System, apparatus and method for detecting unknown chemical compounds
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting and identifying an unknown chemical compound in a test air sample, said method comprising:
- establishing a threshold chemical signature according to an environment in which the method will be conducted;
collecting the test air sample from the vicinity of the unknown chemical compound;
analyzing the test air sample to determine a chemical signature of the test air sample;
comparing, by means of a Digital Signal Processor, the chemical signature of the test air sample with the threshold chemical signature, and identifying a signature difference representative of a signature of an unknown chemical compound;
associating the chemical signature of the unknown chemical compound with a chemical compound in an electronic database on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), anddisplaying the identity of the chemical compound from the association step.
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Abstract
Apparatus and techniques for detecting unknown chemical compounds in the field are provided. A Digital Signal Processor (DSP) includes a database of chemical signatures and corresponding chemicals. An air sample is analyzed in the field and chemical signature of any chemicals present is determined. This chemical signature is then correlated with the chemicals in the database. If a match is found, the operator is alerted to the fact. If no match is found, the operator is alerted to the fact that an unknown chemical compound is found but no correlation could be found. A corresponding system and method are provided.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for detecting and identifying an unknown chemical compound in a test air sample, said method comprising:
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establishing a threshold chemical signature according to an environment in which the method will be conducted; collecting the test air sample from the vicinity of the unknown chemical compound; analyzing the test air sample to determine a chemical signature of the test air sample; comparing, by means of a Digital Signal Processor, the chemical signature of the test air sample with the threshold chemical signature, and identifying a signature difference representative of a signature of an unknown chemical compound; associating the chemical signature of the unknown chemical compound with a chemical compound in an electronic database on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and displaying the identity of the chemical compound from the association step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A hand-held apparatus for detecting and identifying an unknown chemical compound in air, said hand-held apparatus comprising:
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means for collecting an air sample containing the unknown chemical compound; an analyzer coupled to the means for collecting the air sample to determine a chemical signature of the unknown chemical compound a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) coupled to the analyzer, the DSP comprising an electronic database of chemical compounds and their chemical signatures and a plurality of control sample data signatures and further comprising processor instruction means for comparing the chemical signatures received from the analyzer with the control sample data signatures and isolating from the comparison a chemical signature for correlating with a chemical compound in the database and producing identification results, and a user interface to communicate the identification results to a user of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for detecting and identifying an unknown chemical compound in air, said system comprising:
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means for collecting an air sample containing the unknown chemical compound; means coupled to the collecting means for analyzing the air sample to determine a chemical signature of the air sample; Digital Signal Processor (DSP) means coupled to the chemical signature determining means for comparing the chemical signature of the air sample to control sample data to isolate the chemical signature of the unknown chemical compound and correlate the chemical signature with a chemical compound identity in an electronic database residing in the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) means; and a display device coupled to the Digital Signal Processor means for displaying the identity of the chemical compound. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification