IP Library Granted Patent US 11,768,110
Granted Patent B2
US 11,768,110 · App. 18/113,311 · Granted Sep 26, 2023

Air quality monitoring system and method

Inventors: Anna Ailene Scott (Austin, TX); Yan Azdoud (Austin, TX); Christopher Daniel Kelley (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Project Canary, PBC
G01J3/26G01N15/1404G01N15/1436G01N33/0006G01N33/0031G02B26/001
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,768,110
App. No.
18/113,311
Granted
Sep 26, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an illustrative configuration, a method for monitoring air quality is disclosed. The method includes accepting analyte gas into a cell and reflecting light rays into the analyte gas repeatedly across the cell into at least one sensor. The light scattered by particulate matter in the analyte gas and amount of spectra-absorption due to presence of a gaseous chemical is then measured. Based on the determined amount of spectra-absorption and the measured scattered light the gaseous chemical is then measured.

Claims (70)

1. An air quality monitoring method comprising:

accepting analyte gas into a cell;

emitting light rays into the analyte gas;

reflecting the light rays into the analyte gas repeatedly across the cell;

directing the light rays across a path within the cell into at least one sensor in response to repeated reflections;

generating a first spectra signal and a second spectra signal in response to directing the light rays into the at least one sensor; and

deconvoluting the first spectra signal and the second spectra signal based on properties of a light source emitting the light rays and optical properties of the at least one sensor at current temperature and pressure within the cell to generate a deconvoluted first spectra signal and a deconvoluted second spectra signal;

enhancing the deconvoluted first spectra signal based on the deconvoluted second spectra signal to compensate an amount of spectra-absorption for presence of particulate matter; and

determining a gaseous chemical based on the deconvoluted first spectra signal, post enhancing.

2. The air quality monitoring method of claim 1 and further comprising collimating the light rays prior to emitting into the analyte gas.

3. The air quality monitoring method of claim 2 and further comprising concentrating the light rays in response to the collimating, prior to emitting the light rays into the analyte gas.

4. The air quality monitoring method of claim 1 and further comprising:

pumping the analyte gas, via one of at least one pump, into the cell; and

pumping the analyte gas, via one of at least one pump, out of the cell,

wherein the at least one pump provide laminar flow to the analyte gas within the cell.

5. The air quality monitoring method of claim 1 , wherein reflecting and directing the light rays along the path increases spectra-absorption and Signal to Noise (SNR) Ratio.

6. The air quality monitoring method of claim 1 , wherein the cell comprises at least two reflective surfaces at opposite ends to enable reflecting the light rays repeatedly into the cell.

7. The air quality monitoring method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a spectrophotometric detector.

8. The air quality monitoring method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a nephelometer detector.

9. The air quality monitoring method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a reference spectra at predetermined concentration of each of water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane from a database;

applying transfer function of the first spectra signal as a convolution to the reference spectra of each of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane, to generate convoluted reference spectra;

generating synthetic spectra of each of water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane from the convoluted reference spectra for a plurality of concentrations at a measured temperature and a measured pressure; and

determining an actual concentration of each of water, carbon dioxide and methane, by minimizing difference of the generated synthetic spectra and an actual spectrum from the first spectra signal.

10. An air quality monitoring method comprising:

accepting analyte gas into a cell;

emitting light rays into the analyte gas;

reflecting the light rays into the analyte gas repeatedly across the cell;

directing the light rays across a path within the cell into at least one sensor in response to repeated reflections;

generating a first spectra signal and a second spectra signal in response to directing the light rays into the at least one sensor; and

deconvoluting the first spectra signal and the second spectra signal based on properties of a light source emitting the light rays and optical properties of the at least one sensor at current temperature and pressure within the cell to generate a deconvoluted first spectra signal and a deconvoluted second spectra signal;

enhancing the deconvoluted second spectra signal based on the deconvoluted first spectra signal to compensate presence of particulate matter with an amount of spectra-absorption; and

identifying the particulate matter based on the deconvoluted second spectra signal, post enhancing.

11. The air quality monitoring method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor is a nephelometer detector.

12. The air quality monitoring method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor is a spectrophotometric detector.

13. The air quality monitoring method of claim 10 , wherein identifying the particulate matter comprises determining at least one of a shape, a size, and an albedo associated with the particulate matter.

14. A system for air quality monitoring, the system comprising:

a light source that emits light rays;

a cell that accepts analyte gas, the cell comprising:

two reflective surfaces located at opposite ends of the cell;

wherein the reflective surfaces are to repeatedly reflect the light rays along a path across the cell and to direct the light rays into at least one sensor in response to repeated reflections;

wherein a first spectra signal and a second spectra signal is generated in response to directing the light rays into the at least one sensor; and

a processing module to:

deconvolute the first spectra signal and the second spectra signal based on properties of the light source emitting the light rays and optical properties of the at least one sensor at current temperature and pressure within the cell to generate a deconvoluted first spectra signal and a deconvoluted second spectra signal;

enhance the deconvoluted first spectra signal based on the deconvoluted second spectra signal to compensate an amount of spectra-absorption for presence of particulate matter; and

determine a gaseous chemical based on the deconvoluted first spectra signal, post enhancing.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

at least one pump for:

pumping the analyte gas into the cell; and

pumping the analyte gas out of the cell,

wherein the at least one pump provide laminar flow to the analyte gas within the cell.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one sensor is a spectrophotometric detector.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one sensor is a nephelometer detector.

18. A system for air quality monitoring, the system comprising:

a light source that emits light rays;

a cell that accepts analyte gas, the cell comprising:

two reflective surfaces located at opposite ends of the cell;

wherein the reflective surfaces are to repeatedly reflect the light rays along a path across the cell and to direct the light rays into at least one sensor in response to repeated reflections;

wherein a first spectra signal and a second spectra signal is generated in response to directing the light rays into the at least one sensor; and

a processing module to:

deconvolute the first spectra signal and the second spectra signal based on properties of the light source emitting the light rays and optical properties of the at least one sensor at current temperature and pressure within the cell to generate a deconvoluted first spectra signal and a deconvoluted second spectra signal;

enhance the deconvoluted second spectra signal based on the deconvoluted first spectra signal to compensate presence of particulate matter with an amount of spectra-absorption; and

identify particulate matter based on the deconvoluted second spectra signal, post enhancing.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein identifying the particulate matter comprises:

determining at least one of a shape, a size, and an albedo associated with the particulate matter.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the processing module is to:

acquire a library of spectral responses for a type, the size, the shape, and the albedo associated with the particulate matter; and

identify a probable mixture of gases and particulate matter at ambient environmental concentration in a sample, using the library of spectral responses.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one sensor is one of:

a nephelometer detector; and a spectrophotometric detector.

Assignments (3)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 23, 2024
From: PROJECT CANARY, PBC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, A DIVISION OF FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066662/0483 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2023
From: TROPOSPHERE MONITORING, INC.
To: PROJECT CANARY, PBC
Reel/Frame 062785/0377 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2023
From: SCOTT, ANNA AILENE; AZDOUD, YAN; KELLEY, CHRISTOPHER DANIEL
To: TROPOSPHERE MONITORING, INC.
Reel/Frame 062785/0381 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17962171 · Oct 7, 2022
Division 17716326 · Apr 8, 2022
Division 17540497 · Dec 2, 2021
Continuation 16953908 · Nov 20, 2020
Division 16823205 · Mar 18, 2020
Division 16188793 · Nov 13, 2018
Related Publication 20230213385A1 · Jul 6, 2023