Digital inline holography systems and methods especially for urban aerosol characterization

Abstract

A digital inline holography system (1) with an illumination source (18), digital inline holography sensor (20) capturing scattered object wave, onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor (21) and dual layers as by a first digital inline holography housing with a first digital inline holography temperature environment and a differential temperature second digital inline holography housing with a differential temperature second digital inline holography environment on either side of a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path (23). Embodiments can include a digital inline holography component thermal control system (33) for just one of the environments and a retroreflector in the differential temperature second environment. These can permit unusually accurate sensing of coarse mode aerosols at high resolutions and in near real-time to facilitate use in a network of sensors that can permit automatic characterization of coarse mode aerosols and other particulates in ways that were not practically achievable.

Description

[0001] DIGITAL INLINE HOLOGRAPHY SYSTEMS AND METHODS

[0002] ESPECIALLY FOR URBAN AEROSOL CHARACTERIZATION

[0003]

[0001] This application is a PCT patent application claiming priority to and the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 63 / 683,369 filed August 15, 2024, hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0004] FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0005]

[0002] Some aspects were made with government support under Grant No. DE-SC0023563 awarded by the Department of Energy. The government may have certain rights in some aspects of this disclosure.

[0006] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0007]

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of digital in-line holography, and has special applicability for passive digital in-line holography systems when used to sense coarse mode aerosols, although it can have applicability beyond those particular areas.

[0008] BACKGROUND

[0009]

[0004] Urban regions present unique challenges and opportunities for environmental and atmospheric measurement due to their inherent complexity and heterogeneity. These landscapes exhibit an uneven distribution of physical landforms, vegetation, built environments, infrastructure, and sociodemographic features. Factors like anthropogenic flows, emissions, heat, and water further contribute to the complexity of these environments, making single-location measurements insufficient for comprehensive understanding.

[0010]

[0005] The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has consistently emphasized the important and uncertain impacts of aerosols on climate, evident from sustained support of aerosol-cloud research relying on observational and computational methods. While the DOE and the broader scientific community pursue improved aerosol measurement capabilities, there remain notable limitations. Existing lower-cost commercial sensors, which are increasingly prevalent in urban networks, rely on measuring light scattering to deduce aerosol mass. These sensors are often packaged with low- cost gas sensors and may be proficient at estimating fine aerosol mass (PM2.5) levels, with numerous commercial solutions already existing on the market (e.g., QuantAQ, TSI Bluesky).

[0011]

[0006] Past studies have shown that variability in submicron mode aerosols is relatively low since regional sources heavily influence this size range, thus single-point measurement stations are likely well suited to evaluate their properties. Several new low-cost and / or open-source instruments capable of measuring ultrafine (D < 100 nm) particles were recently announced at the 2023 American Association for Aerosol Research Annual Meeting (www.aaar.org / meetings.html), which may lessen the need for development of new technologies focused on the sub- 100 nm mode.

[0012]

[0007] Coarse particle properties, however, are not well measured by existing commercial sensors and are thus undermeasured in urban monitoring networks, despite their important impacts on climate, air quality, and human health. The coarse mode includes many types of particles that have important impacts, including mineral dust, volcanic ash, fungal spores, bacteria, pollen, and sea salt. Mineral dust influences Earth’s climate by interacting with radiation, modifying cloud properties and dynamics, affecting the cryosphere through albedo changes, and altering biogeochemical processes in ecosystems. Recent findings indicate an important role for coarse sea spray aerosols in enhancing rainfall flux and cloud drop effective radius, contrasting with the suppressive effects of fine aerosols. Biological particles affect climate primarily through their roles in cloud formation as ice nucleating particles (INP) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Climate change and efforts to mitigate and adapt to it may alter the mix of aerosols in urban areas. Projected warmer temperatures and increased CO2 levels are expected to lengthen pollen seasons and elevate pollen emissions across the U.S., intensifying allergic reactions and reshaping regional pollen dynamics. Electrification of vehicles is not expected to substantially reduce non-tailpipe vehicle emissions, which arc increasingly dominated by coarse particulate matter from tire and brake wear as well as resuspension. There is a clear correlation between extensive agricultural activities and rising dust levels in the Great Plains.

[0013]

[0008] Technology to better measure coarse mode aerosols will directly benefit urban environmental characterization, including the DOE urban Integrated Field Laboratory (IFL) efforts, as well as atmospheric science more generally. Researchers have revealed the importance of dust storms (haboobs) on episodic air quality impacts in the study area. Improved measurements are crucial for a more nuanced understanding of dust storm dynamics, particle deposition patterns, and their health implications at least in the southwest U.S., thereby contributing to the Southwest Integrated Field Laboratory (SW-IFL) mission of improving atmospheric composition measurements and evaluating dust control measures.

[0014]

[0009] Based on the above, there is an acute need for new sensors and tools. There is also an imperative for data integration capabilities to provide a holistic view of the urban system, with emphasis placed on technologies elucidating spatial variabilities, their impact on urban communities, and informing the understanding of atmospheric composition in a changing climate. Instruments that can measure aerosol properties relevant to climate falling outside the accumulation mode in the fine mode (D < 100 nm) and coarse mode (D > 1 pm) are needed. Particularly, there is a major need for instrument development efforts focused on measurement of the coarse mode. The disclosed systems and methods may help meet these challenges, align with DOE priorities, and benefit the Urban IFL studies and broader atmospheric research.

[0015] SUMMARY

[0016]

[0010] According to some aspects, there is provided the subject matter of the independent and other clauses and claims. Some embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. One or more examples of implementations are set forth in more detail in the accompanying figures and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and figures, and from the clauses and claims.

[0017] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0018]

[0011] Figure 1 shows a measurement configuration in digital inline holography and computation process for image reconstruction using a Fresnel diffraction calculation.

[0019]

[0012] Figure 2 shows an exemplary assembled Passive Aerosol Imager (PAI) breadboard prototype.

[0020]

[0013] Figures 3A-3F show reconstructed images from one PAI showing (a) individual and clumps of 9.2 pm glass beads; (b) 33-36 pm glass beads; (c) 87-95 pm glass beads; (d) Arizona Test Dust particle; (e) dust mites; (f) pecan pollen.

[0014] Figure 4 shows a timeseries comparing number concentrations measured by one PAT and aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) (Dae > 10 pm) for Arizona Test Dust particles over a 10-minute period.

[0021]

[0015] Figure 5A and 5B are top and side views of a diagram of the optical layout for one PAI system showing the co-located optics and electronics.

[0022]

[0016] Figure 6 shows a Preliminary design concept of PAI enclosure.

[0023]

[0017] Figure 7 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary process for generating a holographic image.

[0024]

[0018] Figure 8 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary process for classifying a particle from a holographic image.

[0025]

[0019] Figure 9 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary process for identifying particle locations within the images.

[0026] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027]

[0020] It should be understood that embodiments include a variety of aspects, which may be combined in different ways. The following descriptions are provided to list elements and describe some of the embodiments of the application. These elements are listed with initial embodiments; however, it should be understood that they may be combined in any manner and in any number to create additional embodiments. The variously described examples and preferred embodiments should not be construed to limit the embodiments of the application to only the explicitly described systems, techniques, and applications. The specific embodiment or embodiments shown are examples only. The specification should be understood and is intended as supporting broad claims as well as each embodiment, and even claims where other embodiments may be excluded. Importantly, disclosure of merely exemplary embodiments is not meant to limit the breadth of other more encompassing claims that may be made where such may be only one of several methods or embodiments which could be employed in a broader claim or the like. Further, this description should be understood to support and encompass descriptions and claims of all the various embodiments, systems, techniques, methods, devices, and applications with any number of the disclosed elements, with each element alone, and also with any and all various permutations and combinations of all elements in this or any subsequent application.

[0028]

[0021] Embodiments disclosed relate to digital inline holography (DIH), which may provide a contact-free method for obtaining images of especially coarse mode aerosol particles. The primary advantage of some embodiments over conventional light scattering methods is that they avoid the so-called inverse problem, which refers to a fundamental inability to relate a light scattering pattern to a specific particle size or shape without additional information. Embodiments may provide an image of the particle, thereby giving both size and shape information directly. The advantage of this approach over conventional microscopy methods is that this approach can image large sample volumes rapidly, providing data at a high time resolution and in near real-time. Embodiments may even simultaneously image large numbers of particles at any location in the volume. The method may be effectively agnostic to the position of a particle in the sample volume, therefore the precise control of particle position required by other optical methods may not be necessary. An image of each particle may be reconstructed computationally after measurement, whereby a particle at any location (x, y, z) can then be brought into focus computationally. In other words, embodiments may image, size, and count all particles above a size threshold present in the measurement volume simultaneously. This approach may effectively eliminate coincidence errors that plague conventional single particle scattering instruments at higher particle concentrations. The large sensing volumes (e.g., the volume, such as a cylinder of illumination and sensing which is the location sensed) that embodiments use greatly increases the chance of detecting rare particles with low concentrations in the atmosphere, which is ideal for coarse mode aerosols.

[0029]

[0022] Figure 1 illustrates some main components of DIH measurement and image reconstruction processes according to some exemplary embodiments of the invention. For background understandings of digital in-line holography, see Berg, M. J., Tutorial: Aerosol characterization with digital in-line holography, J Aerosol Sci., 165 (2022), fully incorporated by reference. In a general example, a collimated laser beam may illuminate a free-flowing aerosol particle and a small portion of the beam may become scattered forming an object wave. An area sensor may record the interference pattern produced by the object wave and the remainder of the illuminating beam, perhaps the reference wave. The recorded interference pattern may then be subtracted from a reference hologram or reference signals with no particles present to form a contrast hologram. The particle image may then be evaluated via a Fresnel transform. In this disclosure, images may then be further processed to obtain information on size and shape, and then optionally passed to a variety of more advanced analytical tools to attempt classification of the particles into distinct types.

[0030]

[0023] Embodiments of the invention may provide an open-path DIH system and provide a Passive Aerosol Imager (PAI). The PAI may have a substantially aerosol particle free flow air path (23) such that the natural flow of the aerosol particle is not substantially impacted by the system - in the sense that the system does not impact a reading concerning the aerosol particle’s presence in the otherwise existing environment. The PAI can be configured to thus achieve the step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle for measurement.

[0031]

[0024] In some embodiments, the PAI may use a triggered laser system to detect and image particles entering the viewing volume from any direction. This feature, combined with the openpath geometry may eliminate the need for a controlled, flowing air volume. It may greatly simplify the mechanical design of the instrument and reduce power requirements, as it does not necessarily require active aspiration or a complex nozzle geometry. The approach may also allow for much higher effective air sampling rates than aspirated systems without increasing power consumption by taking advantage of the natural movement of air. For example, a wind speed of 2 m s'1passing through a 1 cm3sample volume is equivalent to a 12 L min"1sample flow rate in an aspirated system, roughly 2.5 times higher than laboratory instruments and orders of magnitude higher than low-cost sensors currently in use. Accurate measurements of particle size distributions may require sufficiently high counts to overcome uncertainties related to Poisson processes. Similar to aspirated systems, where the sample rate is controlled, the open-path system may require knowledge of the volume of air passing through the detection region, which in some embodiments is determined by measuring wind speed using a sonic anemometer and multiplying by the cross- sectional area of the detection volume as it is a free flow system. The approach may be analogous to the calculation of a cloud probe’s sample volume using measured air speed on research aircraft. In some embodiments, the PAI may also calculate particle concentrations independent of wind speed by imaging the sample volume at a constant rate. The constant rate method may be better suited to situations when particle concentrations are higher. However, it should be noted that even at a modest 17 Hz frame rate and 1 cm3imaging volume, the PAI images in excess of 1 L min-1.

[0025] Embodiments of the invention may be well suited to the needs of measurements in urban and other environments. The system may use minimal power, be designed to be low maintenance, and use inexpensive components. The open path system does not necessarily require active flow control or any moving parts. It may be deployed at scale in dense urban networks over long periods of time with minimal user intervention. After preliminary processing onboard the device itself, data may be uploaded to a cloud-based platform, where they can then be used to calculate concentrations of particles as a function of size, and ultimately classify particles based on their morphology perhaps using a machine learning approach. Data outputs may provide a comprehensive high-level interpretation of the observations, powered by artificial intelligence tools. Embodiments may not only provide detailed data required by the research community but also actionable data required by community members and other stakeholders to empower local decision making.

[0032]

[0026] The implementation of embodiments having a network of low-cost holography-based sensors may promise major benefits to the public by drastically improving the understanding and management of coarse mode aerosols. The public benefits may extend to various sectors including healthcare, agriculture, urban planning, and environmental monitoring. One application may lead to enhanced understanding of environmental and climate dynamics through improved observations of particles such as mineral dust and pollen that are thought to impact clouds. It may contribute to fog monitoring, which has implications for transportation safety and atmospheric research. The ability to accurately monitor and characterize airborne allergens, such as pollen, may have a major impact on public health and productivity. By providing precise and timely information, embodiments of the invention may enable healthcare providers and public health officials to develop better targeted treatment plans for allergy and asthma sufferers, potentially reducing the burden of these conditions significantly. A miniaturized, wearable version of some embodiments may be a new tool to measure personal exposure to large particles. Not only may coarse particles be directly associated with adverse health outcomes, exposure to coarse particles such as allergens may confound observations in exposure-health studies. In agriculture, some embodiments may inform integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, helping to reduce disease risks associated with airborne biological particles like fungal spore plant pathogens or even insects serving as vectors for plant and animal diseases. Urban planners may benefit from this data in designing better urban landscapes that consider the impact of vegetation and urban structures on the dispersion of biological aerosols. This data may also guide interventions to reduce pollution from non-tailpipe vehicle emissions, a growing concern in urban environments (see recent requests for applications from the Health Effects Institute, www.healtheffects.org). The modular and scalable nature of some embodiments may help ensure their adaptability to a wide array of use-cases, promising broad public benefits that span health, environment, and the economy. The culmination of these benefits positions some embodiments not only as an important tool for atmospheric science but also as a catalyst for social and economic improvements.

