxide detectors;

record the carbon monoxide sensor readings over a first time period;

monitor activity of components of a home over the first time period, wherein the activity of the components is at least in part based on a first activity schedule and constrained by a user input;

identify a first correlation between the activity of the components of the home and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the first time period;

generate a second activity schedule for a second time period for at least one component of the home, wherein the second activity schedule defines second activity comprising active and inactive periods of time for the at least one component of the home, and wherein, during the second activity schedule, the processor readable instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to;

meet user constraints; and

test the first correlation between the activity and the carbon monoxide sensor readings by activating or deactivating the at least one component of the home to follow the second activity schedule during the second time period to analyze the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period in response to the second activity;

record the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period;

monitor the activity of the components of the home over the second time period;

identify a second correlation between the activity of the components and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period; and

determine if the first correlation and the second correlation are consistent.

9. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the processor-readable instructions cause one or more processors to:

receive external data for the first time period; and

identify a third correlation between external data and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the first time period;

wherein the external data comprises data selected from;

weather data;

temperature data; and

wind data.

10. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the processor-readable instructions cause one or more processors to:

monitor readings of home sensors in the home;

determine activity of home appliances based on readings of the home sensors; and

determine a third correlation between the home sensor readings and the carbon monoxide sensor readings.

11. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the processor-readable instructions cause one or more processors to:

activate a ventilation system when the carbon monoxide sensor readings exceed a threshold.

12. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the processor-readable instructions cause one or more processors to:

report, to the user, if the first correlation and the second correlation is consistent.

13. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the second activity schedule is configured to change the activity of the components from the first activity schedule of the home that were correlated to the carbon monoxide sensor readings.

14. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the second activity schedule is configured to change relative timing of the activity of the components from the first activity schedule.

15. A television receiver configured for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis, the television receiver comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive carbon monoxide sensor readings from one or more carbon monoxide detectors;

record the carbon monoxide sensor readings over a first time period;

monitor activity of components of a home over the first time period, wherein the activity of the components is at least in part based on a first activity schedule and constrained by a user input;

identify a first correlation between the activity of the components of the home and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the first time period;

generate a second activity schedule for a second time period for at least one component of the home, wherein the second activity schedule defines second activity comprising active and inactive periods of time for the at least one component of the home, and wherein during the second activity schedule, the processor-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to;

meet user constraints; and

test the first correlation between the activity and the carbon monoxide sensor readings by activating or deactivating the at least one component of the home to follow the second activity schedule during the second time period to analyze the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period in response to the second activity;

record the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period;

monitor the activity of the components of the home over the second time period;

identify a second correlation between the activity of the components and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the second time period; and

determine if the first correlation and the second correlation are consistent.

16. The television receiver configured for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis of claim 15, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

receive external data for the first time period; and

identify a third correlation between external data and the carbon monoxide sensor readings over the first time period;

wherein the external data comprises data selected from;

weather data;

temperature data; and

wind data.

17. The television receiver configured for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis of claim 15, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

monitor readings of home sensors in the home;

determine activity of home appliances based on readings of the home sensors; and

determine a third correlation between the home sensor readings and the carbon monoxide sensor readings.

18. The television receiver configured for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis of claim 15, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to activate a ventilation system when the carbon monoxide sensor readings exceed a threshold.

19. The television receiver configured for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis of claim 15, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to report, to the user, if the first correlation and the second correlation is consistent.

20. The television receiver configured for automation control for carbon monoxide diagnosis of claim 15, wherein the second activity schedule is configured to change the activity of the components from the first activity schedule of the home that were correlated to the carbon monoxide sensor readings.