SYSTEM FOR MEASURING BREATH ANALYTES
First Claim
1. A system for sensing an analyte in breath of a patient, the system comprising:
- a cartridge comprising a first container, a fluid container, and a reaction volume in fluid communication with the first container and the fluid container, the first container containing a first interactant and the fluid container containing a fluid, wherein the fluid container has an initial fluid level and a space above the initial fluid level; and
a base comprisinga flow path for flow of the breath within the base,a breath input receiver in fluid communication with the flow path that receives the breath and directs the breath into the flow path,a cartridge housing that detachably receives the cartridge into the base so that the reaction volume is in fluid communication with the flow path′
a dispensing device that creates a hole in the fluid container below the initial fluid level and that moderates pressure in the space above the initial fluid level as the fluid moves out of the liquid container so that the fluid moves out of the liquid container and into the reaction volume, thereby facilitating an optical change in the reaction volume in relation to at least one of a presence and a concentration of the analyte; and
an optical subsystem that senses the optical change and generates an output comprising information about the analyte in response to the optical change.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for sensing an analyte in a breath sample. The system includes a breath bag, a cartridge and a base. The breath bag contains the breath sample. The bag includes a mouthpiece fixedly disposed on the breath bag. The cartridge includes an interactant that reacts with the analyte and generates a change in an optical characteristic relative to a reference. The base includes a flow path, a breath bag receiver for detachably receiving and retaining the mouthpiece of the breath bag in fluid communication with the flow path, and a cartridge receiver that detachably receives and retains the cartridge in the base, such that the base engages the cartridge so that the interactant is in fluid communication with the flow path. The base further includes a flow handling system in fluid communication with the flow path, an optical subsystem for sensing the change in the optical characteristic, a processor operatively coupled to the flow handling system and the optical subsystem, and a user interface operatively coupled to the processor and comprising a start command. Upon user selection of the start command, the processor is configured to automatically regulate the flow handling system to move the breath sample in the flow path and to contact the breath sample and the interactant. Upon the occurrence of a predetermined process parameter, the processor is configured to automatically regulate the optical subsystem to sense the change in the optical characteristic, to correlate the sensing of the optical system with information about the analyte in the breath sample, and to output the information about the analyte in the breath sample to the user interface. Related methods also are provided.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for sensing an analyte in breath of a patient, the system comprising:
- a cartridge comprising a first container, a fluid container, and a reaction volume in fluid communication with the first container and the fluid container, the first container containing a first interactant and the fluid container containing a fluid, wherein the fluid container has an initial fluid level and a space above the initial fluid level; and
a base comprising a flow path for flow of the breath within the base, a breath input receiver in fluid communication with the flow path that receives the breath and directs the breath into the flow path, a cartridge housing that detachably receives the cartridge into the base so that the reaction volume is in fluid communication with the flow path′ a dispensing device that creates a hole in the fluid container below the initial fluid level and that moderates pressure in the space above the initial fluid level as the fluid moves out of the liquid container so that the fluid moves out of the liquid container and into the reaction volume, thereby facilitating an optical change in the reaction volume in relation to at least one of a presence and a concentration of the analyte; and an optical subsystem that senses the optical change and generates an output comprising information about the analyte in response to the optical change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- a cartridge comprising a first container, a fluid container, and a reaction volume in fluid communication with the first container and the fluid container, the first container containing a first interactant and the fluid container containing a fluid, wherein the fluid container has an initial fluid level and a space above the initial fluid level; and
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18. A method for sensing an analyte in breath of a patient, the method comprising:
providing a cartridge comprising a first container, a fluid container, and a reaction volume in fluid communication with the first container and the fluid container, the first container containing a first interactant and the fluid container containing a fluid, wherein the fluid container has an initial fluid level and a space above the initial fluid level; providing a base comprising a flow path for flow of the breath within the base, a breath input receiver in fluid communication with the flow path, a cartridge housing, a dispensing device, and an optical subsystem; inserting the cartridge into the cartridge housing of the base so that the reaction volume is in fluid communication with the flow path; causing the breath to flow in the flow path and into the reaction volume; after the breath has flowed through the reaction volume, using the dispensing device to create a hole in the fluid container below the initial fluid level and moderating pressure in the space above the initial fluid level as the fluid moves out of the liquid container so that the fluid moves out of the liquid container and into the reaction volume, thereby facilitating an optical change in the reaction volume in relation to at least one of a presence and a concentration of the analyte; and sensing the optical change and generating an output comprising information about the analyte in response to the optical change.
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19. A system for sensing an analyte in breath of a patient, the system comprising:
- a cartridge comprising a reaction volume and a shroud that is opaque to ambient light; and
a base comprising; a flow path for flow of the breath within the base; a breath input receiver in fluid communication with the flow path that receives the breath and directs the breath into the flow path and through the reaction volume;
wherein flow of the breath through the reaction volume facilitates an optical change to the reaction volume in relation to at least one of a presence and a concentration of the analyte;a cartridge housing that detachably receives the cartridge into the base so that the reaction volume is in fluid communication with the flow path, wherein the shroud of the cartridge mates with the cartridge housing of the base to block ambient light from impinging on the reaction volume; and an optical subsystem that senses the optical change and generates an output comprising information about the analyte in response to the optical change.
- a cartridge comprising a reaction volume and a shroud that is opaque to ambient light; and
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20. A cartridge for use in sensing an analyte in breath of a patient using a base, wherein the base comprises a flow path for flow of the breath within the base, a breath input receiver in fluid communication with the flow path that receives the breath and directs the breath into the flow path, a cartridge housing that detachably receives the cartridge into the base, and an optical subsystem that senses the optical change and generates an output comprising information about the analyte in response to the optical change, the cartridge comprising a reaction volume and a shroud that is opaque to ambient light, wherein the cartridge is configured to be detachably disposed in the cartridge housing so that reaction volume is in fluid communication with the flow path to receive the breath, wherein flow of the breath through the reaction volume facilitates an optical change to the reaction volume in relation to at least one of a presence and a concentration of the analyte, and wherein the shroud of the cartridge mates with the cartridge housing of the base to block ambient light from impinging on the reaction volume.
Specification