Electronic nose device

• US 8,974,734 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EPS Bio Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: EPS Bio Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Wang, Yu-Lun, Tian, Jun-Hao, Chen, Jian-Hua, Chu, Chi-Zuo, Ho, Wei-Jen, Kang, Li-Jin, Li, Meng-Erh
• Primary Examiner(s): Sines, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US13/946,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20140023557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 422/83, 422/98
• US Class Current: 422/83
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0027 concerning the detector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/255 including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction

Abstract

An electronic nose device is disclosed in an embodiment of the invention. The electronic nose device includes a fan module, a gas molecule sensor module, a control unit and an output unit. The fan module is used to pump air actively to the gas molecule sensor module. The gas molecule sensor module detects the air pumped into by the fan module. The gas molecule sensor module at least includes a gas molecule sensor which is covered with a compound. The compound is used to combine preset gas molecules. The control unit controls the fan module to suck air into the electronic nose device. Then the fan module transmits an air current to the gas molecule sensor module to generate a detected data. The output unit calculates the detected data to generate a calculation result and outputs an indicating signal to an operator or compatible host computer according to the calculation result.

Claims

1. An electronic nose device, comprising:

a fan module for actively pumping air;

a gas molecule sensor module, coupled to the fan module, wherein the gas molecule sensor module comprises a gas molecule sensor which is covered with a compound for combining a preset gas molecule;

a control unit, coupled to the fan module and the gas molecule sensor module, wherein the control unit controls the fan module to suck air and transmits an air current to the gas molecule sensor module to generate a detected data; and

an output unit for calculating the detected data to generate a calculation result and outputting an indicating signal to an operator or a compatible host computer according to the calculation result,

wherein the compound for combining a preset gas molecule is a predetermined protein domain for using at least a combination method to catch material in the air which can be identified to reach air identification function.

2. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, wherein

the fan module drives the air to generate the air current,

the output unit calculates an air flow rate of the air current according to an exciting current, a rotation speed and a back-EMF, and calibrates the detected data according to the flow rate of the air current.

3. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, wherein the compound for combining a preset gas molecule is anion or cation substrates (receptors), or peptides or its corresponding antibodies.

4. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, wherein the fan module comprises:

an actuator for actuating the fan module; and

an air current pushing mechanism for pushing air to generate the air current.

5. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises:

a motor control unit for controlling the fan module; and

a gas sensor controller for controlling the gas molecule sensor module.

6. The electronic nose device according to claim 5, wherein the motor control unit comprises:

a motor excitation circuit for driving a motor of the fan module; and

a back-EMF detection circuit for detecting a back-EMF generated by the motor of the fan module.

7. The electronic nose device according to claim 5, wherein the gas sensor controller comprises:

a sensor excitation circuit for driving the gas molecule sensor module; and

a reaction detector for detecting a sensing result of the gas molecule sensor module.

8. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, wherein the output unit comprises a calculator for calculating the detected data to generate the calculation result.

9. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, wherein the gas molecule sensor is one of piezoelectric quartz crystal, surface acoustic wave material, electrochemistry material, optical fiber, surface plasma resonance and metal oxide semiconductor;

wherein the actuator is one of a direct-current brushless motor, an alternating current induction motor and a triple-phase alternating current synchronous motor;

wherein the air current pushing mechanism is one of a fan blade, a propeller and a turbine;

wherein the output unit is one of a light signal indicator, a light emitting diode, a lamp, an incandescent lamp and a laser;

wherein the output unit is one of an image display device, a liquid crystal display and an organic light emitting diode display;

wherein the output unit is one of an audio signal indicator, a buzzer and a speaker;

wherein the output unit is one of a wireless transmission interface, blue tooth and Wifi; and

wherein the output unit is one of a wired transmission interface, USB, UART and SPI.

10. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, which is used for detecting air from a diaper.

11. The electronic nose device according to claim 1, wherein the fan module drives the air to generate the air current and the output unit calculates an air flow rate of the air current according to an exciting current, a rotation speed and a back-EMF.

12. The electronic nose device according to claim 6, wherein the back-EMF detection circuit includes a plurality of switches and a plurality of coils corresponding to the switches separately, and wherein when the control unit turns off the switches and the rotor continues rotating, magnetic flux of the coils generates an induced current due to a rotation of a rotor to generate the back-EMF between two ends of each of the coils.

13. The electronic nose device according to claim 12, wherein an amount of the back-EMF is in direct proportion to a variation of the magnetic flux so that a rotation speed can be calculated by the back-EMF.

14. An electronic nose device, comprising:

a fan module for pumping air;

a gas molecule sensor module, coupled to the fan module, wherein the gas molecule sensor module comprises a gas molecule sensor which is covered with a predetermined protein domain for combining a preset gas molecule;

a control unit, coupled to the fan module and the gas molecule sensor module, wherein the control unit controls the fan module to suck air and transmits an air current to the gas molecule sensor module to generate a detected data; and

an output unit for calculating the detected data to generate a calculation result and outputting an indicating signal to an operator or a compatible host computer according to the calculation result,

wherein the control unit includes a back-EMF detection circuit and the back-EMF detection circuit includes a plurality of switches and a plurality of coils corresponding to the switches separately, and wherein when the control unit turns off the switches and the rotor continues rotating, magnetic flux of the coils generates an induced current due to a rotation of a rotor to generate a back-EMF between two ends of each of the coil.

15. The electronic nose device according to claim 14, wherein

the fan module drives the air to generate the air current,

the output unit calculates an air flow rate of the air current according to an exciting current, a rotation speed and a back-EMF, and calibrates the detected data according to the air flow rate of the air current.

16. The electronic nose device according to claim 15, wherein an amount of the back-EMF is in direct proportion to a variation of the magnetic flux so that a rotation speed can be calculated by the back-EMF.