Automated Alerts for Air-Purifier Maintenance Based on Airflow and Filtration Efficiency

Abstract

An apparatus includes one or more particle sensors to measure an input particle load for an air purifier and an output particle load for the air purifier. The apparatus also includes one or more processors coupled to the one or more particle sensors, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. The one or more programs include instructions for determining a filtration efficiency of the air purifier using the input particle load and the output particle load as measured by the one or more particle sensors, determining whether the filtration efficiency satisfies a threshold efficiency value, and generating a first alert in response to a determination that the filtration efficiency does not satisfy the threshold efficiency value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 one or more particle sensors to measure an input particle load for an air purifier and an output particle load for the air purifier;   one or more processors coupled to the one or more particle sensors; and   memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 determining a filtration efficiency of the air purifier using the input particle load and the output particle load as measured by the one or more particle sensors; 
 determining whether the filtration efficiency satisfies a threshold efficiency value; and 
 generating a first alert in response to a determination that the filtration efficiency does not satisfy the threshold efficiency value. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the filtration efficiency is measured as a monotonic function of the ratio of the output particle load to the input particle load. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more particle sensors are to repeatedly measure the input particle load and the output particle load; and   the instructions for determining the filtration efficiency comprise instructions for:
 combining respective repeated measurements of the input particle load and the output particle load, and 
 calculating the filtration efficiency using respective combinations of the repeated measurements of the input particle load and the output particle load. 
   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more particle sensors are to repeatedly measure the input particle load and the output particle load; and   the instructions for determining the filtration efficiency comprise instructions for:
 calculating ratios of the output particle load to the input particle load using respective repeated measurements of the input particle load and the output particle load, 
   combining the ratios, and
 calculating the filtration efficiency using the combined ratios. 
   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
 before determining the filtration efficiency and determining whether the filtration efficiency satisfies the threshold efficiency value, determining an initial filtration efficiency of the air purifier using an initial input particle load and an initial output particle load for the air purifier as measured by the one or more particle sensors; and   calculating the threshold efficiency value using the initial filtration efficiency.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver coupled to the memory and the one or more processors,
 wherein the instructions for generating the first alert comprise instructions for transmitting the first alert through the transceiver to a remote computer system.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a display coupled to the memory and the one or more processors,
 wherein the instructions for generating the first alert comprise instructions for displaying the first alert on the display.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more particle sensors comprise a first particle sensor to measure the input particle load and the output particle load;   the apparatus further comprises a valve to selectively provide air from an input of the air purifier or an output of the air purifier to the first particle sensor, the valve comprising a first input coupled to the input of the air purifier, a second input coupled to the output of the air purifier, and an output coupled to the first particle sensor; and   the instructions for determining the filtration efficiency comprise instructions for calculating the filtration efficiency using the input particle load as measured by the first particle sensor and the output particle load as measured by the first particle sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more particle sensors comprise:
 a first particle sensor to measure the input particle load, and 
 a second particle sensor to measure the output particle load; and 
   the instructions for determining the filtration efficiency comprise instructions for calculating the filtration efficiency using the input particle load as measured by the first particle sensor and the output particle load as measured by the second particle sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the one or more programs further comprise instructions for calibrating the first particle sensor to the second particle sensor, comprising instructions for determining a scale factor representing a difference in particle detection between the first particle sensor and the second particle sensor; and   the instructions for calculating the filtration efficiency use the scale factor.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an anemometer to measure an airspeed of the air purifier, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
 determining whether the airspeed satisfies a first threshold airspeed value; and   generating a second alert in response to a determination that the airspeed does not satisfy the first threshold airspeed value.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the anemometer is to repeatedly measure the airspeed; and   the instructions for determining whether the airspeed satisfies the first threshold airspeed value comprise instructions for:
 combining repeated measurements of the airspeed, and 
 determining whether the combined repeated measurements satisfy a threshold. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for calculating the first threshold airspeed value using an initial airspeed of the air purifier as measured by the anemometer. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the air purifier comprises one or more filters and a fan;   the second alert instructs a user to remove the one or more filters from the air purifier; and   the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
 determining whether the airspeed of the air purifier with the one or more filters removed in accordance with the second alert satisfies a second threshold airspeed value, 
 generating a third alert instructing the user to repair or replace the fan in response to a determination that the airspeed with the one or more filters removed in accordance with the second alert does not satisfy the second threshold airspeed value, and 
 generating a fourth alert instructing the user to check the one or more filters in response to a determination that the airspeed with the one or more filters removed in accordance with the second alert satisfies the second threshold airspeed value. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the anemometer is selected from the group consisting of:
 an anemometer to be coupled to an output of the air purifier by a tube, to measure the airspeed at the output of the air purifier;   an anemometer to be positioned at the output of the air purifier, to measure the airspeed at the output of the air purifier;   an anemometer to be coupled to an input of the air purifier by a tube, to measure the airspeed at the input of the air purifier; and   an anemometer to be positioned at the input of the air purifier, to measure the airspeed at the input of the air purifier.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more particle sensors comprise one or more optical particle sensors selected from the group consisting of one or more optical particle counters and one or more nephelometers. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 at a computer system comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors:
 determining a filtration efficiency for an air purifier using an input particle load for the air purifier and an output particle load for the air purifier as measured by one or more particle sensors; 
 determining whether the filtration efficiency satisfies a threshold efficiency value; and 
 generating a first alert in response to a determination that the filtration efficiency does not satisfy the threshold efficiency value. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, at the computer system:
 determining whether an airspeed of the air purifier, as measured by an anemometer, satisfies a first threshold airspeed value; and   generating a second alert in response to a determination that the airspeed does not satisfy the first threshold airspeed value.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 determining a filtration efficiency for an air purifier using an input particle load for the air purifier and an output particle load for the air purifier as measured by one or more particle sensors;   determining whether the filtration efficiency satisfies a threshold efficiency value; and   generating a first alert in response to a determination that the filtration efficiency does not satisfy the threshold efficiency value.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 determining whether an airspeed of the air purifier, as measured by an anemometer, satisfies a first threshold airspeed value; and   generating a second alert in response to a determination that the airspeed does not satisfy the first threshold airspeed value.