Patent Description:
The spread progression of SARS-CoV-<NUM> around the world has brought attention to the systemic risks of economic globalization. As a result of the COVID-<NUM> pandemic there is a need for better monitoring, detecting, and isolating ill passengers, specifically due to the detrimental impact on the global economy, to prevent the spread of COVID-<NUM> and other pathogens during travel, e.g. air travel, rail travel or the like, due to closed borders, movement restrictions, and testing requirements.

The COVID-<NUM> pandemic the air travel industry has proven that air travel can be safe and that aircraft cabins have a well-managed airflow that inhibits transmission of virus, and that being seated onboard an aircraft is safer than shopping in large stores. Governments and other authorities, however, need to assume that aircraft are contaminated until proven "clean", as <NUM>% of COVID-<NUM> cases are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic; but still contagious. To date, travelers and governments have relied on individual tests. Testing for viruses requires that samples be taken of various bodily tissues and/or fluids. An adequate concentration of material is needed, the concentration being determined by the type and sensitivity of the testing procedure. It could be difficult to get adequate samples from travelers for the purposes of virus detection, contact tracing in the event of an exposure, etc. It is also possible that the airline is required to certify the arriving aircraft as being "virus free".

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved monitoring, detecting, and isolating systems and methods. This disclosure provides a solution for this need.

<CIT> relates to the detection of prohibited goods. <CIT> relates to the fields of microbiology, pathology and air handling. <CIT> relates to system and method for detecting threatening agents in the air.

A system for collecting a biological sample from a passenger cabin is provided as claimed in claim <NUM> and includes a collector for collecting particulate samples of the biological sample positioned within at least one of a passenger cabin or a cabin air outflow flow path.

The collector includes a continuous strip of collector material positioned along a lengthwise side of the passenger cabin between a hull wall and the passenger cabin. The collector can include a series of individual pieces of collector material spaced apart along a lengthwise side of the passenger cabin between a hull wall and the passenger cabin. Each individual piece of collector material can be spaced apart by a given number of rows of seats.

The collector can include a plurality of individual pieces of collector material below a row of seats. The plurality of individual pieces of collector material can be more proximate to a hull wall than a cabin aisle. The collector can include a group of individual pieces of collector material on a hull wall or a passenger seat back at a height more proximate to a top of a passenger seat than a cabin floor. The cabin air outflow flow path can be defined by a space between an aircraft hull and a cabin floor. The collector can be positioned within the cabin air outflow flow path. The outflow flow path can be defined at least in part through an in-flight entertainment system (IFE) filter racks. The collector can include a plurality of individual pieces of filter material. The cabin air outflow flow path can be a galley insert air outflow flow path. The collector can be positioned within the cabin air outflow flow path. The cabin air outflow flow path can be a cabin temperature outflow flow path.

The particulate samples can include droplets exhaled from passengers throughout a duration of a flight. The collector can be configured and adapted to be removed from the passenger cabin or cabin air outflow flow path for testing. The cabin air outflow flow path can be a general cabin outlet flow path and wherein the collector can be positioned across the general cabin outlet flow path. The system can include an aircraft galley proximate to the passenger cabin and a pathogen identifying testing unit within the aircraft galley. The pathogen identifying testing unit can include a communication unit for communicating results remotely. In certain embodiments, the pathogen identifying testing unit can include a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing unit.

In accordance with another aspect, a method for collecting particulates from cabin air is provided as claimed in claim <NUM> includes capturing particulates of a biological sample in at least one of a passenger cabin or a cabin air outflow flow path with a collector for a period of time. The method includes removing the collector from at least one of the passenger cabin or air outflow flow path for testing, the collector including a continuous strip of collector material positioned along a lengthwise side of the passenger cabin between a hull wall and the passenger cabin. The method includes placing a clean collector into at least one of the passenger cabin or a cabin air outflow flow path for use during another period of time.

The method can include conducting a pathogen identifying test on at least one particulate captured in the collector. The method includes relaying a result of the pathogen identifying test to a central data center. In certain embodiments, conducting the pathogen identifying test can include conducting a PCR test on at least one particulate captured in the collector.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a system monitoring cabin air in accordance with the disclosure is shown in <FIG> and is designated generally by reference character <NUM>. Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in <FIG> as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to collect a representative sample of pathogens within a pressurized cabin using collectors made from a collector material, e.g. filter material, adhesive tape, or the like. Embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in a variety of spaces, such as inside an aircraft cabin, train cabin, or the like, and allows for the detection of a virus or other contaminant.

As shown in <FIG>, a system <NUM> for collecting a biological sample from a passenger cabin includes a collector <NUM>, e.g. a continuous strip of collector material <NUM>, positioned within the passenger cabin <NUM> in a cabin air outflow flow path <NUM>. Cabin air outflow flow path <NUM> is generated by the pressurized air entering into cabin at inlets <NUM>. As cabin air moves toward a cabin air outlet <NUM> it will impinge upon a surface of collector material <NUM> or run parallel to the surface of collector material <NUM>, causing particulates, droplets or the like to collect on the collector material <NUM>. Cabin air outlet <NUM> is defined between cabin floor <NUM> and hull wall <NUM> and goes down to a cargo area <NUM> and/or common ECS outlet. Collector <NUM> runs along the length of the cabin <NUM> located between the aircraft hull wall <NUM> and the passenger cabin <NUM>. With continuous strip of collector material <NUM>, only a small amount of pieces will need to be processed in order to extract a concentrated sample. In the embodiment of <FIG>, system <NUM> also includes collectors <NUM>, e.g. a group of individual pieces of collector material <NUM>, on a cabin floor <NUM>. The individual pieces of collector material <NUM> are positioned more proximate to a hull wall <NUM> than a cabin aisle <NUM>.

