System and method for environmental optimization

Abstract

A system and accompanying methods for sanitizing indoor air is disclosed. The system may receive air from an air supply unit and analyze characteristics associated with the received air, such as by utilizing sensors of a sensor unit. Based upon the characteristics of the air, the system may direct the air along one of multiple possible pathways. In certain embodiments, the system may include determining, based on an analysis of the characteristics of the air, whether the air requires treatment and, if the air requires treatment, whether the air can be treated. Based on the analysis, the system may allow the air to pass directly into an indoor environment without treatment, activate one or more treatment modules to treat the air if the air can be treated, or activate an exhaust module to exhaust the air to another environment if the air requires treatment but cannot be treated effectively.

1 . A system for sanitizing air, comprising:
 an air supply unit configured to intake air from an environment;   a sensor unit configured to sense characteristics associated with the air from the environment; and,   a control unit configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 evaluating the characteristics associated with the air by comparing the characteristics to a threshold associated with triggering treatment of the air by the system; and 
 directing the air along an air flow path based upon the air characteristics and based on the comparing of the characteristics to the threshold associated with triggering treatment of the air. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise directing the air along the air flow path associated with a bypass portion of the system if the characteristics of the air are determined not to satisfy the threshold associated with triggering treatment of the air by the system. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise deactivating treatment and exhaust modules of the system when the air is directed along the air flow path associated with the bypass portion of the system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise facilitating direction of the air from the bypass portion of the system to a filter configured to filter the air. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise facilitating direction of the air from the filter to an air handling unit configured to handle the air received from the filter and facilitating direction of the air from the air handling unit to an ultraviolet light-c unit to treat the air. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise facilitating direction of the air from the ultraviolet light-c unit to a diffuser configured to diffuse the air into the environment. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining that the air requires treatment if the characteristics of the air satisfy the threshold associated with triggering treatment of the air by the system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the air is capable of being treated after determining that the characteristics of the air satisfy the threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise activating a treatment module for treating the air if the air is capable of being treated. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise activating an exhaust module for exhausting the air into a different environment if the air is not capable of being treated. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise closing a different air flow path when direction the air along the air flow path. 
     
     
         12 . A system for sanitizing air, comprising:
 an air supply unit configured to intake air from an environment;   a sensor unit configured to sense characteristics associated with the air; and, a control unit configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 evaluating the characteristics associated with the air by comparing the characteristics to a threshold associated with triggering treatment of the air by the system; and 
 directing treatment of the air based upon the characteristics associated with the air and based upon the comparison of the characteristics to the threshold. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise providing the characteristics to a remote system to facilitate evaluation of the characteristics. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a control signal from a device in communication with the system that activates a treatment module for treating the air based on the characteristics of the air. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise exhausting the air into a different environment via an exhaust module if the air is unable to be treated so that the characteristics of the air no longer satisfy the threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise continuously receiving additional air from the environment over a period of time, and wherein the operations further comprise evaluating characteristics associated with the additional air and comparing the characteristics associated with the additional air to the threshold. 
     
     
         17 . A method of sanitizing air, comprising:
 receiving, at an air supply unit of a system, air from an environment;   obtaining, via a sensor unit of the system, sensor data including characteristics associated with the air;   evaluating, by utilizing a control unit of the system, the characteristics associated with the air;   comparing the characteristics associated with the air to a threshold associated with triggering treatment of the air; and,   determining whether treatment is necessary based upon the characteristics of the air and the comparing of the characteristics to the threshold.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining whether the air is capable of being treated so that the air no longer satisfies the threshold, and further comprising exhausting the air into a different environment if the air is not capable of being treated so that the air no longer satisfies the threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising directing, by utilizing the control unit, the air along a path towards a treatment module for treating the air if the air is capable of being treated so that the air no longer satisfies the threshold after treatment of the air. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising directing, by utilizing the control unit, the air to a bypass portion of the system to cause the air to bypass a treatment module, exhaust module, or a combination thereof, if the characteristics associated with the air do not satisfy the threshold associated with triggering treatment of the air.