SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WAVELENGTH SPECTRUM ANALYSIS FOR DETECTION OF VARIOUS GASES USING A TREATED TAPE

• US 20120202294A1
• Filed: 02/09/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Jin, Peng
• Granted Patent: US 10,656,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/164
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8483 Investigating reagent band test-element handling not specific to a test method G01N33/4875; analytical elements specific to chemical analysis of biological material G01N33/52; autometer with reagent band G01N35/04

Abstract

An apparatus including a treated tape, an adjustable color source, a photodiode, and a processor is provided. The adjustable color source emits a first radiation toward the treated tape and operates at each of a plurality of different target wavelengths in a spectrum. The photodiode measures a second radiation reflected from the treated tape, and the processor analyzes measurements from the photodiode to determine a peak wavelength from the plurality of target wavelengths. Based on the peak wavelength, the processor determines a color and darkness of a color stain on the treated tape. Based on the determined color and darkness of the color stain, the processor also determines a type and concentration of gas to which the treated tape is exposed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a treated tape;

an adjustable color source emitting a first radiation toward the treated tape, the source operating at each of a plurality of different target wavelengths in a spectrum;

a photodiode measuring second radiation reflected from the treated tape; and

a processor analyzing measurements from the photodiode to determine a peak wavelength from the plurality of target wavelengths, and based on the peak wavelength, determining a color and darkness of a color stain on the treated tape.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the treated tape includes a chemically treated paper.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adjustable color source includes a RGB LED.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adjustable color source includes a red LED, a green LED, and a blue LED.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adjustable color source includes a white color source.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor controls the adjustable color source to operate at each of the plurality of different target wavelengths.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spectrum includes a visible radiation spectrum.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the photodiode measures a wavelength and intensity of the second radiation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the photodiode measures the second radiation when the source changes operation to a different target wavelength in the plurality of target wavelengths.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor performs a Fast Fourier Transform on measurements from the photodiode to determine the peak wavelength.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the peak wavelength corresponds to a wavelength in the plurality of different target wavelengths that is most sensitive to stains on the treated tape.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor determines a type of gas to which the treated tape is exposed based on the determined color of the color stain.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the processor determines a concentration of the gas to which the treated tape is exposed based on the determined darkness of the color stain.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a color sensor receiving radiation emitted by the adjustable color source.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the microprocessor compares a wavelength of the radiation received by the color sensor with the target wavelength of the source, and if not the same, the microprocessor adjusts the source.

16. A method comprising:

transmitting a first radiation towards a target tape at each of a plurality of different target wavelengths in a spectrum;

measuring a second radiation reflected from the target tape;

analyzing the measured second radiation to determine a peak wavelength from the plurality of different target wavelengths; and

based on the peak wavelength, determining a color and darkness of a color stain on the target tape.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein analyzing the measured second radiation includes performing a Fast Fourier Transform on the measured second radiation.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising based on the determined color and darkness, determining a type and concentration of gas to which the target tape has been exposed.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising adjusting a source of the first radiation to make a transmitted radiation consistent with a target radiation.

20. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program for enabling a processor, the computer program performing the steps of:

controlling transmission of a first radiation towards a target tape at each of a plurality of different target wavelengths in a spectrum;

analyzing a plurality of measurements of second radiation reflected from the target tape;

based on the analysis of the plurality of measurements, determining a peak wavelength from the plurality of target wavelengths;

based on the peak wavelength, determining a color and darkness of a color stain on the target tape; and

based on the determined color and darkness, determining a type and concentration of gas to which the target tape has been exposed.