Respirator mask management system

1. A respirator mask management system, comprising:

a data storage;

a data processing unit operatively coupled to the database storage;

a user mobile device communicatively coupled with the data processing unit over a communication network, the user mobile device including a respirator mask manager; and

a respirator mask including a filter configured to prevent inhalation of pollutants by a user, an exhalation valve, a sensor configured to determine a state of the exhalation valve, and a microprocessor operatively coupled with the sensor and having a wireless connectivity to the user mobile device for transmitting sensed states of the exhalation valve to the respirator mask manager;

wherein the respirator mask manager is configured to receive, from the microprocessor, the sensed states of the exhalation valve, determine whether a number of state changes experienced by the exhalation valve over a time interval exceeds a pre-established threshold, and present a message to a display of the user mobile device indicating the filter is in need of replacement when the number of changed states experienced by the exhalation valve over the time interval exceeds the pre-established threshold.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the respirator mask manager is further configured to present a button to the display of the user mobile device, wherein an actuation of the button by the user, presents an online order form for a replacement filter.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the respirator mask manager is further configured to:

cache, on the user mobile device, the sensed states of the exhalation valve transmitted by the microprocessor; and

relay the sensed states to the database storage through the data processing unit.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the respirator mask manager is further configured to:

receive, from the data processing unit, accumulated data regarding previously stored sensed states of the exhalation valve; and

present the accumulated data to the display of the user mobile device.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the accumulated data regarding the previously stored sensed states of the exhalation valve include times of day during which the respirator mask was used; pollution levels at the time the respirator mask was used; and an amount of time, a number of breaths, or a number of state changes remaining before the filter will need replacement.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is programmed to scan for one or more wireless access points to the communication network and when a scan discovers at least one wireless access point, to collect a wireless access point identifier.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the respirator mask manager is configured to derive an approximate position of the respirator mask from the wireless access point identifier.

8. A method for respirator mask management, comprising:

providing a database providing a data processing unit operatively coupled to the database storage; providing a user mobile device communicatively coupled with the data processing unit over a communication network and including a respirator mask manager; and providing a respirator mask including a filter configured to prevent inhalation of pollutants by a user and an exhalation valve; with a sensor mounted on the exhalation valve, determining a state of the exhalation valve; and with a microprocessor housed in the respirator mask and operatively coupled with the sensor, transmitting the sensed states of the exhalation valve to the respirator mask manager;

with the respirator mask manager, determining from the sensed and transmitted states of the exhalation valve whether a number of state changes experienced by the exhalation valve exceeds a pre-established threshold, and presenting a message to a display of the user mobile device indicating the filter is in need of replacement.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising, with the respirator mask manager presenting a button to the display of the user mobile device, wherein an actuation of the button by the user, presents an online order form for a replacement filter.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising, with the respirator mask manager caching the sensed states of the exhalation valve on the user mobile device and relaying the sensed states to the database storage through the data processing unit.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising, with the respirator mask manager receiving, from the data processing unit, accumulated data regarding previously stored sensed states of the exhalation valve and presenting the accumulated data to the display of the user mobile device.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the accumulated data regarding the previously stored sensed states of the exhalation valve include times of day during which the respirator mask was worn; pollution levels at the time the respirator mask was worn; and an amount of time, a number of breaths, or a number of state changes remaining before the filter will need replacement.

13. The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising, with the microprocessor, scanning for one or more wireless access points to the communication network and when a scan discovers at least one wireless access point, collecting a wireless access point identifier of the at least one discovered wireless access point.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 , further comprising, with the respirator mask manager, deriving an approximate position of the respirator mask from the wireless access point identifier.