Particulate detection and air advice provision

• US RE39,871 E1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AirAdvice for Homes, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AirAdvice, Inc.
• Inventors: Skardon, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie Bichngoc
• Application Number:
  US11/129,743
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 340/607, 340/601, 340/603, 340/870.92, 340/627, 340/539.26, 340/539.28, 340/539.29, 340/539.12, 340/517
• US Class Current: 340/627
• 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: G06F 19/3418 Telemedicine, e.g. remote diagnosis, remote control of instruments or remote monitoring of patient carried devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/93 Environment

Abstract

A novel basic allergen/particulate data collection device and a novel multi-function personal air quality management device are disclosed. Both devices include sensor sub-assembly detecting and reporting on allergen/particulate data (preferably, for allergen/particulate with sizes smaller than 5 micron) for an indoor location (where the asthma patient is situated). Both devices are communication enabled to allow the allergen/particulate data to be provided to an air/asthma advice server, to generate air/asthma advice for an asthma patient, taking into consideration the allergen/particulate data as well as air quality data for a surrounding outdoor area of the indoor location. In one embodiment of the basic device, the communication interface is tailored for “harsh environment” local area networking. When combined with its streamlined functionality, the device is particularly suitable (especially in terms of economics) for multiple deployment (along with a “base station”), such as in the case of an home application. In one embodiment of the multi-function device, the communication interface is tailored for “controlled environment” wide area networking. When combined with its rich functionality, the device is particularly suitable for standalone deployment, such as in the case of a professional application. Various alterations and modifications of different embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving particulate data collected at an interior location;

retrieving air quality data for an exterior surrounding area of the interior location from a remote server; and

generating a particulate advice response for a client situated at the interior location, based at least in part on the combination of the received particulate data of the interior location and the retrieved air quality data of the exterior surrounding area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said particulate data comprises data for particulate with sizes smaller than 5 micron.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises receiving said particulate data of the interior location through a data connection.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said data connection is established over a communication media selected from a group consisting of a Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN) connection, an Integrated Digital Service Network (ISDN) connection, and an Internet connection.

5. The method of claims 1, wherein said air quality data comprises data selected from a group consisting of ozone, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulphur, photochemical smog, humidity, temperature, barometric air pressure, pollen level, occurrence of sandstorm, occurrence of tornado, occurrence of forest fire, occurrence of agricultural burning.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving comprises retrieving said air quality data from a remote server through a data connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said remote server is a server maintained by an entity selected from a group consisting of a government agency, a hospital, a university, a research institution, a news reporting organization, and a commercial air quality reporting service.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said data connection is established over a communication media selected from a group consisting of a Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN) connection, an Integrated Digital Service Network (ISDN) connection, a Frame Relay connection, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) connection, and an Internet connection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said particulate advice response comprises a response selected from a group consisting of an indoor air quality advisory, an outdoor air quality advisory, a weather advisory, and a natural/mad-made pollution event advisory.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises delivering the generated particulate advice response on behalf of the client to an associated recipient selected from a group consisting of a medical physician, a nurse, a pharmacist, a parent and a guardian of the client.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said generated particulate advice response being delivered to the associated recipient in a form selected from a group consisting of beeping signal, a pager message, a voice message, a faxed report, and an e-mail message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said delivery being made to the associated recipient through a communication link selected from a group consisting of a wired and a wireless communication link.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving further comprises receiving additional data selected from a group of consisting of lung function data of the client, ambient temperature of the interior location, humidity at the interior location, and concentration of a gas at the interior location, and said particulate advice response is generated based also on said received additional data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said additional data being collected contemporaneously with said particulate data.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said particulate advice response is generated based also in part on particulate triggering threshold(s).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said particulate trigger thresholds being provided by one selected from a group consisting of the client, a medical physician of the client and a nurse of the client.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving further comprises retrieving weather data of the surrounding area, and said particulate advice response is generated based also on said retrieved weather data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said weather data being retrieved from a remote server of a weather monitoring and reporting service.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises compiling aggregated statistical data on said generation of particulate advice response for a plurality of clients.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises providing said compiled aggregated statistical data to a recipient selected from a medical research organization, a product marketing organization, a product manufacturer, a product distributor, and a product retailer.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

