# US 10,767,876 B2 · Systems and methods for monitoring air quality and events likely to affect air quality, and taking remedial action > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,876 B2 - Document ID: US10767876B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/536,781 - Filed: 2015-12-21 - Published: 2017-11-16 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-24 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Inventors: Declan Patrick Kelly; Cornelis Reinder Ronda; Xiaoming Zhou; Amanda Zhao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767876B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values - B01D 46/0086: {Filter condition indicators} - B01D 46/46: automatic - F24F 8/10: by separation, e.g. by filtering - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/39: Monitoring filter performance - G01H 3/00: Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations by using a detector in a fluid (G01H7/00, G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence) - G01N 33/0073: {Control unit therefor} - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F24F 2110/50: Air quality properties - F24F 2110/52: of the outside air - F24F 2110/60: Odour - F24F 2110/62: Tobacco smoke - F24F 2110/64: Airborne particle content - F24F 2110/66: Volatile organic compounds [VOC] - F24F 2221/18: combined with domestic apparatus - Y02B 30/70: Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract In various embodiments, an air quality-monitoring system (100) may include at least one sensor (106) configured to detect operation of a mechanism (110) within or at a boundary of an indoor environment. The mechanism may be external to an air purifier (102) associated with the indoor environment. The system may include a persistent memory (124) for storing data about the indoor environment observed by the at least one sensor (106). A controller (104) may be communicatively coupled with the at least one sensor and configured to: assemble the data into an air quality profile associated with that environment; determine, based on a signal from the at least one sensor and on the air quality profile, a likelihood that operation of the mechanism will cause a measure of air quality within the indoor environment to fail one or more air quality criteria; and selectively provide, based on the likelihood, an indication that operation of the mechanism will cause the measure of air quality within the indoor environment to fail the one or more air quality criteria. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air quality-monitoring system, comprising: at least one sensor configured to detect operation of a mechanism within or at a boundary of an indoor environment, wherein the mechanism is external to an air purifier associated with the indoor environment; a persistent memory for storing data about the indoor environment observed by the at least one sensor; a controller, integral to said air purifier, communicatively coupled with the at least one sensor, said controller configured to: assemble the data into an air quality profile associated with said indoor environment; determine, based on a signal from the at least one sensor and on the air quality profile, a likelihood that operation of the mechanism will cause a measure of air quality within the indoor environment to fail one or more air quality criteria; selectively provide, based on the likelihood, an indication that operation of the mechanism will cause the measure of air quality within the indoor environment to fail the one or more air quality criteria; and cause the air purifier to take remedial action to prevent the measure of air quality within the indoor environment from failing the one or more air quality criteria. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the controller provides the indication to the air purifier using wireless communication technology. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a sensor configured to detect operation of a vacuum cleaner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one sensor configured to detect that the indoor environment has been exposed to an external environment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor to detect a first pollutant associated with the indoor environment and a second sensor to detect a second pollutant associated with pollution external to the indoor environment, and wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on a comparison of signals from the first and second sensors, that a mechanism on the boundary of the indoor environment has been operated to expose the indoor environment to the external environment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the second pollutant is associated with outdoor pollution, and the external environment is outdoors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a sensor configured to detect operation of a kitchen appliance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the kitchen appliance comprises at least one of: a fume hood, an oven, and a stove top. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a sensor configured to detect operation of at least one of: a washer and dryer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the air purifier is a first air purifier, and wherein the at least one sensor includes a sensor configured to detect operation of a second air purifier in an environment external to the indoor environment. ### Claim 11 A computer-implemented method of monitoring and maintaining air quality, comprising: detecting, by at least one sensor, operation of a mechanism within or at a boundary of an indoor environment, wherein the mechanism is external to an air purifier associated with the indoor environment; determining, by a controller, integral to the air purifier, based on a signal received by the controller from the at least one sensor, a likelihood that operation of the mechanism will cause a measure of air quality within the indoor environment to fail one or more air quality criteria; selectively provide, based on the likelihood, an indication that operation of the mechanism will cause the measure of air quality within the indoor environment to fail the one or more air quality criteria; and cause the air purifier to take remedial action to prevent the measure of air quality within the indoor environment from failing the one or more air quality criteria. ### Claim 12 An air quality-monitoring system, comprising: at least one sensor configured to detect an air quality within or at a boundary of an indoor environment; a persistent memory for storing data about the indoor environment observed by the at least one sensor; a controller, remote from communicatively coupled with the at least one sensor and configured to: assemble the data into an air quality profile associated with that environment; determine, based on a signal from the at least one sensor and on the air quality profile, a likelihood a measure of air quality within the indoor environment fails one or more air quality criteria. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The air quality-monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor includes a sensor configured to detect operation of an appliance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air quality monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the appliance is one of: a vacuum cleaner, a fume hood, an oven, a stove top, a washer and dryer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The air quality monitoring system of claim 12, further comprising: a second sensor said second sensor configured to measure an air quality of an outside atmosphere, wherein said measured air quality of said outside atmosphere is provided to said controller, wherein said controller is configured to: cause the air purifier to take remedial action to prevent the measure of air quality within the indoor environment from failing the one or more air quality criteria based on the measure air quality of said outside atmosphere.