IP Library Granted Patent US 11,506,606
Granted Patent B2
US 11,506,606 · App. 16/804,605 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Alarm threshold organic and microbial fluorimeter and methods

Inventors: Emily Bedell (Denver, CO); Katie Frankhauser (Denver, CO); Taylor Sharpe (Denver, CO); Daniel Wilson (Denver, CO); Evan Thomas (Denver, CO)
Assignee: SWEETSENSE, INC.
G01N21/6456G01N21/643G01N33/1826G05B13/00G06N5/04G06N20/00G08B21/18G08B29/26G01N21/645G01N21/85G01N2021/6467G01N2201/062G01N2201/0626G01N2201/126
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,506,606
App. No.
16/804,605
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In-situ fluorimeters and methods and systems for collecting and analyzing sensor data to predict water source contamination are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving sensor data regarding a water source. Changepoints may then be calculated within the sensor data and the sensor data may be split into intervals at the changepoints. A machine learning model may then be used to classify the intervals and a predicted contamination event for the water source may be identified based on the classified intervals. In another embodiment, an in-situ fluorimeter is provided. The in-situ fluorimeter comprises one or more UV LEDs centered around a pre-set excitation wavelength (e.g., a TLF excitation wavelength), a bandpass filter, a lens, a photodiode system, a machine learning platform; and an alarm triggered by contamination events, wherein the alarm is calibrated through the machine learning system.

Claims (44)

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of separate water fixtures, wherein each of the plurality of separate water fixtures includes:

a light emitting diode centered around an excitation wavelength;

a bandpass filter;

a lens;

a photodiode system; and

a data transmission system configured to transmit data from each of the plurality of separate water fixtures; and

a contamination detection system including a microcontroller having a processor and a memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive the data from each of the plurality of separate water fixtures;

calculate changepoints within the data by:

calculating a first standardized variable for a first segment of the data and a second standardized variable for a second segment of the data;

determining that a difference between the first and second standardized variables exceeds an optimal threshold; and

identifying a changepoint between the first segment and the second segment split the data into intervals at the changepoints;

classify the intervals using a machine learning model; and

identify a predicted contamination of a water source based on the classified intervals using the data from a subset of the plurality of separate water fixtures.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diode is centered around a tryptophan-like fluorescence excitation wavelength.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diode is centered around an excitation wavelength for an organic contaminant selected from the group consisting of microbes, algaes, fertilizers, resins, phenols, colorants, alcohols, aldehydes, and biowastes.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of separate water fixtures further includes a picometer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of separate water fixtures further includes an enclosure to suppress electromagnetic noise.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the contamination detection system further comprises:

a machine learning engine having a training environment configured to train a classifier, wherein the classifier utilizes the machine learning model; and

an alarm triggered by contamination events, wherein the alarm is calibrated through the machine learning engine.

7. A system for monitoring a microbial level in-situ in a water source, wherein the system comprises:

a plurality of separate fluorimeters, wherein each of the plurality of separate fluorimeters includes:

a light emitting diode centered around an excitation wavelength;

a bandpass filter;

a lens;

a photodiode system; and

a data transmission system configured to transmit fluorimeter data from each of the plurality of separate fluorimeters; and

a contamination detection system including a microcontroller having a processor and a memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive the fluorimeter data from each of the plurality of fluorimeters;

calculate changepoints within the fluorimeter data by:

calculating a first standardized variable for a first segment of the fluorimeter data and a second standardized variable for a second segment of the fluorimeter data;

determining that a difference between the first and second standardized variables exceeds an optimal threshold; and

identifying a changepoint between the first segment and the second segment split the fluorimeter data into intervals at the changepoints;

classify the intervals using a machine learning model; and

identify a predicted contamination of a water source based on the classified intervals using the fluorimeter data from a subset of the plurality of separate fluorimeters.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of fluorimeters further comprises a picometer.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of fluorimeters further comprises an enclosure to suppress electromagnetic noise.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the light emitting diode is centered around a tryptophan-like fluorescence excitation wavelength.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the light emitting diode is centered around an excitation wavelength for an organic contaminant selected from the group consisting of microbes, algaes, fertilizers, resins, phenols, colorants, alcohols, aldehydes, and biowastes.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the contamination detection system further comprises:

a machine learning engine having a training environment configured to train a classifier, wherein the classifier utilizes the machine learning model; and

an alarm triggered by contamination events, wherein the alarm is calibrated through the machine learning engine.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Feb 5, 2025
From: SWEETSENSE INC.
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 070112/0685 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2024
From: FANKHAUSER, KATIE
To: SWEETSENSE, INC.
Reel/Frame 066295/0237 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2020
From: THOMAS, EVAN; SHARPE, TAYLOR; BEDELL, EMILY; WILSON, DANIEL; COYLE, JEREMY
To: SWEETSENSE, INC.
Reel/Frame 052006/0686 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 16801722 · Feb 26, 2020
Provisional Application 62843860 · May 6, 2019
Provisional Application 62843836 · May 6, 2019
Related Publication 20200355612A1 · Nov 12, 2020