초록 ▼

A vapor sensing device that is sufficiently small and lightweight to be handheld, and also modular so as to allow the device to be conveniently adapted for use in sensing the presence and concentration of a wide variety of specified vapors. The device provides these benefits using a sensor module th

A vapor sensing device that is sufficiently small and lightweight to be handheld, and also modular so as to allow the device to be conveniently adapted for use in sensing the presence and concentration of a wide variety of specified vapors. The device provides these benefits using a sensor module that incorporates a sample chamber and a plurality of sensors located on a chip releasably carried within or adjacent to the sample chamber. Optionally, the sensor module can be configured to be releasably plugged into a receptacle formed in the device. Vapors are directed to pass through the sample chamber, whereupon the sensors provide a distinct combination of electrical signals in response to each. The sensors of the sensor module can take the form of chemically sensitive resistors having resistances that vary according to the identity and concentration of an adjacent vapor. These chemically sensitive resistors can each be connected in series with a reference resistor, between a reference voltage and ground, such that an analog signal is established for each chemically sensitive resistor. The resulting analog signals are supplied to an analog-to-digital converter, to produce corresponding digital signals. These digital signals are appropriately analyzed for vapor identification. The device can then subsequently transmit the digital signals over a computer network, such as the Internet, for analysis at a remote location.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A handheld sensing apparatus comprising:a housing; a sensor module coupled to the housing and including at least two sensors that provide a distinct response to a particular test sample; a processing device coupled to the housing and configured to analyze a particular response from the at least t

1. A handheld sensing apparatus comprising:a housing; a sensor module coupled to the housing and including at least two sensors that provide a distinct response to a particular test sample; a processing device coupled to the housing and configured to analyze a particular response from the at least two sensors, and configured to identify or quantify analytes within the test sample based on the particular response; and a communication interface coupled to the processing device and configured to communicate digitally or wirelessly bidirectional with a computer network situated at a remote location.