[0033]

[0027] Research and development efforts may result in designing, assembling, and testing a prototype PAI with diverse particle standards. These efforts may culminate in a successful realization of the PAI’s feasibility and its potential for urban aerosol characterization.

[0034]

[0028] In one embodiment, a modular optical cage system, or substantially free flow aerosol particle air path modular cage (27) may be positioned between two circular optical circuit boards and components to enable rapid design modifications. This can allow systems to achieve the step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path (23) by the step of utilizing a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path modular cage (27). The imaging system may incorporate an imaging laser and associated laser driver and an image sensor. The trigger system may use a laser paired with a photomultiplier tube (PMT), avalanche photodiode (APD) or another detector. Another embodiment of a trigger system may also be used. Additional exemplary optical components such as lenses, mounts, and other parts may be sourced from ThorLabs or another vendor. In some embodiments, a circuit board may serve as a trigger control for monitoring the PMT signal and generating TTL pulses to trigger the camera and laser when the PMT signal exceeds a set threshold. The circuit and associated electronics may be enclosed in a dustproof case mounted on the instrument, with external switches for controlling power to the imaging and trigger lasers and a gain dial for controlling the trigger threshold.

[0035]

[0029] Designs may be constructed to address various application challenges as they arise and make necessary adjustments to optimize the optical system. Some embodiments may include an annular beam as an omni-directional trigger. In some embodiments, axicon lenses and the laser source may cause significant observable aberrations in the annular beam. Further, the laser’s nonGaussian profile may hinder the formation of a quality annular' beam. To avoid these issues, in some embodiments, the axicon lenses may be replaced with standard spherical lenses, resulting in a more conventional solid trigger beam profile. A pinhole-mirror spatial filter may then be added to separate scattered and unscattered trigger light. The width of the solid trigger beam may be narrower than the annular trigger, leading to a reduced effective trigger area. Some embodiments may include a laser source with better beam quality and / or incorporate an additional spatial filter, to allow for successful implementation of the annular trigger concept. Alternatively, in some embodiments, maintaining the solid trigger beam configuration, may also prove effective as another viable option.

[0036]

[0030] Other embodiments may include a further design enhancement to address insufficient initial hologram quality. Such embodiments may build upon embodiments where the holography beam is retroreflected through a halfwave plate. Thus, A digital inline holography retroreflective element (56), which can include all elements in the light path, can include a digital inline holography halfwave plate (46) and can include a beam splitter (51) that causes or allows a portion of the beam to become coaxial with the trigger beam. In these embodiments, weak reflections from the waveplate and beamsplitter surfaces may cause a linear interference- fringe pattern across the holography beam profile, which may degrade the beam quality and particle image clarity. Replacing the waveplate with a short pass filter or more precisely a digital inline holography short pass filter (47) may eliminate the interference and result in an interference-free profile in the sensing region. Following these design improvements, the PAI (1) may be assembled in a duallayer configuration (29) and housed in its enclosure, as depicted in Figure 2. A laptop computer may interface with the PAI for data collection using manufacturer software from Lucid Vision for image acquisition and Coherent for controlling the trigger laser. Proprietary software for image acquisition, trigger control, and data collection may also be used.

[0037]

[0031] Some embodiments may include automated hologram processing such as developed in Python using opensource packages such as NumPy (large array processing), HoloPy (hologram reconstruction), and OpenCV (machine vision). In development, the software may go through many iterations to achieve a satisfactory level of performance and accuracy. The initial component of processing raw holograms obtained from the PAI may include calculation of contrast holograms. In some embodiments, this may involve subtracting a reference background from the raw holograms to remove any background effects such as noise arising from inconsistencies in optics or lasers or from contamination like dust on the instrument’s windows. In some embodiments, reference holograms may be taken periodically when no particles are present, to particle image generation. In some embodiments, for the long-term monitoring application envisioned for the PAI, this approach to reference holograms may not be feasible as particles can be present at any given moment, and dust can accumulate on a sensor and interfere with measurements before reference holograms can be retaken. To resolve these issues, some embodiments include median pixel value calculator (44), a method to dynamically calculate a reference hologram by using a median pixel value of a set of preceding images, the step of exclusively data analysis generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal, and the step of median pixel value calculating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal. This median-value approach may help ensure that the most up-to-date background is used as a reference image in any given moment. This embodiment may provide extremely clean contrast holograms.

[0038]

[0032] Some embodiments of the software may also feature an innovative approach for identifying particle locations within the images. Reconstructions from large holograms may be computationally intensive making high-resolution depth mapping of many layers computationally infeasible. In some approaches, to properly map a particle at an unknown z-depth, thousands of depth images may need to be computed. In some exemplary embodiments, the brute force calculation may be limited to around 25 layers initially by establishing a confidence interval on the coefficient of variation (CV) of specific pixel intensity through these layers. In other embodiments, the layers may be numbered between 5-10, 10-15, 15-20, 20-25, 25-30, 30-40, 40- 50, 50-75, 75-100, or more than 100. Returning to the 25-layer embodiment as an example, the method may calculate how much pixel noise varies across these rough layers. For a portion of the image without a particle at any z-depth, the CV of pixel intensity through these layers may be low; however, should a particle exist close to one of the 25-layer depths, the CV of pixel intensity will likely increase. Producing a single flattened image of the CV of pixels computed through the rough z-layer depths may allow for far simpler observation of all particles in the image. Applying an adaptive threshold filter followed by morphological opening to the flattened image may result in a mask which can be used to locate particles using the OpenCV blob detection routine. Once the particle centers are identified, each particle may undergo individual processing using a finer resolution mapping to ascertain its z-depth for an 'in-focus' reconstruction. An autofocus routine using a Tamura coefficient may be used to determine the particle's optimal focus across various z- depths. After pinpointing the z-focus location, an area around the particle center may be cropped, and hologram reconstruction may be performed at the target z-focus. Particle diameter may then be determined using contour analysis algorithms. Thus, for each particle, its three-dimensional location within the image volume, its diameter, and various parameters describing its shape (e.g., solidity, extent) may be obtained.

