Control device and operating method for air treatment apparatuses

1. A control device for operating an air treatment apparatus, the control device comprising:

an input arranged to receive measured data from at least one at least one air quality sensor that is indicative of particle concentration;

a computing device; and

a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to:

derive particle concentration indicative information from the received measured data;

compute a baseline air quality index based on the particle concentration indicative information;

obtain augmenting information that is indicative of changes to air quality;

determine an augmented air quality index based on the particle concentration indicative information and the augmenting information; and

operate the air treatment apparatus based on the augmented air quality index.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the particle concentration indicative information includes at least one of particulate matter information or ultrafine particle information, and wherein the augmenting information is used to adapt the baseline air quality index.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the augmenting information is indicative of one or more events indicative of an increased allergy risk.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the augmenting information includes at least one of:

an operating record of the air treatment apparatus, or

an actual operation performance of the air treatment apparatus.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the augmented air quality index is a qualitative index including an air quality index signal having a limited number of discrete values.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a limited number of main air quality states is assigned to the discrete values of the air quality index signal.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein adapting the baseline air quality index comprises applying an offset to a particle concentration indicative signal.

8. The control device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the applied offset is gradually reduced after the adapting of the baseline air quality index.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the augmenting information is indicative of an event indicative of an increased allergy risk, and wherein a defined period after the adaption of the baseline air quality index an occurrence of event indicative of an increased allergy risk is differently treated.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the augmented air quality index comprises applying a modified artificial particle concentration level, taking into account the augmenting information that is indicative of air quality influencing factors.

11. The control device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to process the particle concentration indicative information, including averaging a particle concentration signal based on a first averaging window, averaging the particle concentration signal based on a second averaging window, wherein the first averaging window is smaller than the second averaging window, and calculating a ratio between the first averaged signal and the second averaged signal, resulting in a signal that forms a basis for detection of events that trigger the adapting of the baseline air quality index.

12. A method of operating an air treatment apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting particle concentration using an air quality sensor and deriving particle concentration indicative information from the particle concentration;

computing a baseline air quality index based on the particle concentration indicative information,

obtaining augmenting information that is indicative of air quality;

determining an augmented air quality index based on the particle concentration indicative information and the augmenting information; and

operating the air treatment apparatus based on the augmented air quality index.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the particle concentration indicative information includes at least one of particulate matter information or ultrafine particle information, wherein the augmenting information is used to adapt the baseline air quality index.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the baseline air quality index is adapted based on the augmenting information, and wherein the adapting includes applying an offset to a particle concentration indicative signal.

15. The control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the augmenting information includes a temporal change of particle concentration.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the augmenting information includes at least one of an operating record of the air treatment apparatus, or an actual operating performance of the air treatment apparatus.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the augmenting information includes a temporal change of particle concentration.

18. A non-transitory storage medium that stores instructions for operating an air treatment apparatus, the instructions, when executed by a computing device, causing the computing device to:

derive particle concentration indicative information from a particle concentration detected using an air quality sensor;

compute a baseline air quality index based on the particle concentration indicative information;

obtain augmenting information that is indicative of air quality;

determine an augmented air quality index based on the particle concentration indicative information and the augmenting information; and

operate the air treatment apparatus based on the augmented air quality index.

19. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the augmenting information is indicative of one or more events indicative of an increased allergy risk.

20. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to adapt the baseline air quality index using the augmenting information by applying an offset to a particle concentration indicative signal, and wherein the applied offset is gradually reduced after the adapting of the baseline air quality index.