US4968632A — Method and apparatus for rapid analysis of a samp…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 195 words

A method for rapidly measuring the magnitude of at least one characteristic of a sample medium in the presence of other characteristics in said sample medium comprising the steps of: bringing said sample medium once into contact with a luminescent layer having luminescent properties which vary over a wavelength spectrum as a function of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, said wavelength spectrum including a known wavelength region in which said one characteristic and said other characteristics differently influence the luminescent of light emitted by said luminescent layer; directing light of a defined wavelength and spectrum onto said luminescent layer thereby causing said luminescent layer to emit light over said wavelength spectrum; detecting the luminescent intensity of the emitted light from said luminescent layer in a plurality of different wavelength regions in said wavelength spectrum equal to the total number of said one and said other characteristics and including said known wavelength region and generating respective intensity signals for each of said different wavelength regions; and processing said intensity signals from each of said wavelength regions including identifying and measuring an intensity signal in said known wavelength region thereby to identify said one characteristic.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 195 words

A method for rapidly measuring the magnitude of at least one characteristic of a sample medium in the presence of other characteristics in said sample medium comprising the steps of: bringing said sample medium once into contact with a luminescent layer having luminescent properties which vary over a wavelength spectrum as a function of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, said wavelength spectrum including a known wavelength region in which said one characteristic and said other characteristics differently influence the luminescent of light emitted by said luminescent layer; directing light of a defined wavelength and spectrum onto said luminescent layer thereby causing said luminescent layer to emit light over said wavelength spectrum; detecting the luminescent intensity of the emitted light from said luminescent layer in a plurality of different wavelength regions in said wavelength spectrum equal to the total number of said one and said other characteristics and including said known wavelength region and generating respective intensity signals for each of said different wavelength regions; and processing said intensity signals from each of said wavelength regions including identifying and measuring an intensity signal in said known wavelength region thereby to identify said one characteristic.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the additional step of: maintaining constant the spectral distribution of said light directed onto said luminescent layer.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as claim in claim 1 comprising the additional step of: maintaining constant the intensity of said light directed onto said luminescent layer.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 54 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the additional steps of: detecting the luminescent intensity of light from said luminescent layer in a selected wavelength region; and using the intensity of said light in said selected wavelength region as a reference signal for standardizing the luminescent intensities detected in the other wavelength regions.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the additional step of: pulsing said light directed onto said luminescent layer.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 75 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 for rapidly identifying two characteristics X1 and X2 from detector signals S i , wherein i=1, 2, wherein the step of processing said detector signals is undertaken according to the formula ##EQU3## wherein i i is the luminescent intensity in the wavelength region being detected at a defined value of x 1 , a i is the background intensity, and k i and b i are approximation coefficients.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the defined value of X 1 is X 1 =0.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein X 1 is the partial oxygen pressure in said sample medium and wherein X 2 is the temperature of said sample medium.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 49 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the additional steps of: alternatingly activating and deactivating a light source for directing said light on said luminescent layer; and alternatingly activating and deactivating a plurality of detrectors for detecting said luminescent intensity synchronously with activating and deactivating said light source.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as claimed in claim 8 further defined by: simultaneously activating said light source and said detectors, and deactivating said detectors before deactivating said light source.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 210 words

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the magnitude of at least one characteristic of a sample medium in the presence of other characteristics in said sample medium comprising: a luminescent layer having luminescent properties which vary over a wavelength spectrum as a function of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, said wavelength spectrum including a known wavelength region in which said one characteristic and said other characteristics differently influence the luminescent intensity of light emitted by said luminescent layer; means for bringing said sample medium once into contact with said luminescent layer; means for directing light of a defined wavelength and spectrum onto said luminescent layer thereby causing said luminescent layer to emit light over said wavelength spectrum; means for detecting the luminescent intensity of light from said luminescent layer in a plurality of different wavelength regions in said wavelength spectrum equal to the number of the total of said one characteristic and said other characteristics and including said known wavelength region and generating respective intensity signals for each of said different wavelength regions; and means for processing said intensity signals from said means for detecting for each of said wavelength regions for identifying and measuring an intensity signal in said known wavelength region, thereby to identify said one characteristic.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 210 words