[0039]

[0033] In addition to individual particle analysis, embodiments of the software may calculate various bulk statistics from the ensemble particle data. To exclude misidentified particles and other irrelevant data, the particle data may be filtered based on time, location (e.g., z-location between window boundaries), solidity, and particle diameter (e.g., remove everything below a given size as noise). With this quality-controlled set of particle data, calculation particle size distributions and total particle counts may be straightforward. However, calculation of particle number concentration may require a more careful approach due to the PAI's unique sample volume calculation method. More detail can be found on the sample volume calculation elsewhere, but to summarize, the PAI’s sample volume may be a blend of triggered volume and imaged volume over a given sampling period. In the scenario when there are constant triggers (meaning the imaging sensor is capturing at its full rate - about 2.5 Hz) the sample volume may be effectively the summed volume of all images in the sample period (e.g., number of images times physical x, y, z dimensions of the volume imaged by the hologram). In periods where the trigger rate is low, in addition to the volume of any images obtained, the calculation may now include the ‘empty’ air which moved through the trigger. This may essentially be the swept volume of the trigger cross section during the time where images are not present, removing the deadtime following acquisition where the image sensor cannot record additional images.

[0040]

[0034] Embodiments of the invention may include methods applying the PAI prototype within the vertical wind tunnel. These applications may help test the PAl's ability to characterize particle shape, size, and concentration using a variety of particle types, including Arizona test dust (ATD), spherical borosilicate or soda lime particle standards, dust mites, pecan pollen, and ragweed pollen (examples shown in Figure 3). The sizes of the particle standards may vary, with polydisperse particles ranging from 10-22 pm and monodisperse particles measuring 9.2 pm, 23-26 pm, 33-36 pm, and 87-95 pm. Some embodiments may address the ability to generate consistent aerosol dispersion for the larger aerosols. To help generate aerosols accurately and consistently, some embodiments may obtain initial holograms by dusting clean microscope slides with particles and moving them through the instrument’s sample volume. The powder dispersal methods may be refined, perhaps developing at least two preferred methods for aerosol generation. Embodiments may include a miniature speaker set to variable vibration frequencies and intensities controlled by a microcontroller, and a specialized vial which dispersed particles using pressurized air.

[0041]

[0035] The PAI prototype may demonstrate excellent performance when aerosols are introduced into its sample volume, without significant issues encountered in either the trigger or imaging systems. Measurements by an exemplary dynamic background subtraction process may be significantly unaffected by dust buildup on the instrument's windows. Despite this, dust mitigation or periodic cleaning may still be incorporated in some embodiments using enhanced contamination management on optical surfaces. Visual analysis of the reconstructed holograms from various runs may show clear definition, and the software may be configured to differentiate between various particle types. The smallest resolvable detail in the reconstructed images may be approximately double the camera’s physical pixel size, resulting in a minimum resolution of around 3.7 pm for some embodiments. This resolution may be validated through experiments with monodisperse glass beads, where the software’s sizing algorithms are tested against known particle sizes. While some embodiments may identify peaks corresponding to the expected sizes for most particle sizes, different embodiments may detect smaller particles, which may otherwise blend into the image background noise. These improved embodiments may overcome limitations in other particle detection routines.

[0042]

[0036] Some embodiments may compare the number concentration calculations of the PAI with those from an APS instrument (Figure 4). The selection of what APS sizing channels to use in the comparison may be unclear due to uncertainties in the PAI’s processing code relating to particle sizing and conversion of APS-measured aerodynamic diameter to physical diameter for particles with unknown density. In view of this, some embodiments may compare the APS channels above 10 pm in aerodynamic diameter to total PAI-measured concentrations. The comparison sensitivity may vary for different assumed cutoff diameters. Despite some uncertainty in the comparisons, the comparison between the PAI and APS measurements is encouraging (r2 = 0.9; regression coefficient = 0.8).

[0037] Some modifications to an initial system may improve its design for deployment in urban and other environments to help function properly when deployed outdoors and not just during tunnel testing. Some initial embodiments may have been squat in structure, requiring particles to travel a considerable horizontal distance between two plates to reach the sensing volume. Embodiments configured to address unaligned winds may otherwise create possible issues transiting the sample volume with disturbance or particle losses, leading to measurement inaccuracies.

[0043]

[0038] System requirements for urban and other applications can be addressed. Aspects such as robust temperature control (perhaps of one side layer), measurement duration, data storage, cost considerations, ruggedness, and maintenance frequency can be included or addressed. Such features may be instrumental in shaping some of the design requirements for field deployment. And some embodiments can include improvements that enhance the practicality of a PAI and improve a PAI’s sample volume for better airflow.

[0044]

[0039] Embodiments may be configured very counterintuitively to intentionally provide a differential temperature established system. This can involve intentionally designing to have a first digital inline holography housing or temperature environment and a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing with an intentionally different, differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment. This seemingly odd arrangement can provide distinct advantages. For example, the first digital inline holography housing can be configured to contain at least the often-temperature sensitive illumination source and a digital inline holography sensor in a first digital inline holography housing temperature environment. The second, differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing can have a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment. This can be configured at least partly in the digital inline holography optical pathway, with the differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment being different as compared to the first digital inline holography housing temperature environment. And the substantially aerosol particle free flow air path (23), or the step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path, can be placed or exist between the first digital inline holography temperature environment and the differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment. When an often optically temperature sensitive illumination source and a digital inline holography sensor are involved, embodiments can have their substantially aerosol particle free flow air path (23) configured external to an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment and can involve the step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between a first optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment and a different, differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment.

[0045]

[0040] Furthermore, having the second digital inline holography housing and environment include a retroreflector assembly and thus forming an optical pathway, which then reflects the laser back toward the imaging and trigger detectors through a different environment is advantageous. In one regard, this configuration may leave the sample volume largely unobstructed, aside from narrow supports holding the retroreflector, perhaps leading to a more open design that facilitates cleaner airflow and may reduce contamination of optical surfaces. Deploying this embodiment in an urban setting may yield beneficial information. It can facilitate consolidating all sensitive optical and electrical components into a single housing and simplify the system's layout. The holographic laser path may be directed out of the housing establishing the first digital inline holography housing. This first digital inline holography housing may be configured to contain at least the illumination source and the digital inline holography sensor in a first digital inline holography housing temperature environment. Similarly, methods can involve the steps of establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment for the step of emitting holographic aerosol particle illumination and for the step of digital inline holography sensing to assure optimal data capture is achieved. Notably, it can be understood that the differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing and the differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment can be configured at least partly in the digital inline holography optical pathway. The first digital inline holography housing temperature environment and the differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment can both be at least partly in a digital inline holography optical pathway. And at least part of that digital inline holography optical pathway can have a different temperature as compared to the first digital inline holography housing temperature environment. By intentionally having a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path configured between the first digital inline holography housing and the differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing and by substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between the first digital inline holography temperature environment and the differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment, embodiments can provide a practically and functionally enhanced system and method.

