Patent Application
20230014910
Indoor air quality is often difficult to understand. This may be due, at least in part, to the numerous parameters that can be measured and reported. Even more difficult is understanding what actions can be taken to improve the indoor air quality. Accordingly, there remains a need for an invention that simplifies the understanding and improvement of indoor air quality.
Apparatus and associated methods relate to monitoring air quality (e.g., at a spot location). An indoor air quality monitor includes a housing, and electronic board assembly and a fan assembly. The housing includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface has a non-planar configuration. The electronic board assembly is vertically mounted within the housing. The electronic board assembly includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a particulate detector connected thereto. The fan assembly is disposed within the housing. The fan assembly is configured to draw air into the housing over at least one of the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the particular detector, and expel the air back outside the housing.
Some embodiments relate to a method for making recommendations regarding air quality. Air is drawn from outside the housing to inside the housing through an inlet aperture in response to operation of a fan assembly disposed within a housing. The air within the housing is then passed over at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a particulate detector in response to operation of the fan assembly disposed within the housing. Then the air is expelled back through an outlet aperture in a non-planar upper surface of the housing to outside the housing in response to operation of the fan assembly disposed within the housing. At least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a particulate detector senses an air quality metric of the air drawn into the housing by the fan assembly. An indoor air quality metric is generated, via a processor, based on the temperature, humidity, and particulate concentration sensed.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The following descriptions of the drawings should not be considered limiting in any way.
Apparatus and associated methods relate to monitoring air quality. At least one of temperature, humidity, and particulate concentrations is measured by an indoor air quality monitor, which may be disposed in a spot location. Air from that spot location is drawn into the housing of the indoor air quality monitor via a fan assembly. The air drawn into the housing is directed past at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensors, and a particulate detector. The air is then expelled back outside the housing through an outlet in a non-planar upper surface of the housing. A processor generates the indoor air quality summary based on the measured temperature, humidity, and/or particulate concentration.
In some embodiments, the non-planar upper surface of the housing has a plurality of apertures through which the air may be drawn in and expelled back out from the housing (e.g., by operating the fan assembly). Accordingly, it should be understood that in certain instances the apertures on the upper surface of the housing may serve as both an inlet and an outlet for the air being measured by the indoor air quality monitor. However, in certain instance, a barrier may be used to separate which apertures are used to draw air into the housing (which may be referred to as inlet apertures) and which apertures are used to expel air outside the housing (which may be referred to as outlet apertures). As mentioned, a barrier within the housing can be used, in cooperation with a configuration of inlet and outlet apertures, to define the airflow path. Such a barrier can be a tube or a wall, for example. In some embodiments, the airflow path directs the air past the one or more air quality sensors before the air engages electronic components that can alter the air quality metrics (e.g., increasing/decreasing the temperature, humidity, etc. of the air). The one or more air quality sensors may be conductively coupled to an electronic board assembly that is mounted vertically within the housing. In some embodiments, the vertically mounted electronic board assembly can function as a barrier to airflow, thereby contributing to defining the airflow path.
Inside of housing 12 are electronic sensor assembly 24 and fan assembly 26. Electronic sensor assembly 24 includes vertically-mounted electronic board assembly 28 and one or more air quality sensors (e.g., air quality sensor(s) 30). Air quality sensor(s) 30 can be, for example, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a particulate detector, a radon detector, a carbon-dioxide detector, etc. Air quality sensor(s) 30 can be electrically connected to the electronic board assembly 28. In some embodiments, air quality sensor(s) 30 can be directly mounted to electronic board assembly 28. In other embodiments, air quality sensor(s) 30 can be electrically connected to electronic board assembly 28 via conductive wires.
Housing 12 has apertures 32A-32I in non-planar upper surface 18 and at least one aperture in sidewall 22 (which, as shown, may be viewed as one or more circumferential gap, such as apertures 34A-34I, extending around the perimeter of the housing 12). It will be appreciated that in certain instances one or more of apertures 32A-32I in non-planar upper surface 18 may be referred to as the primary inlet and one or more of apertures 34A-34I in the sidewall 22 may be referred to as the secondary inlet. As depicted in
It should be appreciated that the non-planar configuration of upper surface 18 (which may be a waveform in certain instances) may help ensure airflow into housing 12. For example, the configuration may be such that the placement of a planar object (such as a book, etc.) on upper surface 18 will not block, at least not completely, apertures 32A-32I (e.g., an air gap may be created between the planar object and the lower portion of the waveform). The non-planar configuration orientation is angled with respect to the apertures. In certain instances, the waveform orientation is angled with respect to the apertures. The wave form orientation angle is non-orthogonal. In some embodiments, like the one depicted in
Air quality sensor(s) 30 is located so as to encounter the air drawn into housing 12 before such air encounters electronic components that might change the metric being measured by air quality sensor(s) 30. For example, air quality sensor(s) 30 is typically mounted near the top of electronic board assembly 28 near where the airflow path is channeled past electronic board assembly 28. If air quality sensor(s) 30 is a temperature sensor, for example, heat-generating electronic components of electronic board assembly 28 may be mounted at locations downstream of where air quality sensor(s) 30 is mounted. Similarly, if air quality sensor(s) 30 is a humidity sensor, it too may be mounted upstream of heat generating electronic components which could affect humidity measurements.
