Methods and devices for the detection of odorous substances and applications
First Claim
1. A process for analyzing odorous or volatile substances using an apparatus including:
- a first enclosure having a first detection means, said first detection means comprising a plurality of gas sensors using a same first technology selected from semiconductor gas sensors technology, or conductive polymer gas sensors technology, or acoustic surface wave gas sensors technology,a second enclosure having a second detection means, said second detection means comprising a plurality of gas sensors using a same second technology selected from semiconductor gas sensors technology, or conductive polymer gas sensors technology, or acoustic surface wave gas sensors technology, said second technology being different from said first technology,said semiconductor gas sensors, conductive polymer gas sensors and acoustic surface wave sensors having electrical or piezo-electrical properties sensitive to molecules of the odorous or volatile substances, said process comprising the steps of;
determining electrical or piezo-electrical properties of the first and second detection means by contacting the first and second detection means with a variable gas discharge to initialize the first and second detection means;
transporting the odorous or volatile substances of a first sample to the first and second enclosures by a variable controlled gas discharge;
measuring electrical or piezo-electrical properties of the first and second detection means, during a determined measurement time interval, in the presence of a variable controlled gas discharge containing the odorous or volatile substances of the first sample, wherein relative to the electrical or piezo-electrical properties during initialization, to obtain qualitative data and quantitative data for the odorous or volatile substances of the first sample;
comparing said qualitative data of the first sample with a file of odorous or volatile substances, simultaneously with the step of measuring or after the step of measuring, the comparison occurring during the measurement time interval, to identify or recognize the odorous or volatile substances detected by means of the network of neurons; and
cleaning the first and second detection means with a gas, in order to reinitialize the first and second detection means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Device for carrying out a method of odor detection comprising, in particular, a plurality of chambers (1, 2, 2a, 3), each including a plurality of semi-conductor gas sensors (6), conductive polymer gas sensors (7), surface acoustic wave gas sensors (8), as detection means, a variable flow gas pump (10) for forming a gas flow in said chambers (1, 2, 2a, 3), measurement electronic device (16) for operating the detection means (6, 7, 8), a data processing unit (15) for recording in a file the olfactory prints obtained using the detection means, and for comparing the detected impressions with those in the file so that odors may be identified and recognized. Applications, especially to drugs, explosives, body odours and food seals.
162 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A process for analyzing odorous or volatile substances using an apparatus including:
-
a first enclosure having a first detection means, said first detection means comprising a plurality of gas sensors using a same first technology selected from semiconductor gas sensors technology, or conductive polymer gas sensors technology, or acoustic surface wave gas sensors technology, a second enclosure having a second detection means, said second detection means comprising a plurality of gas sensors using a same second technology selected from semiconductor gas sensors technology, or conductive polymer gas sensors technology, or acoustic surface wave gas sensors technology, said second technology being different from said first technology, said semiconductor gas sensors, conductive polymer gas sensors and acoustic surface wave sensors having electrical or piezo-electrical properties sensitive to molecules of the odorous or volatile substances, said process comprising the steps of; determining electrical or piezo-electrical properties of the first and second detection means by contacting the first and second detection means with a variable gas discharge to initialize the first and second detection means; transporting the odorous or volatile substances of a first sample to the first and second enclosures by a variable controlled gas discharge; measuring electrical or piezo-electrical properties of the first and second detection means, during a determined measurement time interval, in the presence of a variable controlled gas discharge containing the odorous or volatile substances of the first sample, wherein relative to the electrical or piezo-electrical properties during initialization, to obtain qualitative data and quantitative data for the odorous or volatile substances of the first sample; comparing said qualitative data of the first sample with a file of odorous or volatile substances, simultaneously with the step of measuring or after the step of measuring, the comparison occurring during the measurement time interval, to identify or recognize the odorous or volatile substances detected by means of the network of neurons; and cleaning the first and second detection means with a gas, in order to reinitialize the first and second detection means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A device for analyzing odorous or volatile substances, comprising:
-
a first enclosure including a first detection means having electrical and/or piezo-electrical properties sensitive to molecules of the odorous or volatile substances, said first detection means comprising a plurality of gas sensors using a same first technology selected from semiconductor gas sensors technology, or conductive polymer gas sensors technology, or acoustic surface wave gas sensors technology; a second enclosure including a second detection means having electrical and/or piezo-electrical properties sensitive to molecules of the odorous or volatile substances, said second detection means comprising a plurality of gas sensors using the same second technology selected among semiconductor gas sensors technology, or conductive polymer gas sensors technology, or acoustic surface wave gas sensors technology, said second technology being different from said first technology; pump means for variably discharging a gas; means for testing and measuring the electrical and/or piezo-electrical properties of said first and second sensing means to obtain qualitative and quantitative data on the odorous or volatile substances; and means for comparing the qualitative data with a file of odorous or volatile substances to identify or recognize the odorous or volatile substances using a neural network. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification