Sample concentration detector with temperature compensation
First Claim
1. A sample sensor for detecting a concentration of a sample in a sample mixture, the sample sensor comprising:
- a light source for producing a light beam for exciting molecules of the sample,a detector element for detecting an amount of excited molecules of the sample and providing a detector current indicating the amount,a processing section, coupled to the detector element for processing the detector current to generate an output signal representing the concentration, the processing section comprising a temperature compensation module being arranged for compensating for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source based on at least one measured value of a temperature dependent parameter of the light source, other than an output wavelength, andparameter measuring means for obtaining the at least one measured value, andwavelength adjustment means coupled to the temperature compensation module for performing the compensating by controlling the output wavelength.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sample sensor (200) for detecting a concentration of a sample in a sample mixture, the sample sensor (200) comprising a light source (101), a detector element, a processing section (106) and parameter measuring means. The light source (101) produces a light beam (113) for exciting molecules of the sample. The detector element detects an 5 amount of excited molecules of the sample and provides a detector current indicating the amount. The processing section (106) is coupled to the detector element (103) for processing the detector current to generate an output signal (109) representing the concentration. The processing section (106) comprises a temperature compensation module (112) being arranged for compensating for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source (101) 10 based on at least one measured value of a temperature dependent parameter of the light source (101), other than an output wavelength. The parameter measuring means obtain the at least one measured value.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A sample sensor for detecting a concentration of a sample in a sample mixture, the sample sensor comprising:
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a light source for producing a light beam for exciting molecules of the sample, a detector element for detecting an amount of excited molecules of the sample and providing a detector current indicating the amount, a processing section, coupled to the detector element for processing the detector current to generate an output signal representing the concentration, the processing section comprising a temperature compensation module being arranged for compensating for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source based on at least one measured value of a temperature dependent parameter of the light source, other than an output wavelength, and parameter measuring means for obtaining the at least one measured value, and wavelength adjustment means coupled to the temperature compensation module for performing the compensating by controlling the output wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for determining the calibration factor for temperature compensation of the output signal in a sample sensor, the method comprising:
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producing, by a light source, a light beam for exciting molecules of the sample, detecting, by a detector element, an amount of excited molecules of the sample and providing a detector current indicating the amount, processing, by a processing section coupled to the detector element, the detector current to generate an output signal representing the concentration, the processing section comprising a temperature compensation module; compensating, by the temperature compensating module, for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source based on at least one measured value of a temperature dependent parameter of the light source, other than an output wavelength, wherein a wavelength adjustment means coupled to the temperature compensation module for performing the compensating by controlling the output wavelength obtaining, by parameter measuring means, the at least one measured value, measuring the optical output power and the detector current at various temperatures while using a known calibration concentration of the sample and a known calibration driving current for the light source, and from the measured optical output powers and the measured detector currents, determining the calibration factor, wherein the temperature compensation means are arranged for performing the compensating by correcting the output signal for the temperature dependent wavelength shift. - View Dependent Claims (15, 17, 18)
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13. A method for determining the calibration factor for temperature compensation of the output signal in a sample sensor, the method comprising:
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producing, by a light source, a light beam for exciting molecules of the sample, detecting, by a detector element, an amount of excited molecules of the sample and providing a detector current indicating the amount, processing, by a processing section coupled to the detector element, the detector current to generate an output signal representing the concentration, the processing section comprising a temperature compensation module; compensating, by the temperature compensating module, for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source based on at least one measured value of a temperature dependent parameter of the light source, other than an output wavelength, wherein a wavelength adjustment means coupled to the temperature compensation module for performing the compensating by controlling the output wavelength obtaining, by parameter measuring means, the at least one measured value, measuring the forward voltage and the detector current at various temperatures while using a known calibration concentration of the sample and a known calibration driving current for the light source, and from the measured forward voltages and the measured detector currents, determining the calibration factor, wherein the light source is a semiconductor laser diode and the at least one measured value is a threshold forward current through the semiconductor laser diode, beneath which threshold current the optical output power is substantially zero and above which threshold current the optical output power substantially increases. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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14. A method for correcting the output signal of a sample sensor for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source, the method comprising:
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producing, by a light source, a light beam for exciting molecules of the sample, detecting, by a detector element, an amount of excited molecules of the sample and providing a detector current indicating the amount, processing, by a processing section coupled to the detector element, the detector current to generate an output signal representing the concentration, the processing section comprising a temperature compensation module; compensating, by the temperature compensating module, for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source based on at least one measured value of a temperature dependent parameter of the light source, other than an output wavelength, wherein a wavelength adjustment means coupled to the temperature compensation module for performing the compensating by controlling the output wavelength obtaining, by parameter measuring means, the at least one measured value, measuring at least one value of another temperature dependent parameter of the light source, and correcting the output signal based on the measured at least one value.
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Specification