Computer code for portable sensing

• US 6,606,566 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smiths Detection Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smiths Detection Incorporated
• Inventors: Sunshine, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, FELIX E
• Application Number:
  US09/703,467
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 702/22, 702/116, 702/120, 702/123, 600/345, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 702/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0022 using a number of analysing channels
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2657 Blood, urine analyzer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer program product or code in memory for detecting and transmitting sensory data from a portable field device 10 to a processor 12 via a computer network 10 for analytic purposes. The product includes a code directed to capturing analyte data pertaining to an unknown analyte using a field device 10. The product further includes a code directed to encoding the captured analyte data and transmitting the encoded analyte data via a computer network 18 to a processor 12 for analysis. The product also includes a code directed to performing an analysis of the captured analyte data at a remote location by the processor 12 using data of known analytes retrieved from an electronic library 14. This code and others can be used with the present invention to perform the functionality described herein as well as others.

Claims

1. A system comprising memory including a computer code product for detecting and transferring data pertaining to an analyte from a first device to a second device, said memory comprising:

a code directed to capturing analyte data pertaining to said analyte using said first device;

a code directed to transmitting said analyte data via a computer network to said second device;

a code directed to encoding said analyte data into a transmissible format for transmission via said computer network to said second device;

a code directed to decoding said analyte data in said transmissible format; and

a code directed to directing said second device to perform an analysis on said analyte data.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said code directed to encoding further comprises:

a code directed to capturing said analyte data in an analog format;

a code directed to converting said analyte data in analog format into a digital format;

a code directed to encoding said analyte data in digital format into an analysis format;

a code directed to encoding said analyte data in analysis format into TCP/IP format; and

a code directed to encoding said analyte data in TCP/IP format into a network-specific data format.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said code directed to decoding further comprises:

a code directed to decoding said analyte data in a network-specific data format into TCP/IP format; and

a code directed to decoding said analyte data in TCP/IP format into an analysis format.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a code directed to retrieving signatures of known analytes from an electronic library.

5. A system according to 4, further comprising a code directed to analyzing said analyte data using said retrieved signatures.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said codes directed to retrieving and analyzing respectively are executed by said second device.

7. A system according to claim 4, wherein said electronic library includes one or more databases.

8. A system according to claim 5, further comprising a code directed to displaying result of execution of said code directed to analyzing on a web page.

9. A system according to claim 4, further comprising a code directed to updating said electronic library with said analyte data;

wherein said code directed to updating is executed by said second device.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission of said analyte data is conducted via wireless communications.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said wireless communications are implemented using communications technologies selected from a member of a group consisting of infrared technology, satellite technology, microwave technology and radio wave technology.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission of said analyte data is conducted via wired communications.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein said computer network is selected from a member of a group consisting of a worldwide computer network, an internet, the Internet, a wide area network, a local area network, and an intranet.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first device is a handheld device.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said analyte data is olfaction data.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system is used in an application selected from a group consisting of hospital/medical applications, fire safety monitoring, environmental toxicology, remediation, biomedicine, material quality control, food monitoring, agricultural monitoring, heavy industrial manufacturing, ambient air monitoring, worker protection, emissions control, product quality testing, oil/gas petrochemical applications, combustible gas detection, H₂S monitoring, hazardous leak detection, emergency response and law enforcement applications, explosives detection, utility and power applications, food/beverage/agriculture applications, freshness detection, fruit ripening control, fermentation process monitoring and control, flavor composition and identification, product quality and identification, refrigerant and fumigant detection, cosmetic/perfume applications, fragrance formulation, chemical/plastics/pharmaceuticals applications, fugitive emission identification, solvent recovery effectiveness, anesthesia and sterilization gas detection, infectious disease detection, breath analysis and body fluids analysis.

17. A system including memory and computer codes for detecting and transferring analyte data, said system comprising:

a code directed to capturing said analyte data using a first device or a second device;

a code directed to converting said analyte data into a transmissible format;

a code directed to transmitting said converted analyte data in said transmissible format from said first device or said second device; and

a code directed to receiving said transmitted data in said transmissible format using said first device or said second device;

wherein said first device and said second device are functionally equivalent.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said transmission of said converted analyte data is conducted via wireless communications.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein said wireless communications are implemented using infrared technology.

20. A system including memory and computer codes for identifying an analyte, said system comprising:

a code for capturing at a first location data pertaining to said analyte whose identity is unknown;

a code for transmitting said data from said first location via a computer network;

a code for receiving said data at a second location; and

a code for comparing said received data at said second location to data pertaining to known analytes, thereby identifying said analyte.

21. A system according to claim 20, further comprising a code for retrieving said data pertaining to known analytes from an electronic library.

22. A system according to claim 20, further comprising a code directed to updating said electronic library with said received data.

23. A system according to claim 20, further comprising a code directed to making result of execution of said code for comparing available at first location.

24. A system including memory and computer codes for analyzing data pertaining to a detected analyte, said system comprising:

a code directed to transmitting data pertaining to known analytes from an electronic library to a first location via a computer network;

a code directed to receiving said data pertaining to known analytes at said first location; and

a code directed to analyzing said data pertaining to said detected analyte using said received data pertaining to known analytes at said first location and generating an analysis result.

25. A system according to claim 24, further comprising:

a code directed to receiving input from a user; and

a code directed to using said input during execution of said code directed to analyzing.

26. A system including memory and computer codes for delivering analyte data, said system comprising:

a code directed to receiving a request from a user requesting data of a known analyte;

a code directed to retrieving data of said known analyte from an electronic library; and

a code directed to transmitting said retrieved data to said user via a computer network.

27. A system according to claim 26, further comprising a code directed to synthesizing said known analyte using said retrieved data.

28. A system according to claim 26, further comprising:

a code directed to retrieving data of analytes which are similar to said known analyte from said electronic library;

a code directed to transmitting said retrieved data of analytes which are similar to said known analyte to said user via said computer network; and

a code directed to synthesizing said analytes which are similar to said known analyte using said retrieved data thereof.

29. A system including memory and computer codes for delivering medicine to a patient at a remote location, said system comprising:

a code directed to identifying needs of said patient at said remote location;

a code directed to transmitting information relating to said needs to a processor via a computer network;

a code directed to receiving from said processor information in response to said needs; and

a code directed to using information received from said processor to synthesize or dispense said medicine to satisfy said needs of said patient.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein said code directed to identifying includes a code directed to capturing information relating to said needs using a field device.

31. A system including memory and computer codes for facilitating consumer choice, said system comprising:

a code directed to facilitating selection of a first consumer product having a known signature; and

a code directed to comparing said known signature with a plurality of signatures so as to allow a similar signature indicative of a second consumer product to be selected.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein said code directed to comparing includes:

a code directed to retrieving data pertaining to said plurality of signatures from an electronic library; and

a code directed to synthesizing each of said plurality of signatures using said retrieved data so as to facilitate selection of said similar signature.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein said code directed to selecting includes:

a code directed to retrieving data pertaining to said known signature from said electronic library; and

a code directed to synthesizing said known signature using said retrieved data pertaining to said known signature.