Methods and systems for remote detection of gases
First Claim
1. A system for remotely detecting at least one constituent of a gas, comprising:
- a spectrally sensitive receiver positioned at a receiver location, said receiver including an optical component defining a field of view;
an alignment mechanism coupled to the receiver and operable to change the field of view of the receiver by changing the direction in which the receiver is pointed;
wherein the receiver is operable, via the alignment mechanism, to be sequentially pointed at each of a plurality of extended sources of broadband infrared radiation such that the sources are within the field of view of the receiver for discrete periods of time sufficient to collect Fourier Transform spectral infrared absorption data representative of gas present between the source at which the receiver is pointed and the receiver, the sources being separated from one another and separated from the receiver location; and
further comprising means for comparing the Fourier Transform infrared absorption data representative of the gas to known gas infrared absorption information to determine the identity of the gas.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Novel systems and methods for remotely detecting at least one constituent of a gas via infrared detection are provided. A system includes at least one extended source of broadband infrared radiation and a spectrally sensitive receiver positioned remotely from the source. The source and the receiver are oriented such that a surface of the source is in the field of view of the receiver. The source includes a heating component thermally coupled to the surface, and the heating component is configured to heat the surface to a temperature above ambient temperature. The receiver is operable to collect spectral infrared absorption data representative of a gas present between the source and the receiver. The invention advantageously overcomes significant difficulties associated with active infrared detection techniques known in the art, and provides an infrared detection technique with a much greater sensitivity than passive infrared detection techniques known in the art.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for remotely detecting at least one constituent of a gas, comprising:
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a spectrally sensitive receiver positioned at a receiver location, said receiver including an optical component defining a field of view; an alignment mechanism coupled to the receiver and operable to change the field of view of the receiver by changing the direction in which the receiver is pointed; wherein the receiver is operable, via the alignment mechanism, to be sequentially pointed at each of a plurality of extended sources of broadband infrared radiation such that the sources are within the field of view of the receiver for discrete periods of time sufficient to collect Fourier Transform spectral infrared absorption data representative of gas present between the source at which the receiver is pointed and the receiver, the sources being separated from one another and separated from the receiver location; and further comprising means for comparing the Fourier Transform infrared absorption data representative of the gas to known gas infrared absorption information to determine the identity of the gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for remotely detecting at least one constituent of a gas, the method comprising:
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pointing a spectrally sensitive receiver at a first source of broadband infrared radiation for a first period of time; collecting Fourier Transform spectral infrared absorption data representative of a first gas present between the first source and the receiver; realigning the receiver to point at a second source of broadband infrared radiation for a second period of time, the first and second sources being separated from one another and from the receiver; collecting Fourier Transform spectral infrared absorption data representative of a second gas present between the second source and the receiver; and comparing the Fourier Transform infrared absorption data representative of the first and second gasses to known gas infrared absorption information to determine the identities of the first and second gasses. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification