# US 11,079,128 B2 · Systems and methods for monitoring the movement of gas

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- Number: US 11,079,128 B2
- Document ID: US11079128B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/427,796
- Filed: 2019-05-31
- Published: 2020-02-27
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-22
- Assignees: Blockchain Generation Ventures
- Applicants: Bao Tran; Dave Nyhof
- Inventors: Bao Tran; Dave Nyhof
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079128B2

## CPC

- F24F 11/0001: {for ventilation (F24F11/30 takes precedence)}
- H04L 63/12: {Applying verification of the received information (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32)}
- E03B 7/071: {Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off}
- F24F 8/10: by separation, e.g. by filtering
- F24F 11/72: for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
- G01M 3/184: {for valves}
- G05B 13/0265: {the criterion being a learning criterion}
- G06F 21/602: {Providing cryptographic facilities or services}
- G06F 21/645: {using a third party}
- G06Q 20/06: Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
- G06Q 20/36: using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
- G06Q 20/3674: {involving authentication}
- H04L 9/3239: {involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD}
- H04L 9/3252: {using DSA or related signature schemes, e.g. elliptic based signatures, ElGamal or Schnorr schemes}
- H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload}
- F24F 2011/0002: {for admittance of outside air}
- F24F 2110/12: of the outside air
- F24F 2110/22: of the outside air
- F24F 2110/52: of the outside air
- F24F 2110/66: Volatile organic compounds [VOC]
- F24F 2110/70: Carbon dioxide
- F24F 2140/40: Damper positions, e.g. open or closed
- G06Q 2220/00: Business processing using cryptography
- H04L 9/50: {using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees}
- H04L 2209/56: Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
- 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)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A system to characterize gas in a building includes a processor; a gas sensor coupled to the processor; a gas valve coupled to the processor; an encryption module executed by the processor to secure gas data; and a transceiver to communicate secured gas data over a network to a remote processor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a processor;
a gas or fluid sensor to detect gas or fluid consumption in a building, the sensor coupled to the processor to provide usage data to the processor;
a gas or fluid valve coupled to the processor to be actuated by the processor in response to one or more predetermined conditions; and
an encryption module executed by the processor to secure gas or fluid consumption data from the sensor, wherein the processor stores consumption data from the sensor on a blockchain with Proof of Work Collaborative (POW-C) protocol using a wallet ledger where transaction results are coupled to a wallet address, and wherein the processor communicates with a security miner that oversees a blockchain mining network prior to one or more full nodes distributing workload to the other miners; and
a transceiver to communicate secured gas or fluid data over a network to a remote processor where a user or application retrieves the transaction results using the wallet address and the POW-C protocol and the wallet ledger to manage gas or fluid consumption.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising a blockchain coupled to the processor through the transceiver.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein sensor data is stored in the blockchain to avoid tampering.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein data transactions sent by the processor are signed with elliptic curve signature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising an application program interface (API) to allow a mobile device to query the processor for gas or fluid data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the processor receives commands from a phone app to the devices and communicate readings from the devices to the phone app using the API.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the processor uses the API to communicate an email or a text notification based on a predetermined event.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the processor uses the API to communicate an email or a text notification based on gas or fluid leakage detection.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, comprising an API gateway, wherein communications between network devices and the blockchain enhanced security features that protect the connections and the privacy of the users.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising code to automatically turn off the gas or fluid valve in case of a leak.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising code to open gas or fluid flow on a selected pipe on a scheduled time.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising a learning machine to disaggregate gas or fluid usage at an appliance or fixture level.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising a call center in communication with the processor and code to monitor activities of life using gas or fluid sensor data and request assistance, wherein the activity of life is determined through gas or fluid consumption pattern and the pattern is used to detect wake-up time in daily activity pattern, bathing time, or cooking time.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the encryption does not allow using the same random key for a digital signature twice and wherein encryption parameters for a digital signature (r,s) are different for the digital signature because a sender and a receiver track and reject re-using the same (r).

### Claim 15

A method to manage gas or fluid in a building, comprising:
reading from one or more sensors that detect gas or fluid consumption data by the building;
storing consumption data from the sensor on a blockchain using a Proof of Work Collaborative (POW-C) protocol and a wallet ledger, where transaction results are coupled to a wallet address, and communicating with a security miner that oversees a blockchain mining network prior to one or more full nodes distributing workload to the other miners; and
using the consumption data on the blockchain to turn off gas or fluid into the building if a leakage is detected.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising notifying a user of the gas or fluid leakage prior to shutting off gas or fluid into the building.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising communicating with a mobile device through an encrypted application program interface (API).

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising securing communications with an elliptic curve signature.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising when idled, mining for a cryptocurrency.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising monitoring activities of life from sensor data and calling for assistance if needed and wherein the activity of life is determined through gas or fluid consumption pattern and the pattern is used to detect wake-up time in daily activity pattern, bathing time, or cooking time.