GB2459501A

GB2459501A - Intrinsically safe mobile phone with gas alarm.

Info

Publication number: GB2459501A
Application number: GB0807558A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Philip Doyle; Paul Phillip Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-25
Filing date: 2008-04-25
Publication date: 2009-10-28
Also published as: GB0807558D0

Abstract

A cellular telephone is connected to a gas detector means (1, fig 1) which is either integrated within the telephone handset or contained in a separate housing 2 that has a plug 3 that may be connected directly to a socket 4 on the handset (fig 2). The separate detector housing 2 may also be indirectly connected via a charging lead so that a plug 7 of the lead is connected to the handset socket 4 and a secondary socket 6 of the lead accepts the plug 3 of the detector 2. The audible tones of the telephone handset may be used to alert a user of detected gas, and the handset controls may arm or disarm the alarm and may allow testing of the detector connection. Gas measurements may be displaced on the screen of the handset. The telephone handset and detector may be made intrinsically safe to prevent explosive gasses reaching contained circuitry or the handset and detector may be fitted into an intrinsically safe unit.

Description

I Title

Mobile Phone Gas Detector

Background

Methane or as it is commonly known as, natural gas, is the fuel that human beings rely upon every day. Natural gas serves humans well and is commonly used as a resource to heat homes, cook food and heat water. It is even used in power stations to generate electricity. It is a very important resource indeed. Conversely, gas leaks occur sometimes in the home or in other establishments, which can build up to dangerous levels. Gas leaks can increase the risk of fire or explosion and therefore, need to be detected before the gas builds up to such dangerous levels.

Natural gas for instance, can cause serious health problems. When levels of escaping gas get too high, it reduces the amount of oxygen for individuals to breathe. This can lead to dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headache and irregular breathing, which are all the symptoms of asphyxia Exposure to extremely high levels of natural gas can result in unconsciousness and imminent death.

Some gas detectors can be used to detect all combustible and toxic gases, and oxygen and carbon dioxide too. These gas detectors can sense and detect a range of gases in an area that may be at high levels as to cause explosion or be toxic and thereby harmful to humans or animals.

Gas detectors are on the market and resemble smoke detectors. They can be installed in the homes or other establishments. These are good safety devices but not all homes and establishments have gas detectors installed. Individuals on the whole tend to trust establishments that offer all safety aspects and offer a duty of care regarding safety.

Some establishments across the globe do not provide such safety. Individuals need reassurance wherever they are in the world so that they can be alerted of a build up of leaking gas whatever the gas may be, before gas levels get too high and to a dangerous level. Individuals who are extra vigilant take extra precautions and make provision for their own safety, as they believe that they are solely responsible for their own duty of care and always find ways to provide a higher degree of safety.

Individuals would need to carry that safety with them wherever they go. It would need to be mobile. "Mobile", being the key word, which leads to the idea of using an individual's mobile cell phone as the vehicle to carry the appropriate safety device, which would be a Gas detector built into or attached to a mobile phone.

A Mobile Phone Gas Detector would be very practical, portable and convenient for gas engineers too. They would have an advantage of having a gas detector conveniently on their person to detect the presence of a range of various gases within an area. Mobile phones that incorporate a gas detector, which are used as a tool by gas engineers may have to be encased in an intrinsically safe unit as to avoid an explosion. An intrinsically safe unit will prevent explosive gases encroaching the mobile phone's electronic circuitry, which could be a fatal combination by it setting off and causing a possible explosion in the area where explosive gases may be present.

Statement of invention

A Gas detector and its electronic circuitry would be built into or attached to a mobile phone.

From the mobile phone menu, the Gas detector would be switched on to be on standby and guard to alert an individual when it detects a build up of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas.

From the mobile phone menu, the Gas detector would be switched on to be used as a tool by gas engineers so that they can check for leaks and the presence of explosive and toxic gases.

When the Gas detector, detects harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas it would switch on an audible tone on the mobile phone to alert an individual and make them aware of the presence of harmful levels of such a gas.

A Gas detector that works on a mobile phone provides individuals protection wherever they go in the world, regardless of whether Gas detectors are fitted in establishments or not.

The Mobile Phone Gas Detector relieves the worry of faulty Gas detectors or dead batteries that are not replaced for new ones.

A fully charged phone assures an individual of the optimum electrical supply for their Gas detector.

