GAS MEASUREMENT APPARATUS, GAS MEASUREMENT SYSTEM, GAS MEASUREMENT METHOD, AND GAS MEASUREMENT PROGRAM

• US 20160097761A1
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: SANO, Ayumi, MINAGAWA, Naotaka, KODAMA, Miyuki, KASAHARA, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,863,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4975 other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours

Abstract

A gas measurement apparatus of the present invention includes a gas sensor and is capable of being in any one of an open state in which the gas sensor is connected to an outside air and a closed state in which the gas sensor is cut off from an outside air. The gas measurement apparatus includes: an acquisition unit; and a determination unit. The acquisition unit acquires a detection value of the gas sensor in the open state and a detection value of the gas sensor in the closed state. The determination unit compares the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the open state and the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the closed state to thereby determine the state of the gas sensor.

Claims

1. A gas measurement apparatus that includes a gas sensor and is capable of being in any one of an open state in which the gas sensor is connected to an outside air and a closed state in which the gas sensor is cut off from an outside air, the gas measurement apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit; and

a determination unit, wherein

the acquisition unit acquires a detection value of the gas sensor in the open state and a detection value of the gas sensor in the closed state, and

the determination unit compares the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the open state and the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the closed state to thereby determine the state of the gas sensor.

2. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the determination unit further compares the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the open state or the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the closed state with a reference value to thereby determine the state of the gas sensor.

3. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a second gas sensor having a sensor lifetime due to at least one or more of contamination and degradation, the sensor lifetime being different from a sensor lifetime of the gas sensor; and

an index value derivation unit that derives an index value based on a detection value acquired from the second gas sensor, wherein

the acquisition unit further acquires the detection value of the second gas sensor, and

the determination unit determines the state of the gas sensor using the index value derived by the index value derivation unit.

4. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

an absorbent housing unit that houses a gas absorbent, wherein

at least in the closed state, a space in which the gas sensor is provided and the inside of the absorbent housing unit are connected to each other.

5. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the index value derivation unit derives an index value used to adjust a detection value of the gas sensor based on a detection value of a gas detected by the second gas sensor in a case where a user'"'"'s breath is not delivered, and

the gas measurement apparatus comprises a process unit that adjusts the detection value of the gas sensor using the index value derived by the index value derivation unit to thereby derive the concentration of an intended gas.

6. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the index value derivation unit derives the index value based on a time integral value or a peak value of the detection value acquired from the second gas sensor.

7. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the determination unit determines that there is an abnormality in the gas absorbent when it is determined that the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the open state exceeds the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the closed state.

8. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the determination unit determines that there is an abnormality in the gas sensor when it is determined that the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the open state is equal to or less than the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the closed state.

9. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the determination unit determines an abnormality level of the gas sensor by a plurality of steps based on the detection value of the gas sensor.

10. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the determination unit causes a display unit to display an image representing the result of the determination.

11. The gas measurement apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a delivery port to which a gas is delivered; and

a cover unit, by being operated, capable of being in any one of an open state in which the gas sensor is connected to an outside air and a closed state in which the gas sensor is cut off from an outside air.

12. A gas measurement system, comprising:

the gas measurement apparatus according to claim 1, the gas measurement apparatus transmitting the detection value detected by the gas sensor to a terminal apparatus; and

the terminal apparatus that acquires the transmitted detection value.

13. A gas measurement method comprising:

by way of a gas measurement apparatus that includes a gas sensor and is capable of being in any one of an open state in which the gas sensor is connected to an outside air and a closed state in which the gas sensor is cut off from an outside air, acquiring a detection value of the gas sensor in the open state and a detection value of the gas sensor in the closed state; and

by way of the gas measurement apparatus, comparing the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the open state and the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the closed state to thereby determine the state of the gas sensor.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a gas measurement program which causes a control computer of a gas measurement apparatus that includes a gas sensor and is capable of being in any one of an open state in which the gas sensor is connected to an outside air and a closed state in which the gas sensor is cut off from an outside air, to:

acquire a detection value of the gas sensor in the open state and a detection value of the gas sensor in the closed state; and

compare the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the open state and the detection value of the gas sensor acquired in the closed state to thereby determine the state of the gas sensor.