Calibrated mobile gas sensor

1. A mobile device with a gas monitor, comprising:

a gas sensor that measures gas concentration in a volume of gas;

a mobile device coupled to the gas sensor, the mobile device including a processing unit executing instructions to:

receive a request from a user of the mobile device;

if the request is for calibrated data and if a previous calibration has expired,

acquire calibration data for the gas sensor with a calibration device that provides a known gas to the gas sensor, and

set a timer that expires when the calibration data has expired;

read concentration data of the volume of gas from the gas sensor;

provide calibrated concentration data based on the concentration data from the gas sensor with the calibration data if the calibration has not expired; and

provide relative concentration data based on the concentration data from the gas sensor if the calibration has expired.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to acquire calibration data includes instructions to

initialize for calibration that includes instructions to a user to provide the calibration device to the gas sensor;

read data from the gas sensor in the presence of the known gas with known concentration provided by the calibration device; and

compile the calibration data based on the data from the gas sensor and the known gas; and

provide instructions to the user to remove the calibration device when calibration data has been acquired.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to initialize for calibration includes instructions to

provide instructions to a user to configure a chamber of the calibration device to enclose the sensor; and

provide instructions to the user to apply the known gas from a known source to the chamber.

4. A method of operating a mobile gas sensor with a mobile device, the mobile gas sensor being a gas sensor incorporated with the mobile device, comprising:

receiving a request from a user of the mobile device;

if the request is for calibrated data and if a previous calibration has expired,

acquiring calibration parameters for the gas sensor using a calibration device that provides a known gas to the gas sensor, and

setting a time that expires when the calibration parameters have expired;

reading concentration data from the gas sensor, the concentration data indicating a concentration of gas within a volume of gas to be measured;

providing a calibrated indication of gas concentration based on the concentration data and calibration parameters while the calibration parameters have not expired; and

providing a relative indication of gas concentration based on the data if the calibration parameters have expired.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein providing calibration parameters includes

initializing for calibration of the mobile gas sensor by instructing a user to configure the calibration device to enclose the gas sensor and provide the known gas of a known concentration to the gas sensor with the calibration device;

receiving data from the gas sensor of the mobile gas sensor in the presence of the known gas;

providing the calibration parameters based on the data from the gas sensor;

and

instructing the user to remove the calibration device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein calibrating the mobile gas sensor is initiated on startup of the mobile device or by the user.

7. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor and data;

a user interface coupled to the processor;

an interface configured to interface with a gas sensor, the interface further coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor executes a gas monitoring algorithm under direction of a user through the user interface, the gas monitoring algorithm including

a relative measurement mode, wherein in the relative measurement mode the processor executes instructions to measure a volume of gas and provide a relative indication of gas concentration to the user;

a calibration initialization mode, wherein the calibration initialization mode is entered from the relative measurement mode when the user requests calibrated concentration data from the gas sensor, and wherein the processor executes instructions to direct the user to prepare for calibration by providing a calibration device with a known gas to the gas sensor;

a calibration mode, the calibration mode is entered from the calibration initialization mode, and wherein the processor executes instructions to acquire calibration data for the gas sensor with the calibration device that provides the known gas to the gas sensor and to set a timer that expires when the calibration data acquired has expired, and

an accurate measurement mode, wherein in the accurate measurement mode the processor executes instructions to measure a volume of gas a provide a calibrated indication of gas concentration to the user.

8. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the relative measurement mode is entered on receipt of a measurement request from the user interface or is transitioned to from the accurate measurement mode when calibration parameters obtained in the calibration mode have expired.

9. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein in the relative measurement mode the processor executes instructions to

power the gas sensor;

read sensor data from the gas sensor;

determine that calibration parameters determined in the calibration mode have expired;

if the calibration parameters have expired, then process the sensor data to provide non-calibrated concentration results; and

display the concentration results.

10. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the calibration mode is entered from the initialization mode when confirmation of a calibration setup that includes configuring the calibration device to provide the known gas concentration to the gas sensor is received through the user interface.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the accurate measurement mode is entered from the calibration mode after calibration has been reached.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein in accurate measurement mode, the processor executes instructions to

power the gas sensor;

read sensor data from the gas sensor;

determine calibration parameters have not expired;

process the sensor data using calibrated parameters to obtain calibrated gas concentration data; and

display the the calibrated indication of gas concentration data to the user.

13. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein in calibration mode the processor executes instructions to

power the gas sensor;

read sensor data from the gas sensor, wherein the gas sensor has been configured to receive gas from a known source from the calibration device;

compare with expected results from the known source; and

adjust calibration parameters to provide calibration during the accurate measurement mode.

14. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein in the initialization mode the processor executes instructions to

instruct a user through the user interface to configure the calibration device with a chamber that encloses the gas sensor and to provide gas from a known source to the chamber; and

receive from the user interface a confirmation that the chamber and known source are applied.

15. A method of operating a mobile device coupled to a gas sensor, comprising:

operating in a relative measurement mode when a calibration is not achieved or has expired, wherein in the relative measurement mode the method includes reading concentration data indicating a concentration of gas within a volume of gas to be measured and displaying a relative indication of gas concentration to a user on a user interface;

transitioning to a calibration initialization mode from the relative measurement mode when instructions are received from a user through the user interface, wherein during the calibration initialization mode a calibration setup where the user is instructed to provide a calibration device configured to provide a known gas to the gas sensor;

transitioning to a calibration mode from the calibration initialization mode when confirmation of the calibration setup is received through the user interface, wherein in the calibration mode the method includes acquiring calibration parameters using the known gas from the calibration device and setting a time that expires when the calibration parameters have expired;

transition to an accurate measurement mode from the calibration mode when the calibration parameters have been acquired; and

transitioning to the relative measurement mode from the accurate measurement mode when the calibration parameters have expired.