Apparatus and method for generating light pulses from LEDs in optical absorption gas sensors
First Claim
1. A method of operating an optical absorption gas sensor for detecting an analyte gas, the sensor comprising a gas sample receiving chamber, at least one light emitting diode (LED) and a photosensor having an output signal sensitive to the amount of light received by the photosensor, the method comprising:
- generating a plurality of pulses of light by passing a plurality of pulses of current through the at least one LED, and measuring the current through the at least one LED a plurality of times during each said pulse of light to thereby measure information concerning the shape of the light pulse, andgenerating a compensated signal indicative of the concentration of an analyte gas in the gas sample receiving chamber taking into account both the photosensor output signal and the measured information concerning the shape of the light pulse.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical absorption gas sensor for detecting an analyte gas comprises a gas sample receiving chamber, at least one light emitting diode (LED) and a photodiode or other photosensor. A plurality of light pulses are generated by passing pulses of current through the at least one LED. The current through the at least one LED is measured a plurality of times during each pulse and taken into account when generating a compensated output signal. The transfer ratio between LED current and photodiode output signal is calculated a plurality of times during each pulse. An ADC measures the LED and photodiode currents alternately. The LED pulses are generated by inductor discharge flyback and the period of time for which current is supplied to the inductor prior to each pulse is selected so that the photodiode output current is at an optimal region within the input range of the ADC. At least the temperature of the at least one LED is measured and taken into account when generating the compensated output signal. Thus, rather than providing especially careful control of the LED pulses, the pulses are measured, enabling a simpler, lower power circuit which is tolerant of variations in temperature to be provided.
23 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of operating an optical absorption gas sensor for detecting an analyte gas, the sensor comprising a gas sample receiving chamber, at least one light emitting diode (LED) and a photosensor having an output signal sensitive to the amount of light received by the photosensor, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of pulses of light by passing a plurality of pulses of current through the at least one LED, and measuring the current through the at least one LED a plurality of times during each said pulse of light to thereby measure information concerning the shape of the light pulse, and generating a compensated signal indicative of the concentration of an analyte gas in the gas sample receiving chamber taking into account both the photosensor output signal and the measured information concerning the shape of the light pulse. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An optical absorption gas sensor comprising:
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a gas sample receiving chamber, at least one light emitting diode (LED), a light detector having an output signal sensitive to the amount of light received by the light detector, an LED control circuit configured to generate a plurality of pulses of light in a measurement mode of the optical absorption gas sensor by passing a plurality of pulses of current through the at least one LED, a sensor configured to measure the current through the at least one LED a plurality of times during each said pulse of light to thereby measure information concerning the shape of the light pulse, and a computer processor executing a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium configured to output a compensated signal indicative of the concentration of an analyte gas in the gas sample receiving chamber, taking into account both the light detector output signal and the measured information concerning the shape of the light pulse. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An optical absorption gas sensor comprising:
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a gas sample receiving chamber, at least one light emitting diode (LED), a light detector having an output signal sensitive to the amount of light received by the light detector, and a control circuit configured to cause the optical absorption gas sensor to operate according to the method of operating an optical absorption gas sensor for detecting an analyte gas, the sensor comprising a gas sample receiving chamber, at least one light emitting diode (LED) and a photosensor having an output signal sensitive to the amount of light received by the photosensor, the method comprising; generating a plurality of pulses of light by passing a plurality of pulses of current through the at least one LED, and measuring the current through the at least one LED a plurality of times during each said pulse of light to thereby measure information concerning the shape of the light pulse, and generating a compensated signal indicative of the concentration of an analyte gas in the gas sample receiving chamber taking into account both the photosensor output signal and the measured information concerning the shape of the light pulse.
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Specification