[0046]

[0041] In some embodiments, at least one of the housings may be temperature-controlled. That housing may have a heater element (25) to heat the temperature environment of the housing. Embodiments can have a temperature controlled or thermally controlled optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment or optically holographically accurate operative environment. For the first housing mentioned above, a first housing heater element can be configured to heat the first digital inline holography housing temperature environment of the first digital inline holography housing. And this can involve methods to accomplish the step of heating the first digital inline holography temperature environment and even the step of heating an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. Temperature control can be advantageous because the housing may include at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system, and even an onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor (21). In fact, in some embodiments, the heater element can actually be or include the onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor as this may generate heat. When the processor is in the first housing, the first housing heater element can be a digital inline holograph image processor. Similarly, there can be a step of heating the optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment for a step of digital inline holograph image processing.

[0047]

[0042] And not only can the housing, environment, or optical pathway have a differential temperature but this can be transiently established in the sense that it sometimes may be different and sometimes may not be depending on external conditions. In this manner, embodiments can include a transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, a transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment, and achieve the step of establishing a differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment which is the step of establishing a transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment. This transience can be an external condition consequence and as such the second housing environment for the optical pathway may be non-temperature-controlled. Having a non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, environment, and the step of establishing a non-temperature controlled transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment can afford design advantages. Thus embodiments can establish a first digital inline holography temperature environment by the step of temperature controlling the first digital inline holography temperature environment while also establishing a non-temperature controlled transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment.

[0048]

[0043] As mentioned in more detail elsewhere, the housing, and even its environment, and the optical pathway may include a retroreflector (56), more generally one or more DIH retroreflective elements, a dual reflective element (49), the step of digital inline holography retroreflecting, and even the step of dual digital inline holography retroreflecting. These each include any item that causes reversal of the illumination or image even if not strictly involving reflection. Significantly, such retroreflectors can facilitate inclusion of different temperature environments. The temperature of the retroreflector housing may differ as compared to the illumination source and sensor housing. And the two housings may be on the opposite sides of the substantially aerosol particle free flow air path. The two housings together, the first digital inline holography housing and the differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, can form a digital inline holography (DIH) system. The digital inline holography (DIH) system may be a passively sensing digital inline holography (DIH) system, or a dual layer digital inline holography (DIH) system (29) or facilitate the step of establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment and the step of establishing a differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment, and also the step of establishing a dual layer digital inline holography system. This layering can have a first system equipment layer and a second system equipment layer. As mentioned embodiments can include a digital inline holography component thermal control system (33) that is only for one layer or side such as an only first system equipment layer digital inline holography component thermal control system so that systems accomplish the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling by the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling only one side of a dual layer digital inline holography system. In this configuration, embodiments can involve an only first system equipment layer digital inline holography heater element or the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling only one side of a dual layer digital inline holography system such as by the step of heating only one optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. While establishing different temperature environments is counterintuitive, as mentioned, this can allow practical efficiencies.

[0049]

[0044] Controlling temperature on only one side can be helpful for sensitive components on that side. In embodiments, the DIH system may have an illumination source, which of course is capable of emitting illumination, a holographic aerosol particle illumination source, or may achieve the step of emitting illumination, or the step of emitting holographic aerosol particle illumination. This illumination may be from a source such as a laser, a coherent light source, or can be any illumination as a result of which a holographic image can be created. This image can be sensed by a digital inline holography sensor. This sensor can be configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of the illumination on a particle such as a coarse mode aerosol particle. Similarly, systems can accomplish the step of digital inline holography sensing a scattered object wave formed from an illumination on a particle. This image can be processed to some degree either onboard the system (e.g., at and as pail of the DIH system equipment) or remotely. Thus, embodiments can include an onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor that responds to data from the digital inline holography sensor in response to the digital inline holography sensor capturing a scattered object wave. By at least some onboard digital inline holograph image processing data from the sensor, or raw data, or from the step of digital inline holography sensing, the system can more efficiently achieve its goal of providing high resolution results in real time.

[0050]

[0045] As mentioned, embodiments can include a thermal control system, or more precisely a digital inline holography component thermal control system. As mentioned, at least the temperature-sensitive components, such as the illumination source and the digital inline holography sensor can be temperature controlled by the digital inline holography component thermal control system. This temperature control can maintain at least the illumination source and the digital inline holography sensor within an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. This optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment can be any environment that controls temperature or other environmental conditions within a range that permits the overall DIH system to yield sufficiently (e.g., for that system design and specifications) accurate holographic data, images, and results. Similarly, systems can achieve the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling at least the step of emitting illumination and the step of digital inline holography sensing, if needed. These steps can be configured to be achieved in an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. And, as mentioned, there can intentionally be two different thermal environments. One environment can be for the sensitive equipment, and another can be for items such as the DIH retroreflective element (56). As yet another practical configuration, the raw digital inline holograph image processor can also be thermally responsive to the digital inline holography component thermal control system, and the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling can involve the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling the step of digital inline holograph image processing in an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. This can exist such as where the raw digital inline holograph image processor is contained in a first digital inline holography housing that has a temperature controlled environment. And, as mentioned, this can be achieved through the use of a DIH retroreflective element (56). And this DIH retroreflective element (56) can be configured in a number of ways, as a dual reflective element (49), and / or can involve use of a DIH halfwave plate (46), a DIH short pass filter (47), or similar steps.

[0051]

[0046] Furthermore, especially when there are a number of these systems, each can include a network communication element (37). In this manner, a number of systems, or a number of these particular' embodiments of these types of DIH systems may be a part of a holographic sensor network of systems (38) that integrate such as through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across the holographic sensor network. Embodiments can be configured with a network communication element (48) as part of a holographic sensor network (38), perhaps of similar digital inline holography systems, that integrate through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across a holographic sensor network and that achieve the step of communicating a network of digital inline holographic system data through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across a holographic sensor network.

[0052]

[0047] A goal of systems can be to provide high resolution, near real-time DIH system data. This can be of varying degrees as needed. Thus, generally, embodiments can include or be configured as a high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography system or processor (39) or to accomplish the step of outputting high resolution, near' real-time digital inline holography images, image data, or just data. This can be accomplished by the systems new design with temperature control and / or having differential temperature environments because these permit the accurate imaging, signals, and data that each can lead to a high resolution and / or near real-time result. Such high resolution, near real-time DIH systems be a data yielding digital inline holography system that can be or can have: at least less than about 1 um resolution, a less than about one second result, an at least about 2 um resolution, a less than about ten second result, an at least about 3.7 um resolution, a less than about 1 minute result, an at least about 5 um resolution, a less than about 2 minute result, and an at least about 8 um resolution, and a less than 3 minute result , as well as any combinations of such values.

[0053]

[0048] In regards to the capturing of data, embodiments of the digital inline holography sensor and said onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor may be an all particulate image data capture system that captures image data for substantially all the particulates flowing through the aerosol particle free flow air path (23) in a given time. After capture, the processor can filter, refine, or eliminate data not desired. Of particular interest for some systems are coarse mode aerosols, and embodiments of the system can be configured as a coarse mode aerosol digital inline holography system such as by having a coarse mode aerosol onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor, sensor, illumination, or the like so that systems can accomplish the step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image sensing, processing, or the like. They can even include a coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigger system that triggers or causes an action (e.g., data capture, data processing, or just data storage for later processing, etc.) when a coarse mode aerosol passes through the system. Similarly, embodiments can include the step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigging the step of digital inline holography sensing. Such a trigger system may involve a laser trigger illumination source to provide illumination. And this illumination can be at least partially substantially coincident with illumination from the main, image illumination source, or the holographic aerosol particle illumination source. The laser or other trigger illumination source can be configured with a trigger sensor for the action desired. Such a trigger sensor can be a photodetector sensor, a photomultiplier sensor, or any other appropriate sensor. And for the aspect of having at least partially substantially coincident illumination, the coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigger system can include a beam splitter to permit the trigger sensor to be positioned apart from the digital inline holography sensor, and similarly the step of beam splitting to permit a step of trigger sensing to be accomplished apart from the step of digital inline holography sensing.

[0054]

[0049] Use of a reference signal can be important in digital in-line holography, and so embodiments can include components to generate such reference signals. Embodiments of the DIH systems may even include a non-triggering event digital inline holography reference signal and achieve the step of generating a non-triggered event digital inline holography reference signal. By being non-triggered, such systems can generate a reference signal when there is no triggering for the presence of a desired to be imaged particulate. Embodiments of the DIH system may be configured, programmed, or involve a dynamic background DIH reference signal generator, a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal data storage, or the steps of generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal, and storing that dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal. A dynamic background DIH reference signal generator may include a dynamic background DIH reference signal imaging laser and a dynamic background DIH reference signal sensor or similar steps. A dynamic background DIH reference signal generator may dynamically, or repeatedly as needed perhaps due to or for a changing background or the like, generate a reference signal for use in holographic image generation. This can even be scheduled or at times when no particle is sensed. For example, embodiments can have a periodic digital inline holographic reference signal generator configured to repetitively generate a then-prevailing digital inline holographic reference signal. And this can be stored to later use such as by use of a digital inline holographic reference signal memory configured to repetitively store the then-prevailing digital inline holographic reference signal. And this reference signal can be used in processing such as by having a coarse mode aerosol onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor configured as a raw digital inline holograph image to then-prevailing digital inline holographic reference signal digital inline holograph image generative comparator, or similarly by achieving the step of periodically generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal and comparing those items. And embodiments can even generate the reference signal from only data analysis. For example, embodiments can have a periodic dynamic background DIH reference signal generator that is configured as an exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background DIH reference signal generator or achieve the step of generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal through the step of exclusively data analysis generating that dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal. This can include conducting data analysis to determine that likely no particle is present and then using that data as the clean reference signal. As one example, an exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background DIH reference signal generator (43) may involve a median pixel value calculator (44). This can determine the median pixel condition and apply that as the reference signal.

[0055]

[0050] As mentioned, controlling temperature can be important, and this can involve several aspects. First the two environments can be established as peculiarly different temperature environments. There can also be control of the temperature controlled or optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. For this, embodiments of the DIH system may include an air path unintrusive heat transfer fan (31) to direct air remote from and without impact on the substantially free flow aerosol particle air path, and similarly the step of air path unintrusively transferring heat from the optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment without impact upon the step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path, and even substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in path external to the optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment and the path may be external to the optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. To facilitate the two environments as peculiarly different temperature environments system layers can be configured to include a first system equipment layer apart from a second system equipment layer, perhaps with the DIH thermal control system configured as an only first system equipment layer DIH component thermal control system. The two layers can even be on opposite sides of the aerosol particle free flow air path, or the air path configured in this manner, in a way that the aerosol particle free flow air path can serve to insulate one from the other. With the non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing configured on an opposite side of the substantially aerosol particle free flow air path as compared to the temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing, systems can serve to more easily maintain the counterintuitive different temperature environments. This can allow systems to achieve the step of establishing a non-temperature controlled transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment on an opposite side to the step of establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment or the temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing. The second system equipment layer can even be a non-temperature controlled second system equipment layer that achieves the step of establishing a non -temperature controlled transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment. And in some embodiments the first system equipment layer may include an only first system equipment layer DIH heater element as the second layer may not be temperature controlled.

[0056]

[0051] In some embodiments, the aerosol particle free flow air path (23) may be configured for high volumetric aerosol particle sampling, and there can be an at least occasionally high coarse aerosol particle flux, free flow air path, and similarly, the step of high volumetric aerosol particle sampling in a substantially free flow particle air path. The high volumetric aerosol particle sampling may involve varied flows for sampling as appropriate for an application. These can include sampled air volumes from: an up to 1 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 3 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 101 / min sampled air volume, an up to 121 / min sampled air volume, an up to 15 1 / min sampled air volume, and an up to 20 1 / min sampled air volume. Thus the step of high volumetric aerosol particle sampling can be selected from steps involving each of these air volumes.

[0057]

[0052] And with programming, processing can be varied. In some embodiments, the onboard raw digital inline holograph (DIH) image processor can include an automatic aerosol particle free flow air path parameter range validity limiter (35) to identify a range of at least one condition when particle measurements are deemed valid, and, of course, the step of parameter range validity limiting data to a range of at least one condition when particle measurements are deemed valid. Embodiments may also include features such as temperature sensors, anemometer sensors, humidity sensors, and the like, to enable representative sampling.