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the magnitude of at least one characteristic of a sample medium in the presence of other characteristics in said sample medium comprising: a luminescent layer having luminescent properties which vary over a wavelength spectrum as a function of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, said wavelength spectrum including a known wavelength region in which said one characteristic and said other characteristics differently influence the luminescent intensity of light emitted by said luminescent layer; means for bringing said sample medium once into contact with said luminescent layer; means for directing light of a defined wavelength and spectrum onto said luminescent layer thereby causing said luminescent layer to emit light over said wavelength spectrum; means for detecting the luminescent intensity of light from said luminescent layer in a plurality of different wavelength regions in said wavelength spectrum equal to the number of the total of said one characteristic and said other characteristics and including said known wavelength region and generating respective intensity signals for each of said different wavelength regions; and means for processing said intensity signals from said means for detecting for each of said wavelength regions for identifying and measuring an intensity signal in said known wavelength region, thereby to identify said one characteristic.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for directing light onto said luminescent layer is a plurality of light emitting diodes connected in series.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for directing light onto said luminescent layer is a plurality of light emitting diodes connected in parallel.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for directing light onto said luminescent layer includes a light source, and a means for pulsing said light source.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for directing light onto said luminescent layer further includes means for maintaining current supplied to said light source constant.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 further including means for varying the pulse duration of said light source.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 36 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said means for directing light onto said luminescent layer further includes means for varying the current supplied to said light source during the pulses on said light source.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 60 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for directing light includes a light source, and wherein said means for detecting the luminescent intensity of said light detects said intensity in two wavelength regions, further comprising: means for forming a quotient of said intensities of said two wavelength regions and for controlling said light source in response thereto.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 59 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for directing light includes a light source and wherein said means for detecting includes a plurality of detectors corresponding to said plurality of different wavelength regions, and further comprising: means for pulsing said light source; and means for pulsing said detectors synchronously with the pulsing of said light source.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 46 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein the beginning of each pulse for said light source and the beginning of each pulse for said detectors are synchronized, and wherein the pulse duration for said detectors is less than the pulse duration of said light source.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 33 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 further comprising: means for generating a reference signal from said light source and for controlling the pulse duration of said detectors based on said reference signal.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for directing light onto said luminescent layer includes a light source and further comprising: means for pulsing said light source; means for monitoring a selected parameter of said light source during a pulse thereof; said diodes based on said monitored parameter.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 228 words

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the magnitude of at least one characteristic of a sample medium in the presence of other characteristics in said sample medium comprising: a luminescent layer having luminescent properties which vary over a wavelength spectrum as a function of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, said wavelength spectrum including a known wavelength region in which said one characteristic and said other characteristics differently influence the luminescent intensity of light emitted by said luminescent layer; means for bringing said sample medium once into contact with said luminescent layer; a plurality of diodes for directing light of a defined wavelength and spectrum onto said luminescent layer thereby causing said luminescent layer to emit light over said wavelength spectrum; a plurality of filters having different bandpass regions, said plurality of filters being equal to the number of the total of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, and the bandpass region of one of said filters being selected in said known wavelength; a plurality of detectors equal to the plurality of filters said filters respectively disposed between said sample and said detectors and said detector generating respective intensity signals for each of said different wavelength regions; and means for processing the intensity signals from said plurality of detectors for identifying and measuring an intensity signal in said known wavelength region, thereby to identify said one characteristic.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 228 words

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the magnitude of at least one characteristic of a sample medium in the presence of other characteristics in said sample medium comprising: a luminescent layer having luminescent properties which vary over a wavelength spectrum as a function of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, said wavelength spectrum including a known wavelength region in which said one characteristic and said other characteristics differently influence the luminescent intensity of light emitted by said luminescent layer; means for bringing said sample medium once into contact with said luminescent layer; a plurality of diodes for directing light of a defined wavelength and spectrum onto said luminescent layer thereby causing said luminescent layer to emit light over said wavelength spectrum; a plurality of filters having different bandpass regions, said plurality of filters being equal to the number of the total of said one characteristic and said other characteristics, and the bandpass region of one of said filters being selected in said known wavelength; a plurality of detectors equal to the plurality of filters said filters respectively disposed between said sample and said detectors and said detector generating respective intensity signals for each of said different wavelength regions; and means for processing the intensity signals from said plurality of detectors for identifying and measuring an intensity signal in said known wavelength region, thereby to identify said one characteristic.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 33 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 23 further comprising: means for monitoring a selected operating parameter of said plurality of diodes and for controlling the operation said diodes based on said monitored parameter.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 55 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein said monitored parameter of said diodes is the operating voltage of said diodes, and further comprising: a current supply for said diodes; a potentiometer for measuring said operating voltage of said diodes; and a feedback loop for operating said current supply in response to said operating voltage.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 75 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein said monitored parameter is the luminous intensity over the entire spectrum of said diodes, and further comprising: means for detecting said luminous intensity over said entire spectrum of said diodes; a current supply for operating said diodes; and a feedback loop from said means for detecting said luminous intensity of said diodes to said current supply for controlling said current supply in response to said luminous intensity.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 93 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein said monitored parameter of said diodes is the luminous intensity of said diodes in a selected wavelength region, and further comprising: means for detecting the luminous intensity of said diodes in said selected wavelength region; a current supply for operating said diodes; and a feedback loop from said means for detecting said luminous intensity of said diodes at said selected wavelength region to said current supply for controlling operation of said current supply in response to said detected luminous intensity in said selected wavelength region.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 20 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 23 further comprising: an additional filter disposed between said diodes and said luminescent layer.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 42 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 28 wherein said means for bringing said sample medium into contact with said luminescent layer is disposed for bringing said sample medium into contact with said luminescent layer between said luminescent layer and said additional filter.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 25 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 28 further comprising: a light-tight housing enclosing said diodes, said filters, said additional filters, and said plurality of detectors.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-11-05	1994-05-07	1994-11-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-11-05	1998-05-07	1998-11-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-11-05	2002-05-07	2002-11-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for rapid analysis of a sample medium

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