# US 7,743,552 B2 · Bedbug detection, monitoring and control techniques

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- Number: US 7,743,552 B2
- Document ID: US7743552B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/975,914
- Filed: 2007-10-22
- Published: 2008-06-26
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2006-10-23
- Assignees: Dow AgroSciences LLC
- Inventors: Paul W. Borth; Nailah Orr; Peter N. Scherer; Brian M. Schneider; Mike P. Tolley; Christopher J. Voglewede; Gary D. Crouse; David G. McCaskill; Kerm Y. Yau; Edward L. Olberding; Joseph J. DeMark; Marc L. Fisher
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743552B2

## CPC

- A01M 1/2011: {for crawling insects}
- A01M 1/02: with devices {or substances, e.g. food, pheronones} attracting the insects
- A01M 1/103: {for crawling insects}
- A01M 1/2022: {Poisoning or narcotising insects by vaporising an insecticide}
- G01N 33/68: involving proteins, peptides or amino acids {(involving lipoproteins G01N33/92)}
- G08B 21/18: Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence)
- Y10S 436/815: Test for named compound or class of compounds
- A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
- 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
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

One nonlimiting variation of a detection arrangement includes one or more sensors each structured to detect at least one biochemical substance indicative of biochemistry of one or more target insect species and provide a corresponding sensor signal, a controller responsive to the sensor signal of each of the one or more sensors to determine if the one or more insect species are present and generate a corresponding output signal, and an indicator responsive to the output signal to indicate the presence of the one or more insect species.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
selecting a room to evaluate for presence of bedbugs;
receiving a substance from the room;
detecting a presence of nitrophorin in the substance; and
in response to the presence of nitrophorin, activating a device indicative, of the presence of bedbugs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an indicator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the activating of the device includes providing an insecticide from the device to exterminate the bedbugs.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes an indicator and the activating of the device includes providing at least one of a colorimetric and fluorescence output.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the device provides an aural output when activated.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is performed with a sensing arrangement, the sensing arrangement and the device being included in a housing of a plug-in form with a plug member to provide electrical power to the sensing arrangement and the device, the plug member being structured to engage an electric socket and define a cantilever to support the device above floor level when engaged in an electric wall socket.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the device is of a hand-held portable form.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the substance includes obtaining the substance from a surface in the room.

### Claim 9

A method for determining the presence of bedbugs in a room, comprising:
obtaining a sample of a substance from the room;
analyzing the sample to determine if nitrophorin is present in the substance; and
providing an indication of the presence of bedbugs in response to the determination of the presence of nitrophorin.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising exterminating bedbugs in response to the providing of the indication of the presence of bedbugs.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the exterminating of the bedbugs includes applying at least one insecticide.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the obtaining, analyzing, providing and exterminating are performed by a single device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the device is of a plug-in form with a plug member structured to engage an electric socket and define a cantilever to support the device above floor level when engaged in an electric wall socket.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising networking a device that performs the obtaining, analyzing and providing to a remote location to monitor the presence of bedbugs from the remote location.