With continued reference to <FIG>, the embodiment of system <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG> also includes collectors <NUM>, e.g. a group of individual pieces of collector material <NUM>, on an interior surface of a hull wall <NUM> and additional collectors <NUM>, e.g. a group of individual pieces of collector material <NUM>, on a passenger seat <NUM> back <NUM>. Collectors <NUM> and <NUM> are positioned at a height H more proximate to a top <NUM> of seat <NUM> than a cabin floor <NUM>.

With reference now to <FIG>, a collector <NUM>, e.g. an individual piece of filter material <NUM>, is positioned in a galley insert <NUM> air outflow flow path <NUM>, such that airflow flowing out of galley insert <NUM> impinges on the filter material <NUM> and is filtered as it goes through filter material <NUM>. The aircraft galley <NUM> includes a pathogen identifying testing unit <NUM>, such as a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing unit, within the aircraft galley insert <NUM>. The pathogen identifying testing unit <NUM> can include a communication unit <NUM> for communicating results remotely, as shown schematically in <FIG> by the arrow in broken lines. The communication unit <NUM> can be configured to communicate the results to an external location, such as a central data center, or a destination airport, for example.

As shown in <FIG>, another embodiment of a system <NUM> for collecting a biological sample from a passenger cabin <NUM>. System <NUM> is the same as system <NUM> except that instead of collector <NUM> running as a continuous lengthwise strip, the collector <NUM> includes a series of individual pieces of collector material <NUM> spaced apart along lengthwise sides of the passenger cabin <NUM> positioned within a cabin air outflow flow path <NUM> between a hull wall <NUM> and the passenger cabin <NUM>. Cabin air outflow flow path <NUM> is generated by the pressurized air entering into cabin at inlets <NUM>. A cabin air outlet <NUM> is defined between cabin floor <NUM> and hull wall <NUM> opens down to a cargo area and/or common environmental control system (ECS) outlet. Each individual piece <NUM> of collector material is spaced apart by a given number of rows of seats. In accordance with the embodiment in <FIG>, each piece <NUM> is spaced apart by three rows of seats. Similar to system <NUM>, the pieces <NUM> are located near the cabin floor <NUM> between the aircraft hull <NUM> and the passenger cabin <NUM>. The pressurized cabin air flow flows in a similar manner to that of system <NUM>. Because of the spacing in system <NUM>, more collector material pieces <NUM> may need to be processed in order to extract a concentrated sample.

As shown in <FIG>, the outflow flow path <NUM> can be defined at least in part through the in-flight entertainment (IFE) system <NUM> having filter racks <NUM>. In embodiments, the IFE can be located in a rear portion of a passenger seat (e.g. similar to that of collector <NUM>) and can include a graphical user interface, such as a screen. The filter racks <NUM> can be located behind the screen to extract heat from the IFE hardware system. In certain embodiments, the filter already included in the filter rack <NUM> can be used or modified to be used as a collector material <NUM>, and/or in certain embodiments, a separate or additional collector material <NUM> can be included in the rack in place of, or in addition to the existing filter.

Still with reference to <FIG>, the cabin air outflow flow path <NUM> can be a cabin temperature outflow flow path defined on or near a ceiling <NUM> of the cabin, for example near cabin inlets <NUM>. Here, the cabin outflow path can include a grill having an existing filter medium therein, and the collector <NUM> can be or include an additional or alternative collector material <NUM> placed within the grill. In embodiments, the collector(s) as described can be located in any suitable outflow path, for example, in the ceiling <NUM> as shown, and additional collectors <NUM> can be included at the entrance halls, near or adjacent to the lavatories, near or adjacent the galleys, and/or any other suitable location in which may experience heavier passenger traffic.

A method for collecting particulates from cabin air includes capturing particulates in at least one of a passenger cabin, e.g. cabin <NUM> or <NUM>, or a cabin air outflow flow path, e.g., cabin air outflow flow path <NUM> or <NUM>, with a collector, e.g. collectors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM>, for a period of time. The method includes removing the collector from at least one of the passenger cabin or air outflow flow path for testing. The method includes placing a clean collector into at least one of the passenger cabin or a cabin air outflow flow path for use during another period of time. The method includes conducting a pathogen identifying test such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, e.g. with pathogen identifying testing unit <NUM>, on at least one particulate captured in the collector. The method includes relaying a result of the PCR test to a central data center, e.g. central data center <NUM>, with a communication unit, e.g. communication unit <NUM>. The central data center can be at a destination airport, governmental agency, or the like. The systems <NUM> and <NUM> are configured and adapted to collect representative sample/s of airborne pathogens within the pressurized cabin using collector pieces, e.g. filter material pieces.

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>;<NUM>) for collecting a biological sample from a passenger cabin comprising:
a collector (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>) for collecting particulate samples of the biological sample positioned within at least one of a passenger cabin (<NUM>) or a cabin air outflow flow path (<NUM>);
wherein the collector (<NUM>) includes a continuous strip of collector material positioned along a lengthwise side of the passenger cabin between a hull wall (<NUM>) and the passenger cabin.