# US 11,906,415 B1 · Pollutant sensor device, system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,415 B1 - Document ID: US11906415B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/977,002 - Filed: 2022-10-31 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-10-31 - Assignees: Halo Smart Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Halo Smart Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Paul Galburt; Kenneth Addy; Frank L. Jacovino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906415B1 ## CPC - G01N 15/06: Investigating concentration of particle suspensions (by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10) - G08B 21/12: responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms - G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream} - G01N 15/0205: by optical means - G01N 15/075: by optical means - G01N 33/0036: {specially adapted to detect a particular component (physical analysis of gaseous biological material G01N33/497)} - G01N 33/0063: {using a threshold to release an alarm or displaying means} - G01N 2015/0046: {in gas, e.g. smoke} - G01N 2015/1486: {Counting the particles} - G01N 2015/1493: {Particle size} - G08B 17/10: Actuation by presence of smoke or gases {, e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means} - 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) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract Embodiments of a sensor device, method and system employ one or more particle detection sensors to collect particle measurement values in a plurality of particle bins collecting particles of different sizes, generate a histogram representing the particle measurement values and determine based on a comparison of the histogram with a profile histogram for a pollutant, a match quality indicative of whether the pollutant is present in the environment. In various embodiments, a location of a pollutant is also determined according to the determined match quality. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device, comprising; a particle detection sensor operable to detect a range of particle measurements in each of a plurality of bins, wherein a first bin of the plurality of bins measures a first particle measurement value for particles of a first size, and wherein a second bin of the plurality of bins measures a second particle measurement value for particles of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size; a processor; a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: generate a first sample histogram comprising particle measurement values in each of the plurality of bins, wherein the first sample histogram represents an ambient environment being evaluated and comprises the first and second particle measurement values as received from the particle detection sensor at a first time; generate a second sample histogram comprising particle measurement values in each of the plurality of bins, wherein the second sample histogram comprises the first and second particle measurement values as received from the particle detection sensor at a second time different from the first time; determine a distance of a source of a pollutant from the device based upon the first and second sample histograms; determine, based on a comparison of the first sample histogram with a profile histogram, a match quality value for the presence of the pollutant in the environment; upon the match quality value meeting or exceeding a threshold match value, generate a detected event notification. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the range of particle measurements comprises a range of particle mass concentrations, wherein the first particle measurement value comprises a first particle mass concentration and wherein the second particle measurement value comprises a second particle mass concentration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the range of particle measurements further comprises a range of particle counts, wherein the first particle measurement value further comprises a first particle count, wherein the second particle measurement value further comprises a second particle count; and wherein the match quality value comprises a first match quality value associated with the first and second particle mass concentrations and a second match quality value associated with the first and second particle counts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the range of particle measurements comprises a range of particle counts, wherein the first particle measurement value comprises a first particle count and wherein the second particle measurement value comprises a second particle count. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the match quality value is determined based on whether the first particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and whether the second particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the match quality value is determined based on the degree to which the first particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and the degree to which the second particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second particle measurement values of the first sample histogram are measured at a plurality of intervals over a time span, and wherein the match quality value is determined based on the highest degree to which the first particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and based on the highest degree to which the second particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second particle measurement values of the first sample histogram are measured at a plurality of intervals over a time span, and wherein the match quality value is determined based on the average degree to which the first particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and based on the average degree to which the second particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the match quality value is determined based on whether the first particle measurement value does not fit between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin or whether the second particle measurement value does not fit between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a gas sensor operable to measure at least one gas, and wherein the detected event notification further comprises a measurement of at least one gas as received by the gas sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a gas sensor operable to measure at least one gas, and wherein the array of the first sample histogram comprises a measurement of at least one gas as received by the gas sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the profile histogram comprises a first bin range of high and low particle measurement values corresponding to the presence of the pollutant in the environment and a second bin range of high and low particle measurement values corresponding to the presence of the pollutant in the environment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the pollutant is vape or smoke. ### Claim 14 A system, comprising: a plurality of networked particle detection sensors, each of which is operable to detect a range of particle measurements in each of a plurality of bins, wherein