US 12,455,206 B2
Remote methane detector
Pedro Andres Garzon, San Jose, CA (US); Andrew Chanul Kim, Fremont, CA (US); Samit K. Basu, Fremont, CA (US); Kimberly Adair Swift, Riverview, FL (US); and Rebecca Ann Steinmann, Katy, TX (US)
Assigned to John Crane UK, Limited, Slough (GB)
Filed by JOHN CRANE UK, LIMITED, Slough (GB)
Filed on Oct. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/045,582.
Application 18/045,582 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2022/077872, filed on Oct. 11, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/262,386, filed on Oct. 11, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0128536 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. G01M 3/04 (2006.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 3/04 (2013.01) [G01N 33/0047 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A remote methane detector, comprising:
an external shell defining an interior cavity;
an airflow aperture;
a methane sensor disposed within the interior cavity, wherein the methane sensor is adapted and configured to receive airflow from the airflow aperture and to detect methane within the airflow;
a rechargeable power source;
a low-energy telecommunications transceiver chain; and
an energy collector adapted and configured to collect renewable energy and to power at least the methane sensor and the low-energy telecommunications transceiver chain;
a microcontroller in electronic communication with the methane sensor, wherein the microcontroller is adapted and configured to:
receive sensor measurements from the methane sensor; and
determine a methane level based on the sensor measurements;
wherein the microcontroller is further adapted and configured to collect the sensor measurements according to a sampling schedule, wherein the sampling schedule is dependent on whether methane is detected by another remote methane detector within a predefined time period.