[0058]

[0053] The onboard raw DIH image processor can also be configured or programmed for only coarse mode aerosols as a coarse mode aerosol raw DIH image processor to sense coarse mode aerosols having varied sizes as desired. The coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor can be configured to sense coarse mode aerosols having sizes selected from: about 1 um and larger, about 10 um and larger, about 22 um and larger, about 40 um and larger, about 60 um and larger and similarly the step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing. The perhaps onboard raw DIH image processor may be programmed to include an automatic data correction element (36) to respond to environmental conditions sensed by the digital inline holography system and the step of automatically correcting data to respond to actual environmental conditions sensed.

[0059]

[0054] As mentioned, embodiments be configured to capture image data for substantially all the particulates flowing through the aerosol particle free flow air path (23) in a given time. Such embodiments can have an all particulate image data capture system configured to capture image data for substantially all particulates flowing through the aerosol particle free flow air path in a given time, or for the step of capturing image data for substantially all aerosol particulates flowing through said free flow air path in a given time. Whether or not so configured, data processing can allow later (even if in very short real times) focal imaging via data processing. Thus embodiments can have a coarse mode aerosol particle three-dimensional positionally agnostic digital inline holography sampling air path and the step of coarse mode aerosol particle three-dimensional positionally agnostic digital inline holography sensing. The onboard raw DIH image processor can be programmed as an iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor (40) or for the step of iteratively determining an optimal focal distance for individually sensed aerosol particles. The iterative optimal focal distance DIH image processor may designed as a limited layer, confidence interval processor such as a coefficient of variation DIH image processor. And embodiments can involve a limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation digital inline holograph image processor, or the step of layer limiting, confidence interval limiting, or coefficient of variation limiting the step of digital inline holograph image processing. Systems can have a low confidence value data exclusion digital inline holograph image processor, to accomplish the step of low confidence value data excluded digital inline holograph image processing. The onboard raw DIH image processor can even include or be configured or programmed as a hologram reconstruction DIH image processor (41) that is responsive to an iterative optimal focal distance DIH image processor or to achieve the step of digital inline holograph image processing through the step of hologram reconstructive digital inline holograph image processing in response to the step of iteratively determining an optimal focal distance for individually sensed aerosol particles. This can be done via an onboard raw DIH image processor, a limited image processing DIH image processor, and a cloud-based DIH image process capability (42) if / as desired. And the onboard raw DIH image processor can be programmed as an onboard digital inline holograph contrast generator (45). This can achieve the step of onboard digital inline holograph contrast processing where a contrast such as between the image and a reference signal can be determined. The onboard DIH contrast generator can be a raw DIH image subtractive processor that subtract or responds to a dynamic background DIH reference signal or that generator to the image desired. Embodiments can involve the step of raw digital inline holograph image subtractive processing responsive to a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal.

[0060]

[0055] As briefly mentioned above, in some embodiments, the substantially free flow aerosol particle air path can involve a first temperature regime air path side (53) or housing and a second, different temperature regime air path side (53) or housing opposite the first temperature regime air path side or housing. For these the digital inline holography retroreflector can be contained within the non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and the step of digital inline holography retroreflecting can be within the differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment. Separating equipment layers on opposite sides of the substantially aerosol particle free flow air path (23) and using unintrusive, narrow supports can allow the air path to help insulate one environment from the other and it can serve as a significantly temperature insulating free flow air path and can achieve the step of creating a significantly temperature insulating free flow air path. This can be especially significant when the air path is configured to permit air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees and for embodiments that achieve the step of permitting air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees. And to facilitate manufacture and even customization with known free flow air path characteristics, embodiments can include or utilize a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path modular' cage as mentioned above.

[0061]

[0056] Some embodiments may be well suited for robust, open-path holographic measurements of flowing aerosols. For example, a combination of a trigger and an imaging sensor may enable images to be taken at the ideal moment to capture particles in the field of view. Thus, the sensor may perforin well even in low concentration scenarios where particles of interest are rare. Sensors in this embodiment may be suited for deployment in urban networks as well as in other scientific and operational applications.

[0062]

[0057] The exemplary PAI designs above may be suitable for the measurement of coarse mode aerosol concentrations over a range of air flow conditions and capable of measuring coarse mode aerosol size distributions in urban measurement networks. Objectives can directly align with the Department of Energy's priorities, emphasizing urban environmental research, the advancement of measurement technologies, and showcasing innovation with a clear path to commercial viability.

[0063]

[0058] In another exemplary embodiment, the system may be converted into a compact, integrated field design including having an integrated and compact optical design, a robust enclosure suitable for field deployment, a thermal control system, and an electronic control and processing for triggering system.

[0064]

[0059] Some embodiments may implement advanced data processing algorithms for complex data analysis, enhance real-time data interpretation capabilities, improve hologram processing speed, and implement a machine learning framework.

[0065]

[0060] Some embodiments may include a cloud-based platform for data storage, processing, and analysis, having a user-friendly interface for data visualization and real-time monitoring.

[0066]

[0061] Some embodiments may include refined particle sizing and concentration measurement techniques, which may perform over different temperature regimes and orientations, with adequate stability, power consumption, and battery life.

[0067]

[0062] In other embodiments, the DIH system may include a machine learning capable DIH image process capability and the step of digital inline holograph image machine learning to achieve the proper results. This can include using machine learning to compare imagery data to identify the presence and location of aerosol particles in an image using available machine learning and comparative techniques such as using known images and comparing results to get high confidence results via a coefficient of variation analysis from in other machine learning applications. As but one such example, a step of automatically characterizing an aerosol particle can involve identifying the presence of an aerosol particle, creating a plurality of depth or other varied, reconstructed particle holograms based on a cropped subset of pixels around an estimated particle center for the aerosol particle, iteratively determining an optimal focal image for the aerosol particle from the plurality of depth-varied, reconstructed particle holograms, applying a contour analysis to the optimal particle image, and determining at least one particle statistic as a result of the step of applying a contour analysis to the optimal particle image, or the like. And the step of applying a contour analysis to the optimal particle image can be selected from the steps of: determining a particle size from said step of applying a contour analysis to an optimal particle image, determining a particle area from the step of applying a contour analysis to the optimal particle image, determining a particle shape from the step of applying a contour analysis to the optimal particle image, and determining a particle type from the step of applying a contour analysis to the optimal particle image.

[0068]

[0063] Embodiments may include features for use in diverse urban settings, including features addressing robustness, dust accumulation, and effects of precipitation and wind. Features may address performance in real-world conditions, and may include features to address environmental stress under urban conditions, electronic interference and noise reduction, data transmission reliability and software integration, and maintenance and cleaning procedures.

[0069]

[0064] Some embodiments may include field-deployable systems built on the foundation of some of the above discussed embodiments. These exemplary embodiments may include a more compact, robust design and include new optical, electronic, and thermal control systems necessary to improve performance and ensure reliability for longer duration field testing. The prototypes may also significantly improve on the breadboard layout concepts discussed above having colocated light sources and imaging systems in a single housing as opposed to having components located on opposite sides of the imaging volume. Having co-located light sources and imaging systems in a single housing may reduce the complexity of the design and minimize the disturbance of the air flow to achieve highly accurate, open-path measurements of coarse mode particles.

