Bedbug detection, monitoring and control techniques

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10264776-B2
Application number	US-201514594613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2015
Priority date	Oct 23, 2006
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

One nonlimiting variation of a detection arrangement includes one or more sensors each structured to detect at least one biochemical substance indicative of biochemistry of one or more target insect species and provide a corresponding sensor signal, a controller responsive to the sensor signal of each of the one or more sensors to determine if the one or more insect species are present and generate a corresponding output signal, and an indicator responsive to the output signal to indicate the presence of the one or more insect species.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An insect control device, comprising:
a housing member including an exterior wall, the housing member defining an internal chamber, and
a sensing arrangement positioned in the internal chamber of the housing member, the sensing arrangement including:
one or more sensors configured to analyze a substance received by the sensing arrangement and generate a sensor signal,
a controller electrically connected to the one or more sensors and configured to receive the sensor signal, the controller is further configured to determine if the substance is indicative of the presence of one or more insects, and
a power source electrically connected to the controller and configured to provide power to the one or more sensors and the controller,
wherein the exterior wall of the housing member includes one or more sensor openings, and each of the one or more sensors include a sensing portion positioned outside the internal chamber of the housing member and configured to be exposed to an environment external to the internal chamber, wherein each of the one or more sensors extends from the sensing portion, through one of the one or more sensor openings, and into the internal chamber.

2. The insect control device of claim 1 , wherein the housing member includes a top cover configured to enclose the internal chamber.

3. The insect control device of claim 1 , wherein the housing member is configured to attach to a leg of a bed.

4. The insect control device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing arrangement further includes an indicator electrically connected to the controller and configured to provide an output to a user of the insect control device in response to the controller determining that one or more insects are present.

5. The insect control device of claim 4 , wherein the indicator produces a visual output using one or more light sources in response to the controller determining that one or more insects are present.

6. The insect control device of claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries configured to provide electrical power to the sensing arrangement.

7. The insect control device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing arrangement further includes an extermination module positioned in the internal chamber of the housing member and being electrically connected to the controller, wherein the extermination module is configured to exterminate one or more insects in response to the controller determining that one or more insects are present.

8. An insect control device, comprising:
a housing member including an exterior wall, the housing member defining an internal chamber, and
a sensing arrangement positioned in the internal chamber of the housing member, the sensing arrangement including:
one or more sensors configured to analyze a substance received by the sensing arrangement and generate a sensor signal,
a controller electrically connected to the one or more sensors and configured to receive the sensor signal, the controller is further configured to determine if the substance is indicative of the presence of one or more insects, and
a power source electrically connected to the controller and configured to provide power to the one or more sensors and the controller,
wherein the sensing arrangement further includes an extermination module positioned in the internal chamber of the housing member and being electrically connected to the controller, wherein the extermination module is configured to exterminate one or more insects in response to the controller determining that one or more insects are present, and
wherein the extermination module includes:
a reservoir configured to hold insecticide configured to exterminate one or more insects, and
an applicator tip configured to deliver the insecticide to the one or more insects.

9. The insect control device of claim 8 , wherein:
the exterior wall includes an extermination module opening, and
the applicator tip of the extermination module is positioned outside the internal chamber of the housing member, wherein the extermination module extends from the applicator tip, through the extermination module opening, and into the internal chamber of the housing member.

10. The insect control device of claim 7 , wherein a user interface is positioned in the internal chamber and is electrically connected to the extermination module, wherein the user interface is configured to cause the extermination module to release an insecticide in response to a user interacting with the user interface.

11. The insect control device of claim 1 , wherein the housing member includes a handle structured for engagement by a hand of a user.

12. A method of controlling insects, the method comprising:
receiving, by a sensor, a substance from an environment,
generating, by the sensor and in response to receiving the substance, a sensor signal,
generating, by a controller and in response to receiving the sensor signal, an output signal indicating that the substance is indicative of the presence of one or more insects, and
outputting, by an output device and in response to receiving the output signal, an indication that the substance is indicative of the presence of one or more insects,
wherein outputting the indication comprises outputting, by an extermination module, an insecticide configured to exterminate one or more insects.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, by the controller and in response to receiving the sensor signal, whether the substance is indicative of the presence of one or more insects, and
generating, by the controller, the output signal indicating that one or more insects are present.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein outputting the indication comprises outputting, by an indicator, a visual output by one or more light sources indicating the presence of one or more insects.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein outputting the indication comprises:
outputting, by an indicator, a visual output by one or more light sources indicating the presence of one or more insects.

Assignees

• Dow Agrosciences Llc

Inventors

• Borth Paul W
• Orr Nailah
• Scherer Peter N
• Schneider Brian M
• Tolley Mike P
• Voglewede Christopher J
• Crouse Gary D
• Mccaskill David G
• Yau Kerrm Y
• Olberding Edward L
• Demark Joseph J
• Fisher Marc L

Classifications

• Y10S436/815

  Test for named compound or class of compounds · CPC title

• A01M1/103

  for crawling insects · CPC title

• A01M1/02

  with devices {or substances, e.g. food, pheronones} attracting the insects · CPC title

• A01M1/2022

  Poisoning or narcotising insects by vaporising an insecticide · CPC title

• G08B21/18

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title