Chemical agent detector
First Claim
1. A chemical agent detector for sensing and detecting the presence of a multitude of different chemical agents through the utilization of surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors by taking an ambient air sample from an environment, the chemical agent detector comprising:
- a) a manifold having an air intake port and an air exhaust port through which the ambient air sample can be drawn within the manifold and tested for the presence of the multitude of different chemical agents and then expelled, the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold by a pump connected to the manifold,b) a plurality of sensor driver boards mounted on the manifold,c) a plurality of SAW sensors, one each mounted on each sensor driver board such that they are in contact with the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold, each SAW sensor coated with a substance that has an affinity for detecting a particular chemical agent, each SAW sensor and sensor driver board generating its own continuous RF signal which can emit a frequency shift of the continuous RF signal if the particular chemical agent to which the SAW sensor has an affinity for detecting is loaded upon the SAW sensor by the ambient air sample,d) an RF power tuner and cycler for selectively applying power to the plurality of SAW sensors such that only one SAW sensor is powered-on at a given point in time, the RF power tuner and cycler electrically coupled to the plurality of SAW sensors mounted on the sensor driver boards,e) an RF multiplexor for receiving the continuous RF signals generated by the SAW sensors and sensor driver boards and for outputting only one of the RF signals at a time based upon which SAW sensor is powered-on at the given point in time, the RF multiplexor electrically coupled to the plurality of sensor driver boards, the RF multiplexor receiving a constant voltage from the RF power tuner and cycler,f) a microprocessor for interpreting the RF signals generated by the SAW sensors and sensor driver boards and for detecting whether a frequency shift has occurred in any of the generated RF signals which would be indicative of the presence of a particular chemical agent in the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold, the microprocessor electrically coupled to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor, the microprocessor generating a timing signal to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor for instructing the RF power tuner and cycler when and in which order to power-on and power-off each of the plurality of SAW sensors and sensor driver boards such that the RF multiplexor receives and outputs an RF signal which is generated by only one of the plurality of SAW sensors and sensor driver boards that are turned-on at the given point in time as instructed by the microprocessor, andg) a power supply including a main power board for providing power to the RF power tuner and cycler, the microprocessor and the pump.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A chemical agent detector utilizing surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors for detecting the presence of a multitude of chemical agents by sampling ambient air is provided. A pressure-differential manifold having an air intake port, an exhaust port, a valve and a pump is used to draw the ambient air into the manifold to be tested. A plurality of SAW sensors mounted on sensor driver boards which are in turn mounted on the manifold come into contact with the ambient air sample. Each SAW sensor is coated with a substance that has an affinity for detecting a particular chemical agent. Each SAW sensor driver board generates a continuous RF signal which emits a frequency shift if a particular chemical agent is detected. A power cycler module turns each sensor driver board on and off such that only one sensor driver board is powered-on at a given point in time. An RF multiplexor receives the continuous RF signals generated by the sensor driver boards and outputs one of the RF signals to a microprocessor based upon a timing signal generated by the microprocessor. The microprocessor interprets the frequency shift as the detection of a chemical agent and provides an alarm that a particular chemical agent has been detected.