Indoor air quality monitor 10 can perform various operations in response to sensing one or more metrics of air quality. For example, indoor air quality monitor 10 can have light ring 40 configured to display a light signal indicative of the indoor air quality summary (which may be in the form of a different color of light, etc.). Such a summary can be a composite score determined based on the measurement(s) of more than one air quality sensor, as will be described below, with reference to
In sub-section A1, the thermal-comfort metrics are temperature and humidity. Signals indicative of measured temperature and humidity are provided to a room-atmosphere scoring system. In some embodiments the signals indicative of temperature and humidity are used independently, and in other embodiments are used in combination. For example, a Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) can be calculated based on a combination of temperature and humidity measurements. The PMV can be calculated using a proprietary method or any publicly available PMV calculation tool, such as, for example, the pythermalcomfort library, or the Farina, A. PMV Calculator 2015. In some embodiments, additional metrics can be added to the thermal-comfort metrics, such as, for example, air speed. Air speed also can be used either independently or in combination with the temperature metric and/or the humidity metric.
In sub-section A2, the ventilation metrics include only a single metric—carbon dioxide concentration. In other embodiments, additional metrics can be included in the ventilation metrics. For example, another ventilation metric could be a measure or a rate of outside air supplied to the room (e.g., which may be provided in units of cubic feet per minute).
In sub-section A3, the contamination metrics listed are: particulate concentration of particles having a dimension equal to or less than 2.5 microns (PM 2.5); Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) concentration; and Radon concentration. In other embodiments, additional or fewer metrics can be used to determine an overall air quality metric. For example, other toxins or pollutants can be detected by sensors configured to detect such toxins or pollutants. In some embodiments particulate concentration of particles having dimensions equal to or less than 10 microns (PM 10) may be detected and used to determine the overall air quality metric.
Section B of chart 50 discloses how the individual metrics as detected by the various sensors and detectors are normalized. Three different normalization standards are disclosed: i) an enhanced threshold; ii) and acceptable threshold; and iii) a warning threshold. The normalization goes as follows. Each of the individual metrics as detected by the various sensors and detectors are given a score of 75 when the sensed metric is equal to an acceptable threshold. In a similar fashion, each of the individual metrics as detected by the various sensors and detectors are given a score of 90 when the sensed metric is equal to an enhanced threshold. Again, each of the individual metrics as detected by the various sensors and detectors are given a score of 60 when the sensed metric is equal to a warning threshold. Although in the depicted embodiment, the normalized score for metrics equal to the acceptable, enhanced, and warning thresholds is 75, 90, and 60, other normalized scores can be used in other embodiments. The order of the normalized scores, however, will be from highest to lowest from enhanced threshold through acceptable threshold to warning threshold. Furthermore, dissimilar metrics are normalized to the same score, whether it be 75 in the depicted embodiment or some other value, for metrics equal to their respective acceptable threshold.
The acceptable, enhanced, and warning thresholds may be provided by one or more of various standards for a room's atmospheric environment. For example, the International Well Room Institute's V2 Certification Program has published many such thresholds. Other sources can be used to provide guidance pertaining to such thresholds, including government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and international standards, such as the International Standard Organization (ISO). Metrics, for which none of the various standards for a room's atmospheric environment provides such an acceptable level, can leverage experts in the disciplines relevant to provide particular thresholds.
Section B of chart 50 provides exemplary values, obtained from such authorities identified above, for the enhanced, acceptable, and warning thresholds of each atmospheric-environment metric. For example, the acceptable, enhanced, and warning thresholds for carbon dioxide concentration are 900, 750, and 1000 parts per million, respectively, and the acceptable, enhanced, and warning thresholds for TVOC concentration are 500, 200, and 2000 μg/m3, respectively. Thus, for any atmospheric-environment metric that is equal to one of the thresholds—the acceptable threshold, the enhanced threshold, or the warning threshold—a score is given—75, 90, or 60, respectively. For any atmospheric-environment metric that is not equal to one of these thresholds, scores will be computed as will be described below with reference to
Concentration-score relation 66 is saturated at score values of 0 and 100 where low-score portion 66LS and high-score portion 66HS cross such saturation values at SLOW and SHIGH locations on graph 60. Thus, for all carbon-dioxide concentration measurements below 650 ppm, a score of 100 is assigned, and for all carbon-dioxide concentration measurements above 1400 ppm, a score of 0 is assigned. For each of the other atmospheric-environment metrics, a bilinear relation is similarly constructed. Each of high-score portion 66HS and low-score portion 66LS, can be described in standard format:
y=mx+b. (1)
Here, y represents the score assigned to the atmospheric-environment metric x. the coefficients m and b are given in section C of chart 50. In section C, subscript HIGH identifies the m and b coefficients corresponding to high-score portion 66HS, and subscript LOW identifies the m and b coefficients corresponding to low-score portion 66LS.
