Patent Document ID: 20070233397
Application ID: 11684048
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A method of evaluating a water sample for the possible future presence of an algal bloom, comprising: obtaining data values of pH of a water sample from a pH sensor over a period of time; obtaining data values of turbidity of said water sample from a turbidity sensor over a period of time; obtaining data values of conductivity of said water sample from a conductivity sensor over a period of time; obtaining data values of temperature of said water sample from a temperature sensor over a period of time; obtaining data values of dissolved oxygen of said water sample from a dissolved oxygen sensor over a period of time; obtaining data values of total organic carbon of said water sample from a total organic carbon sensor over a period of time; obtaining data values of phycocyanin of a water sample from a phycocyanin sensor over a period of time; obtaining data values of chlorophyll of said water sample from a chlorophyll sensor over a period of time; processing said data values to determine correlation coefficients between data parameters; processing said data values to identify any linear dependencies between data parameters; processing said data values to standardize the scales of said data values; evaluating said data values over a plurality of proliferation time periods and neuron numbers; calculating MSEs and R 2 's from said evaluations; determining an optimal proliferation time period and optimal neuron number using said calculations; determining whether any of the said data values are abnormal; and, in the event they all are not, estimating a valid likelihood that said water sample will be subject to an algal bloom at one or more specific times in the future, based on subsequent, periodic data values and said proliferation time period and neuron number.