# US 11,994,503 B2 · Computer systems and methods for estimating changes in fugitive emissions

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,994,503 B2
- Document ID: US11994503B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/778,743
- Filed: 2020-11-20
- Published: 2023-01-05
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-22
- Assignees: Molex Incorporated
- Applicants: Molex, LLC
- Inventors: Wenfeng Peng; Ling-Ying Lin; Alissa Nedossekina
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994503B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/0075: {for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring}
- G05B 23/0235: {based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold}
- G01M 3/04: by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
- G05B 23/0272: {Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user}
- G06Q 10/20: Administration of product repair or maintenance
- G06Q 30/018: Certifying business or products
- G06Q 50/02: Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
- G06Q 50/26: Government or public services (business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40)
- Y02P 90/845: Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
- 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)
- 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)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- 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
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Computer systems, methods, and apparatuses for estimating changes in gas emissions are described. A computer system may monitor overall emission levels based on sensor outputs from a plurality of gas sensors in a facility. The computer system may estimate a total emission level over a time interval based on the accumulative, gas-response-factor weighted detections of the gas sensors. Emissions from maintenance activities may be excluded as appropriate. The total emission level may be compared with total emission level estimated from different time intervals and/or different facilities. The computer system may be further used for comparing emissions across multiple facilities, or emissions from facilities across multiple regions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer system comprising:
at least one processor;
a data store configured to store archived data corresponding to plant operation of an industrial facility; and
a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
post-process the archived data, which corresponds to a combination of plant operation, algorithm, and graphical user interface, that allows evaluation of emission of the industrial facility, wherein the plant operation comprises a gas stream associated with gas plume detections in a first time interval;
receive, from the data store, the archived data associated with the first time interval;
determine, from the archived data, an overall response factor of a sensor, as equal to:
1
X
1
/
F
1
+
X
2
/
F
2
+
X
3
/
F
3
+
…
+
X
n
/
F
n
where X1-Xn are mole ratios of any gases in the gas stream, F1-Fn are individual response factors of species of the any gases in the gas stream;
determine an emission indicator value (Di), based on detection events in the archived data, as follows:
D
i
=
∑
i
=
1
n
S
i
⁢
F
i
where Si is an accumulative emission detection value for the first time interval from sensor i and Fi is the overall response factor for the gas streams at the sensor i, wherein the determining excludes detection events corresponding to a maintenance activity;
determine, using the emission indicator value and corresponding overall response factor in the archived data for a second time interval, a first total emission indicator value for the industrial facility in the first time interval;
determine a difference in value between the first total emission indicator value for the industrial facility in the first time interval and a second total emission indicator value for the facility in a second time interval; and
send an indication of the difference to cause a visual comparison on a fugitive emission evaluation dashboard on the graphical user interface showing emission levels in the industrial facility at different time intervals; and
a user computing device configured to display, on the graphical user interface of a display device coupled to the user computing device, the indication of the difference between the first total emission indicator value for the industrial facility in the first time interval and the second total emission indicator value for the facility in the second time interval, wherein the graphical user interface is used to allow evaluation of improvement across operations lifecycle by combining fugitive emissions evaluation data with plant information (PI) data across operation, safety, and emission control of the industrial facility.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the platform to determine, for the first time interval, the detection events based on the archived data associated with the first time interval and modeled baseline values corresponding to the first time interval.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The computer system of claim 2, wherein the memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the platform to determine a detection event, among the detection events, at a first time (T1) based on a difference between the modeled baseline value at the first time and a value of a sensor detection peak at the first time based on the archived data associated with the first time interval exceeding a threshold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the platform to:
receive, from the user computing device, indications of a maintenance time interval and a location associated with the maintenance activity;
determine, based on the location, the archived data associated with the maintenance time interval;
determine, based on the first time interval, one or more detection events in the archived data associated with the maintenance time interval at the location.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the platform to:
determine a third total emission indicator value in a third time interval and a fourth total emission indicator value in fourth time interval;
determine, based on a sum of the first total emission indicator value and the second total emission indicator value, a first aggregated total emission indicator value;
determine, based on a sum of the third total emission indicator value and the fourth total emission indicator value, a second aggregated total emission indicator value;
determine, based on a difference between the first aggregated emission indicator value and the second aggregated emission indicator value, an aggregated change in emissions; and
send, to the user computing device, the first total emission indicator value, the second total emission indicator value, the third total emission indicator value, the fourth total emission indicator value, and the aggregated change in emissions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The computer system of claim 5, wherein the user computing device is configured to:
display, on the display device, one or more of the first total emission indicator value, the second total emission indicator value, the third total emission indicator value, the fourth total emission indicator value, and the aggregated change in emissions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The computer system of claim 5, wherein the determining the first total emission indicator value for the industrial facility comprises determining a sum of products of corresponding emission indicator values and corresponding response factors for the archived data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The computer system of claim 7, wherein the user computing device is configured to:
display, on the display device, one or more of the total emission indicator value, the second total emission indicator value, the third total emission indicator value, the fourth total emission indicator value, and the aggregated change in emissions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the platform to:
determine a third total emission indicator value for the facility in the first time interval;
determine a second difference between the first total emission indicator value and the third total emission indicator value; and
send, to the user computing device, an indication of the second difference; and wherein the user computing device is configured to display, on the display device, one or more of the total emission indicator value, the third total emission indicator value, and the second difference.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The computer system of claim 9, wherein the determining the first total emission indicator value for the industrial facility comprises determining a sum of products of corresponding emission indicator values and corresponding response factors for the archived data.