There could be a test facility on the mobile phone to prove connectivity of the Gas detector to the audible and the battery supply or charging supply.

Advantages The Mobile Phone Gas Detector would guard and be an early warning system against harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas for an individual as an extra safety precaution or albeit the only safety precaution. The Mobile Phone Gas Detector would be portable and conveniently mobile by being built into or attached to a mobile phone.

Individuals will have that protection with them at all times, as mobile phones become an ever-prevalent tool that has become part of human life globally.

Gas engineers can use a Mobile Phone Gas Detector as a tool so that they can check for leaks and the presence of explosive and toxic gases. The mobile phone's screen could be used to display digital readouts.

It would offer convenience all round for gas engineers and all that use it.

Ultimately, a Mobile Phone Gas Detector could and would save lives.

Introduction to drawings

Drawings of the Mobile Phone Gas Detector are shown on the following pages, which are on pages 6, 7 and 8.

Figure 1 on page 6: Shows a Gas Detector 1, built into a mobile phone.

On the drawing it states that the Mobile Phone's casing can be intrinsically safe or the Mobile Phone can be fitted into in an intrinsically safe unit specially designed for the Mobile Phone Gas Detector complete, whereby it On the drawing it states that the mobile phone's screen can be utilised for digital readouts, thereby displaying a measurement of any gases present and displaying the identity of any gases present.

Figure 2 on page 7: Shows a Gas Detector 2 that could be attached to a mobile phone by plugging 3 into socket 4 on the mobile phone.

On the drawing it states that the Mobile Phone's casing and the Gas Detector attachment's casing can be intrinsically safe or the Mobile Phone and Gas Detector can be fitted into an intrinsically safe unit specially designed for the Mobile Phone and Gas Detector complete, whereby they both would be safely encased.

Figure 3 on page 8: Shows a Gas Detector 2 that can be attached to a mobile phone by plugging 3 into the socket 6 of the network communication cable, which is attached to the plug 7 that also connects the cable from the mobile phone chargerS. Plug 7 is plugged into socket 4 on the mobile phone, thus attaching the Gas Detector to the mobile phone. The mobile phone chargerS can then be plugged into a mains supply to charge the phone.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector is a gas detector that is built into a mobile phone along with the electronic circuitry to alert an individual when it detects a build up and presence of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas or gases.
2. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector is a gas detector along with the electronic circuitry as a separately contained unit that is attached to a mobile phone by plugging the unit directly into a socket on the mobile phone so to alert an individual when it detects a build up and presence of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas or gases.
3. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector is a gas detector along with the electronic circuitry as a separately contained unit that is attached to a mobile phone by plugging the unit into a socket of a network lead connected to a plug at the other end, which also connects the lead from a mobile phone charger and is plugged into the mobile phone so to alert an individual when it detects a build up and presence of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas or gases.
4. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector as defined in claims 1, 2 and 3 will utilise the audible tones of the mobile phone to alert an individual when the Gas detector, detects a build up and presence of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas or gases.
5. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector as defined in claims 1, 2 and 3 could be switched on from the mobile phone menu to be on standby and guard to alert an individual when it detects a build up and presence of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas or gases.
6. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector as defined in claims 1, 2 and 3 could have a test facility on the mobile phone to prove connectivity of the Gas detector to the audible and the battery supply or charging supply.
7. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector as defined in claim 1, can have a casing that is intrinsically safe or the Mobile Phone can be fitted into in an intrinsically safe unit specially designed for the Mobile Phone Gas Detector complete, whereby it would be safely encased.
8. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector as defined in claim 2, can have casings that are intrinsically safe or the Mobile Phone and Gas Detector can be fitted into an intrinsically safe unit specially designed for the Mobile Phone and Gas Detector complete, whereby they both would be safely encased.
9. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector as defined in claims 1, 2 and 3 or an intrinsically safe Mobile Phone Gas Detector could be switched on from the mobile phone menu to be used as a tool by gas engineers when they are checking for the build up and presence of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas or gases.
10. A Mobile Phone Gas Detector as defmed in claims 1,2 and 3 or an intrinsically safe Mobile Phone Gas Detector could be used as a tool by gas engineers when they are checking for the build up and presence of harmful levels of explosive or toxic gas or gases, whereby the mobile phone's screen could be utilised for digital readouts, thereby displaying a measurement of any gases present and displaying the identity of any gases present.