Section D describes how the individual normalized scores are combined to form a single composite score indicative of the room's atmospheric environment. In the embodiment described by chart 50, a single air quality score is calculated based on the normalized scores of the particulate concentration PM 2.5, the TVOC concentration, and Radon concentration measurements. The minimum of the three normalized measurements of these three concentrations is selected as the normalized score as representative of air quality. In other embodiments the individual normalized metrics can be combined using a weighted average, such as, for example, a weighted arithmetic average. In other embodiments a weighted geometric average can be used to combine individual normalized metrics.
A weighted average of the individual scores representative of thermal comfort, ventilation, and air quality creates a single composite score representative of atmospheric-environment quality for the entire room. Such a composite score can provide a metric, from which a person can readily ascertain quality of the room's atmospheric environment. Furthermore, such a composite score can be compared with a threshold. Should a room's composite score drop below such a threshold, an automated control system can perform remedial actions that are configured to improve the atmospheric environment, and thus improve the composite score. In some embodiments, individual normalized scores can be compared with a threshold for actionable response. For example, if the normalized score for carbon-dioxide concentration were to fall below 75, a remedial action could be triggered. The normalization of scores for different metrics can be done so as to permit a common trigger threshold for remedial action.
To perform functions pertaining to indoor air quality monitor 10 operations, processor 74 may read program instructions IOPERATION from computer readable memory 72, which cause processor 74 to receive signals sensed and/or detected by air quality sensors and/or detectors 30A-30C via sensor interface 76. These received sensor signals can include signals indicative of each of thermal comfort, ventilation, and contamination. Program instructions IOPERATION then may cause processor 74 to convert the received signals indicative of each of thermal comfort, ventilation, and contamination to normalized scores indicative of each of thermal comfort, ventilation, and contamination, respectively. Program instructions IOPERATION then cause processor 74 to combine the normalized scores of each of thermal comfort, ventilation, and contamination to a single composite score indicative of the atmospheric environment in the room. Program instructions IOPERATION then cause processor 74 to send a signal indicative of the composite score to a display device so as to provide notification of the atmospheric environment to a user. Examples of processor 70 can include any one or more of a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other equivalent discrete or integrated logic circuitry.
Computer-readable memory 72 can be configured to store information obtained and/or computed during operation of indoor air quality monitor 10. Computer-readable memory 72, in some examples, is described as computer-readable storage media. In some examples, a computer-readable storage medium can include a non-transitory medium. The term “non-transitory” can indicate that the storage medium is not embodied in a carrier wave or a propagated signal. In certain examples, a non-transitory storage medium can store data that can, over time, change (e.g., in RAM or cache). In some examples, computer-readable memory 72 is a temporary memory, meaning that a primary purpose of computer-readable memory 72 is not long-term storage. Computer-readable memory 72, in some examples, is described as volatile memory, meaning that computer-readable memory 72 do not maintain stored contents when power to atmospheric-environment control system 12 is turned off. Examples of volatile memories can include random-access memories (RAM), dynamic random-access memories (DRAM), static random-access memories (SRAM), and other forms of volatile memories. In some examples, computer-readable memory 72 is used to store program instructions for execution by processor 70. Computer-readable memory 72, in one example, is used by software or applications running on atmospheric-environment control system 12 (e.g., a software program performing room-atmosphere scoring and/or room-atmosphere control) to temporarily store information during program execution.
In some examples, computer-readable memory 72 can also include one or more computer-readable storage media. Computer-readable memory 72 can be configured to store larger amounts of information than volatile memory. Computer-readable memory 72 can further be configured for long-term storage of information. In some examples, computer-readable memory 72 includes non-volatile storage elements. Examples of such non-volatile storage elements can include magnetic hard discs, optical discs, flash memories, or forms of electrically programmable memories (EPROM) or electrically erasable and programmable (EEPROM) memories.
Remote interface 70, in one example, utilizes the communications module to communicate with external devices via one or more networks, such as one or more wireless or wired networks or both. The communications module can be a network interface card, such as an Ethernet card, an optical transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, or any other type of device that can send and receive information. Other examples of such network interfaces can include Bluetooth, 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi radio computing devices as well as Universal Serial Bus (USB).
At step 94, a processor generates an indoor air quality summary or score based on the temperature, humidity, and/or particulate concentration sensed at step 88. In some embodiments, such a summary or score can be a combined score determined as detailed above in the discussion pertaining to
Regardless of the comparison made at step 96, the method proceeds to step 102, where the processor makes recommendations for improving the air quality, based on the individual sensed air quality metrics, the determined worst metric, and/or the indoor air quality summary or score. The recommendation, for example could be a presentation of a hyperlink to a website detailing air conditioning equipment that is designed to improve air quality in the manner needed as indicated by the individual sensed air quality metrics, the determined worst metric, and/or the indoor air quality summary or score. After such recommendations, method 80 returns to step 82, and continues to sample the room air.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment(s), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63214969 | Jun 2021 | US |