a first bin of the plurality of bins for each of the plurality of particle detection sensors measures a first particle measurement value for particles of a first size, and wherein a second bin of the plurality of bins for each of the plurality of particle detection sensors measures a second particle measurement value for particles of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size; a processor; a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: generate a series of first sample histograms comprising an array of particle measurement values in each of the plurality of bins for each of the plurality of particle detection sensors, wherein the series of first sample histograms represents an ambient environment being evaluated, wherein the array for each of the plurality of particle detection sensors comprises the first and second particle measurement values as received from each of the plurality of particle detection sensors; determine a distance of each of the plurality of particle detection sensors to a source of a pollutant within the environment based upon sensor measurement values consisting of the particle measurement values in each of the plurality of bins over a time span; determine, based on a comparison of the series of first sample histograms with a profile histogram, a match quality value for each of the plurality of particle detection sensors for the presence of the pollutant in the environment; and upon the match quality value for at least one of the plurality of particle detection sensors meeting or exceeding a threshold match value, generate a detected event notification. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of networked particle detection sensors is positioned at an independent location in an environment, and wherein the instructions further cause the process to determine, based on the match quality value for each of the plurality of particle detection sensors, a relative proximity of each of the plurality of particle detection sensors to a source of the pollutant within the environment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the range of particle measurements comprises a range of particle mass concentrations, wherein the first particle measurement value comprises a first particle mass concentration and wherein the second particle measurement value comprises a second particle mass concentration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the range of particle measurements further comprises a range of particle counts, wherein the first particle measurement value further comprises a first particle count, wherein the second particle measurement value further comprises a second particle count; and wherein the match quality value comprises a first match quality value associated with the first and second particle mass concentrations and a second match quality value associated with the first and second particle counts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the range of particle measurements comprises a range of particle counts, wherein the first particle measurement value comprises a first particle count and wherein the second particle measurement value comprises a second particle count. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the match quality value is determined based on whether the first particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and whether the second particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the match quality value is determined based on the degree to which the first particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and the degree to which the second particle measurement value fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second particle measurement values of the first sample histogram are measured at a plurality of intervals over a time span, and wherein the match quality value is determined based on the highest degree to which the first particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and based on the highest degree to which the second particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second particle measurement values of the first sample histogram are measured at a plurality of intervals over a time span, and wherein the match quality value is determined based on the average degree to which the first particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin and based on the average degree to which the second particle measurement value as measured at the plurality of intervals fits between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the match quality value is determined based on whether the first particle measurement value does not fit between a value range in the profile histogram for the first bin or whether the second particle measurement value does not fit between a value range in the profile histogram for the second bin. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a gas sensor operable to measure at least one gas, and wherein the detected event notification further comprises a measurement of at least one gas as received by the gas sensor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a gas sensor operable to measure at least one gas, and wherein the array of the first sample histogram comprises a measurement of at least one gas as received by the gas sensor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the profile histogram comprises a first bin range of high and low particle measurement values corresponding to the presence of the pollutant in the environment and a second bin range of high and low particle measurement values corresponding to the presence of the pollutant in the environment. ### Claim 27 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the pollutant is vape or smoke. ### Claim 28 A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, by a computing device, first and second particle measurement values as received from a particle detection sensor, wherein the particle detection sensor is operable to detect a range of particle measurements in each of a plurality of bins, wherein a first bin of the plurality of bins measures a first particle measurement value for particles of a first size, and wherein a second bin of the plurality of bins measures a second particle measurement value for particles of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size, wherein the first and second particle measurement values of the first sample histogram are measured at a plurality of intervals over a time span; generate, by the computing device based on the received first and second particle measurement values, a first sample histogram comprising an array of particle measurement values in each of the plurality of bins, wherein the first sample histogram represents an ambient environment being evaluated; determine a distance of a source of the pollutant from the device based solely upon the first and second particle measurement values over the time span; determine, based on a comparison of the first sample histogram with a profile histogram, a match quality value for the presence of a pollutant in the environment; and upon the match quality value meeting or exceeding a threshold match value, generate a detected event notification.