# US 2018/0024037 A1 · Dust measuring apparatus and mobile terminal for controlling the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0024037 A1 - Document ID: US20180024037A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/651,598 - Filed: 2017-07-17 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Yongho CHO; Bolam KIM; Seonghong PARK; Sangkeun LEE; Pilwon JEONG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024037A1 ## 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) - G01N 15/1429: Signal processing - G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream} - G01N 15/075: by optical means - G01N 2015/0046: {in gas, e.g. smoke} - 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) ## Abstract Disclosed herein are a dust measuring apparatus and a mobile terminal for controlling the same. The dust measuring apparatus includes a flow channel defining unit for defining a flow channel allowing a fluid containing dust to move through, a light emitter for emitting light into the flow channel, a light detector for detecting light scattered from the dust in the flow channel and converting the same into an electrical signal, and a controller for controlling the flow channel defining unit, the light emitter and the light detector. The controller is configured to verify whether a detection value received from the light detector is within an effective measurement range, vary the effective measurement range when the detection value is outside the effective measurement range, and measure, when the detection value is within the varied effective measurement range, a dust concentration based on the detection value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dust measuring apparatus comprising: a flow channel defining unit for defining a flow channel allowing a fluid containing dust to move through; a light emitter for emitting light into the flow channel; a light detector for detecting light scattered from the dust in the flow channel and converting the same into an electrical signal; and a controller for controlling the flow channel defining unit, the light emitter and the light detector, wherein the controller is configured to: verify whether a detection value received from the light detector is within an effective measurement range; vary the effective measurement range when the detection value is outside the effective measurement range; and measure, when the detection value is within the varied effective measurement range, a dust concentration based on the detection value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the controller varies the effective measurement range, the controller is further configured to vary an impedance of a signal received from the light detector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the controller varies the effective measurement range, the controller is further configured to increase a maximum value and minimum value in the effective measurement range if the detection value is greater than or equal to the maximum value in the effective measurement range, and decreases the maximum value and minimum value in the effective measurement range if the detection value is less than or equal to the minimum value in the effective measurement range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: decrease an impedance of a signal received from the light detector to increase the maximum value and minimum value in the effective measurement range; and increase the impedance of the signal received from the light detector to decrease the maximum value and minimum value the effective measurement range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to vary the effective measurement range according to preset variation levels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises: a measurement range adjuster for adjusting the effective measurement range according to the detection value received from the light detector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller widens or narrows the effective measurement range according to an amplification rate of a signal received from the light detector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to: widen, if the amplification rate of the signal received from the light detector increases, the effective measurement range by increasing a maximum value in the effective measurement range and decreasing a minimum value in the effective measurement range; and narrow, if the amplification rate of the signal received from the light detector decreases, the effective measurement range by decreasing the maximum value in the effective measurement range and increasing the minimum value in the effective measurement range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light detector comprises: a first detector for detecting light scattered within a first detection range in a light emission region of the flow channel; and a second detector for detecting light scattered within a second detection range in the light emission region of the flow channel, the second detection range being narrower than the first detection range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first detector comprises a first lens having a first angle of view, wherein the second detector comprises a second lens having a second angle of view, the second angle of view being narrower than the first angle of view. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to: check, when a first detection value is received from the first detector, if the first detection value is within a first effective measurement range; and check, when a second detection value is received from the second detector, if the second detection value is within a second effective measurement range. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a maximum value in the second effective measurement range is greater than a maximum value in the first effective measurement range, wherein a minimum value in the second effective measurement range is greater than a minimum value in the first effective measurement range. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication unit for establishing communication with an external terminal, wherein the controller is further configured to: transmit, when the communication with the external terminal is established, information about the measured dust concentration to the external terminal; and vary, when a control signal is received from the external terminal, the effective measurement range according to the received control signal, measure a dust concentration based on the varied effective measurement range, and transmit information about the measured dust concentration to the external terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, when the controller transmits the information about the dust concentration, the controller provides the external terminal with guide information for guiding adjustment of the effective measurement range. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The dust measuring apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a sensing unit for sensing a current position, wherein, when the communication with the external terminal is established, the controller transmits, to the external terminal, information about the current position and information about a dust concentration measured at the current position. ### Claim 16 A mobile terminal for controlling a dust measuring apparatus for varying an effective measurement range enabling measurement of dust concentrations, the mobile terminal comprising: an input unit; a communication unit for establishing communication with the dust measuring apparatus; a display unit for displaying a setting window for setting an effective measurement range for the dust measuring apparatus; and a controller for controlling the input unit, the communication unit and the display unit, wherein the controller is configured to: establish the communication with the dust measuring apparatus when a user input is a control mode of the dust measuring apparatus; display, when the communication is established, a setting window for setting the effective measurement range for the communication-connected dust measuring apparatus; and transmit, when the effective measurement range is set in the setting window, a control signal corresponding to the set effective measurement range to the dust measuring apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mobile terminal according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to: receive, when the communication is established, information about a current position and information about a dust concentration measured at the current position from the communication-connected dust measuring apparatus; and include, in the setting window, the received information about the current position and the dust concentration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The mobile terminal according to claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to: collect, when the information about the current position of the dust measuring apparatus is received, environment information about the received current position from an external server; and generate guide information for guiding adjustment of the effective measurement range based on the collected environment information and include the same in the setting window. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The mobile terminal according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to: collect, when the information about the current position of the dust measuring apparatus is received, environment information about the received current position from an external server; and generate guide information for guiding ventilation based on the collected environment information and the information about the current position and include the same in the setting window. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The mobile terminal according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to: receive, when the communication is established, guide information for guiding adjustment of the effective measurement range from the communication-connected dust measuring apparatus; and include and display the received guide information in the setting window.