Sample conditioning and environmental control techniques for gas sensor
First Claim
1. A system for measuring a trace gas in exhaled breath, comprising:
- a. a sensing element that is responsive to a trace gas analyte in exhaled breath; and
b. a desiccant, said desiccant placed at least partially upstream from said sensing element.
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Abstract
The present invention is a system and method of conditioning the sample and surrounding environment of an exhaled breath sensor. It includes (i) using a particular molecular sieve for a triple purpose: (a) maintaining the sensor at a constant relative humidity during storage, (b) equilibrating the incoming breath stream to the same relative humidity as the sensor, and (c) eliminating the analyte from the environment around the sensor during storage. The present invention also includes removal of interfering components from the exhaled breath, such as carbon dioxide, as well as a thermal management technique.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system for measuring a trace gas in exhaled breath, comprising:
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a. a sensing element that is responsive to a trace gas analyte in exhaled breath; and
b. a desiccant, said desiccant placed at least partially upstream from said sensing element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for measuring an analyte in exhaled breath, comprising:
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a. providing a sensor, said sensor comprising a sensing element that is responsive to a trace gas in exhaled breath;
b. maintaining a predetermined sensor humidity level in said sensor during storage;
c. capturing an exhaled breath stream from a subject into said sensor, wherein said exhaled breath stream has a breath humidity level; and
d. conditioning said breath stream so that said breath humidity level is substantially equivalent to said predetermined sensor humidity level. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for measuring a trace gas in exhaled breath, comprising:
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a. a sensing element that is responsive to a trace gas analyte in exhaled breath; and
b. a temperature control device associated with said bioactive sensing element. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A system for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a gas, comprising
a. an exhaled breath sensor; -
b. means for removing said analyte from an environment around said sensor;
c. means for substantially controlling relative humidity in said sensor;
d. means for conditioning the relative humidity in an exhaled breath sample so that said exhaled breath relative humidity is substantially equal to the relative humidity in said sensor;
e. means for removing an interferent from said exhaled breath sample; and
f. means for temperature controlling said sensor and said breath sample.
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Specification