at least one communication interface coupled to the processor; and

a storage medium coupled to processor and having stored therein a first, a second, and a third plurality of programming instructions to be executed by the processor to receive particulate data collected at an interior location, to retrieve air quality data for an exterior surrounding area of the interior location from a remote server, and to generate a particulate advice response for a client situated in the interior location, based at least in part on the combination of the received particulate data of the interior location and the retrieved air quality data of the exterior location.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one communication interface comprises at least one communication interface selected from a group consisting of a local area networking (LAN) interface, a Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN) interface, an Integrated Digital Service Network (ISDN) interface, a T1 line interface, a cellular transceiver interface, and a satellite transceiver interface.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said storage medium further having pre-stored therein said air quality data.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said storage medium further having stored therein a fourth plurality of programming instructions to be executed by the processor to deliver the generated particulate advice response to a recipient in a form selected from a group consisting of a beeping signal, a pager message, a voice message, a faxed report, and an e-mail message.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said apparatus further comprises a voice response unit for constituting said generated particulate advice response in said voice message form.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said first plurality of programming instructions are also to be executed by the processor to receive additional data selected from a group of consisting of lung function data of the client, ambient temperature of the interior location, humidity at the interior location, and concentration of a gas at the interior location, and said third plurality of programming instructions in generating said particulate advice response further base said generation on said received additional data.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said third plurality of programming instructions in generating said particulate advice response further base said generation on particulate triggering threshold(s).

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said second plurality of programming instructions are also to be executed by the processor to retrieve weather data of the surrounding area, and said third plurality of programming instructions in generating said particulate advice response further base said generation on said retrieved weather data.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said storage medium further having stored therein a fourth plurality of programming instructions to be executed by the processor to compile aggregated statistical data on said generation of particulate advice response for a plurality of clients.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said storage medium further having stored therein a fifth plurality of programming instructions to be executed by the processor to provide said compiled aggregated statistical data to a recipient selected from a medical research organization, a product marketing organization, a product manufacturer, a product distributor, and a product retailer.

31. A method comprising:

collecting particulate data at a site using one or more sensors locally disposed at the site;

accessing a wireless local area network medium at the site, the wireless local area network medium coupled with a public network disposed off-site;

sending the collected particulate data to a remote server coupled to the public network, via the wireless local area network medium; and

receiving particulate advice response, from the remote server, that is based at least in part upon the collected particulate data and air quality data for an exterior surrounding area of the site.

33. A system comprising:

one or more data collection units coupled to a local area network at a site, at least one of the one or more data collection units having a particulate sensor to collect particulate data at the site;

a base station coupled to the local area network and a public network, to receive the particulate data from the one or more data collection units via the local area network and to send the collected particulate data to a server, which is at a location remote from the site, via the public network; and

an advice receipt arrangement at the site to receive advice from the server via the public network, said advice based at least in part upon the collected particulate data.

34. A method comprising:

receiving air quality data collected at an interior location defined at least in part by a structure;

receiving structure data related to the structure; and

generating an advice response based at least in part on a combination of the received air quality data and the received structure data.

32. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving the collected particulate data from the one or more sensors at a base station coupled to the local area network medium; and

sending the collected particulate data to the remote server from the base station.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said receiving structure data further comprises receiving data related to at least construction or location of the structure.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving data on air quality for an exterior surrounding area of the structure; and

generating the advice response based at least in part on a combination of the air quality data collected at the interior location, air quality data for the exterior surrounding area, and the structure data.

37. A system comprising:

a collection arrangement configured to collect air quality data at an interior location defined at least in part by a structure; and

an advice generation module configured to

receive the collected air quality data;

receive structure data related to the structure; and

generate an advice response based at least in part on a combination of the received air quality data and the received structure data.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the collection arrangement comprises:

at least two sensors selected from a particulate sensor, a chemical sensor, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor to collect the air quality data.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the advice generation module is further configured to:

receive data on air quality for an exterior surrounding area of the structure; and

generate the advice response based at least in part on a combination of the air quality data collected at the interior location, data on air quality for the exterior surrounding area, and the structure data.

40. A machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when accessed, results in a machine:

receiving air quality data collected at an interior location defined at least in part by a structure;

receiving structure data related to the structure; and

generating an advice response based at least in part on a combination of the received air quality data and the received structure data.

41. The machine accessible medium of claim 40, wherein said receiving of air quality data further comprises:

receiving at least data relating to particulates, temperature, humidity, or gas levels.

42. A method comprising:

receiving air quality data collected at an interior location defined at least in part by a structure;

receiving client data related to a condition of a client associated with the structure; and

generating an advice response based at least in part on a combination of the received air quality data and the received client data.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said receiving client data further comprises:

receiving medical data of the client.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

receiving structure data; and

generating the advice response based at least in part on a combination of the received air quality data, the received client data, and the received structure data.

45. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

receiving data on air quality for an exterior surrounding area of the structure; and

generating the advice response based at least in part on a combination of the received air quality data collected at the interior location, the received client data, and the received data on air quality for the exterior surrounding area.