21 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A chemical agent detector for sensing and detecting the presence of a multitude of different chemical agents through the utilization of surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors by taking an ambient air sample from an environment, the chemical agent detector comprising:
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a) a manifold having an air intake port and an air exhaust port through which the ambient air sample can be drawn within the manifold and tested for the presence of the multitude of different chemical agents and then expelled, the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold by a pump connected to the manifold, b) a plurality of sensor driver boards mounted on the manifold, c) a plurality of SAW sensors, one each mounted on each sensor driver board such that they are in contact with the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold, each SAW sensor coated with a substance that has an affinity for detecting a particular chemical agent, each SAW sensor and sensor driver board generating its own continuous RF signal which can emit a frequency shift of the continuous RF signal if the particular chemical agent to which the SAW sensor has an affinity for detecting is loaded upon the SAW sensor by the ambient air sample, d) an RF power tuner and cycler for selectively applying power to the plurality of SAW sensors such that only one SAW sensor is powered-on at a given point in time, the RF power tuner and cycler electrically coupled to the plurality of SAW sensors mounted on the sensor driver boards, e) an RF multiplexor for receiving the continuous RF signals generated by the SAW sensors and sensor driver boards and for outputting only one of the RF signals at a time based upon which SAW sensor is powered-on at the given point in time, the RF multiplexor electrically coupled to the plurality of sensor driver boards, the RF multiplexor receiving a constant voltage from the RF power tuner and cycler, f) a microprocessor for interpreting the RF signals generated by the SAW sensors and sensor driver boards and for detecting whether a frequency shift has occurred in any of the generated RF signals which would be indicative of the presence of a particular chemical agent in the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold, the microprocessor electrically coupled to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor, the microprocessor generating a timing signal to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor for instructing the RF power tuner and cycler when and in which order to power-on and power-off each of the plurality of SAW sensors and sensor driver boards such that the RF multiplexor receives and outputs an RF signal which is generated by only one of the plurality of SAW sensors and sensor driver boards that are turned-on at the given point in time as instructed by the microprocessor, and g) a power supply including a main power board for providing power to the RF power tuner and cycler, the microprocessor and the pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A chemical agent detector having a circuit including surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors for detecting the presence of varied chemical agents by sampling ambient air of an environment in which the detector is located, the chemical agent detector comprising:
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a) a pressure-differential manifold having an air intake port located at a top portion and an air exhaust port located at a bottom portion connected by a continuous air flow pathway formed through the manifold along a longitudinal axis thereof, the manifold further including a pump used to draw the ambient air into the manifold through the air intake port for testing for the presence of the varied chemical agents and then expelling the tested ambient air out of the manifold through the exhaust port, b) a plurality of SAW sensor driver boards mounted on the manifold, each SAW sensor driver board having its own SAW sensor mounted thereon such that all SAW sensors come into contact with the ambient air drawn into the manifold by the pump, each SAW sensor coated with a substance that has an affinity for detecting a particular chemical agent, each SAW sensor driver board generating its own continuous RF signal which emits a frequency shift of the continuous RF signal if the particular chemical agent to which the SAW sensor has an affinity for detecting is loaded upon the SAW sensor of a particular SAW sensor driver board by the sample of ambient air, c) an RF power tuner and cycler for selectively applying a voltage signal to the plurality of SAW sensor driver boards such that only one SAW sensor driver board is powered-on at a given point in time and therefore only one RF signal is being generated at that given point in time, the RF power tuner and cycler electrically coupled to the plurality of SAW sensor driver boards, d) an RF multiplexor for receiving the continuous RF signals generated by the SAW sensor driver boards and for outputting only one of the RF signals at a time based upon which SAW sensor driver board is powered-on at the given point in time, the RF multiplexor electrically coupled to an output of the plurality of SAW sensor driver boards, the RF multiplexor also electrically coupled to the RF power tuner and cycler and receiving a constant voltage signal therefrom, e) a microprocessor for interpreting the RF signals generated by the SAW sensor driver boards and for detecting whether a frequency shift has occurred in any of the generated RF signals which would be indicative of the presence of a particular chemical agent in the sample of ambient air drawn within the manifold, the microprocessor electrically coupled to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor, the microprocessor generating a timing signal to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor for instructing the RF power tuner and cycler when and in which order to power-on and power-off each of the plurality of SAW sensor driver boards such that the RF multiplexor receives and outputs an RF signal which is generated by only one of the plurality of SAW sensor driver boards that is turned-on at the given point in time as instructed by the microprocessor, f) a valve mounted along the top end of the manifold proximal to the air intake port, the valve electrically coupled to the microprocessor for receiving a valve timing signal from the microprocessor, the valve timing signal having a start time and an end time equal to that of the timing signal generated and directed to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor, the valve working in coincidence with the pump such that when the valve is closed a pressure build-up occurs within the manifold as the pump continues to run thereby expelling the sample of ambient air that has been tested out from the manifold through the exhaust port, and g) a power supply including a main power board for providing power to the RF power tuner and cycler, the microprocessor, the valve and the pump. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification