Chemical alert system using a protable device with integrated chemical sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9401983-B2
Application number	US-201414161137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2014
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A chemical alert system for generating an alarm is described including a portable electronic device, preferably with telecommunication capabilities to allow for data and/or voice communication via private or public networks, and at least one chemical sensor integrated with the housing of the portable device and controlled by a chemical sensor processing unit, further comprising an alert discriminator receiving input based on measurements of the chemical sensor, performing a test on the input and based on an outcome of the test initiating the transfer of measurements of the chemical sensor to a remote processing facility.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A chemical alert system for processing chemical sensor measurements, the system including
a portable electronic device,
a chemical sensor processing unit, and
at least one chemical sensor integrated within a housing of the portable device and controlled by the chemical sensor processing unit,

and wherein,
the chemical sensor processing unit further comprises an alert discriminator configured for:
receiving an input based on measurements of the chemical sensor;
performing a test on the input; and
based on an outcome of the test initiating a transfer of measurements of the chemical sensor to a remote processing facility for subsequent computerized processing of said measurements,

wherein,
said test comprises a first and a second test, the latter setting stricter conditions or thresholds than the first test, such that: based on an outcome of the first test an alert mode in the portable device is activated; and based on an outcome of the second test either a transfer of measurements is initiated or an alarm state of the portable device is activated, and wherein
the alert discriminator is further configured such that passing of the second test causes the activation of the alarm state, whereas passing of the first test without passing of the second test initiates the transfer of measurements.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the alert discriminator is configured for transferring measurements including:
measurements as used as input to the alert discriminator; and
additional measurements as gained from any prior stage in a processing of the measurements including raw data representing direct sensor measurements of the at least one chemical sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , further configured such that an activation of the alarm state includes an activation of built-in elements of the portable device to generate an alarm.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the remote processing facility, the latter configured to:
receive the measurements of the chemical sensor as transferred by the portable device; and
augment processing steps for the measurement of the chemical sensor as performed by the portable device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the remote processing facility is further configured such that augmented processing steps performed by the remote processing facility comprises an addition of further measurements or information from sources other than the portable device itself for use in the augmented processing steps.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the chemical sensor comprises a metal-oxide sensing material.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the chemical sensor is integrated onto a common substrate including CMOS circuitry.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is selected from a group comprising:
a mobile phone,
a handheld computer,
an electronic reader,
a tablet computer,
a game controller,
a pointing device,
a photo or a video camera,
a digital music player,
an electronic wrist watch,
a personal health tracking device,
a headset, and
a computer peripheral.

9. A method for processing chemical sensor measurements in a system including a portable electronic device and at least one chemical sensor integrated within a housing of the portable device and controlled by a chemical sensor processing unit, the latter comprising an alert discriminator, the method comprising, at the alert discriminator:
receiving an input based on measurements of the chemical sensor;
performing a test on the input; and
based on an outcome of the test initiating a transfer of measurements of the chemical sensor to a remote processing facility for subsequent computerized processing of said measurement, wherein:
said test comprises a first and a second test, the latter setting stricter conditions or thresholds than the first test, such that: based on an outcome of the first test an alert mode in the portable device is activated; and based on an outcome of the second test either a transfer of measurements is initiated or an alarm state of the portable device is activated, and
passing of the second test causes the activation of the alarm state, whereas passing of the first test without passing of the second test initiates the transfer of measurements.

10. A chemical alert system for processing chemical sensor measurements, the system including
a portable electronic device,
a chemical sensor processing unit, and
at least one chemical sensor integrated within a housing of the portable device and controlled by the chemical sensor processing unit,

and wherein,
the chemical sensor processing unit further comprises an alert discriminator which is an electronic circuit or a processing unit programmed, designed, adapted or configured to execute the functions of
receiving an input based on measurements of the chemical sensor;
performing a test on the input; and
based on an outcome of the test initiating a transfer of measurements of the chemical sensor to a remote processing facility for subsequent computerized processing of said measurements,

wherein
said test comprises a first and a second test, the latter setting stricter conditions or thresholds than the first test, such that: based on an outcome of the first test an alert mode in the portable device is activated; and based on an outcome of the second test either a transfer of measurements is initiated or an alarm state of the portable device is activated, and wherein
the alert discriminator is further configured such that passing of the second test causes the activation of the alarm state, whereas passing of the first test without passing of the second test initiates the transfer of measurements.

Assignees

• Sensirion Ag

Inventors

• Lechner Moritz
• Santschi Rafael

Classifications

• G01N27/122

  Circuits particularly adapted therefor, e.g. linearising circuits · CPC title

• G08B21/12 Primary

  responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms · CPC title

• H04M1/72536 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G08B17/117

  by using a detection device for specific gases, e.g. combustion products, produced by the fire (G08B17/103, G08B17/11 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title