[0070]

[0065] Some embodiments may incorporate an optical design of the PAI (1) that places the imaging system in the same housing volume as the laser sources, as depicted in Figures 5A and 5B. This exemplary embodiment may feature a retroreflector (56) to return the imaging beam back to the housing (52), allowing all optics and electronics to be housed in a single, perhaps temperature-controlled enclosure (52) (See Fig. 6). This embodiment may minimize the mass and cross-sectional area of the instrument in the air flow. In some cases, to avoid having an asymmetric sample volume, only particles in the retroreflector return path may be used in data processing. Particles in the outgoing path may be computationally excluded from sample volume calculations by filtering on their z-depth locations. Although this design may feature a different geometry than embodiments discussed above, it may maintain the same core measurement principles, and therefore many of the principles discussed above with regard to other embodiments may apply to these embodiments. Some embodiments may include suitable OEM optical components tailored for a production-ready design. Components may be selected at least in part based on feedback from potential customers to address market needs. The refined optical system may comprise a number of components filling the same or substantially the same roles as their counterparts in a breadboard system including: a) trigger laser (14) for detecting presence of aerosols in the illumination volume; b) imaging laser (18) as an illumination source for illuminating particles; c) an image sensor (20), such as a high-resolution CMOS sensor for capturing raw holograms; d) a photodetector (16), which may be a photomultiplier tube, for high-sensitivity triggering, and e) various optical elements such as dichroic mirrors 62, 64, a prism mirror 66, a retroreflector 56, and bandpass filters 68, 70 to ensure optical alignment and light management.

[0071]

[0066] The PAI or digital in-line holography system 1 may also include various lenses 72-80 and pinhole filters 82, 84 as discussed. If such is thermally optically sensitive, at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system (62) may be enclosed in a temperature controlled environment. Embodiments can have at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system, and even onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor if desired, contained within a temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing in a temperature controlled environment such as an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment. The lens system can achieve the step of dichroically optically manipulating radiation, or even using a polarizing beam splitter cube or the like, and the first digital inline holography temperature environment can be to accurately achieve the such steps and any step of optically manipulating and sensing radiation among other steps as mentioned.

[0072]

[0067] The mechanical design of the optical system may help ensure its compactness to minimize disturbance of the surrounding airflow. Such design may incorporate design-for-manufacture principles in the optical design to reduce part costs, simplify alignment procedures, and decrease maintenance requirements. As can be seen in Fig. 5B, the sample volume may be defined by the return path of the retroreflector 56.

[0073]

[0068] The PAI (1) may also include a thermal control system 86 that may include one or more thermal sensors, such as thermistors or thermocouples to monitor the interior temperature of the enclosure. It may also include components for collecting and transferring heat outside of the enclosure 50. Further, it may include control circuitry to control the heat removal components based on temperature measurements. In some embodiments, the thermal control system may include heating elements for generating additional heat within the enclosure 50.

[0074]

[0069] The electronic system may include custom circuitry to improve the triggering method as discussed above. The custom circuitry may include measurement of detector baselines and may implement digital thresholding to allow for dynamic adjustment of a trigger threshold. This may improve upon approaches used in conventional optical particle counters, including a portable optical particle spectrometer. The electronics system may also distribute required power to the trigger and image laser diode controllers, image sensor acquisition electronics, data acquisition system, wireless communication module, and may include a battery and charge regulator to enable overnight operation when powered using a photovoltaic panel. The data acquisition system may comprise a custom-designed printed circuit board (PCB) that may support a powerful Jetson Orin Nano module, which may be well suited for Al-powered image analysis. The custom PCB may also support the hardware needed for an ultrasonic flow measurement. The on-board data system may include Wi-Fi and / or a cellular modem to enable cloud connectivity for uploading sensor data to a cloud service for display and dissemination. Finally, the electronic system may also support a thermal control system for maintaining the enclosure at the required operating temperature. It may accommodate the anticipated thermal loads on the enclosure from sunlight as well as heat generated by internal electronics.

[0075] All electronic and optical components may be integrated into a compact, waterproof, dustproof enclosure suitable for long-term deployment in urban and other environments.

[0076]

[0070] Some embodiments may be inspired by sensors used for meteorological measurements that require minimum disturbance of the air, such as sonic anemometers. An exemplary embodiment is shown in Figure 6. In this embodiment, the PAI (1) may include an enclosure 50. The enclosure 50 may consist of a base unit 52 housing the bulk of the instrument systems including optics shown in Figures 5A and 5B, extension rods 54 to support a retroreflector assembly 56, and a retroreflector (56) itself. The retroreflector (56) may be mounted into a plate 60, perhaps with protective window (58), that may also serve as a mount point for a commercial 2D anemometer (12) to measure wind flowing through the sensor. The anemometer (12) may be mounted to the top or bottom of plate (60) and, in some embodiments, may be mounted to other physical structures on the enclosure (50), including the base unit (52). The retroreflector assembly (56) may be separate from the base unit (52) using a set of rods (54), one of which may serve as a wiring conduit for the anemometer wiring, heaters, and any other electronic components located in the retroreflector assembly (56). These embodiments may be evaluated using Solidworks Simulation packages. CAD models may be evaluated for their response to various air flow, thermal, and vibrational regimes corresponding to anticipated environmental conditions. Some of the embodiments may include design elements as a result of airflow simulations of different wind speeds and directions around the housing. These design elements may help minimize disturbances to the flow as much as possible to eliminate any measurement biases due to housing interference. Various methods may be incorporated to reduce or eliminate dust buildup on the instrument windows, including a novel charge-based approach. For example, the housing (50) may include elements for implementing such methods.

[0077]

[0071] Some embodiments may use vendor- supplied software to record holograms and record air flow information. An exemplary embodiment may use custom-designed software to provide more control over the triggering and image acquisition settings and may combine all data sources into a single output record. The software may be adapted to enable on-board analysis of holograms. The acquisition software may record air-flow data from the external anemometer for computation of sample volume, used in concentration calculations. Environmental parameters including ambient temperature and relative humidity useful for interpreting the measurements may be recorded. The embodiment may include a cloud-based data platform and web portal to enable visualization of measurements across a network and quickly assess instrument status.

[0078]

[0072] In some embodiments, a low-level backend may enable two-way communication between the various subsystems used in the PAI including perhaps a camera, trigger electronics, and sonic anemometer. This system may simultaneously acquire images from a camera, instrument health data such as temperatures, trigger statistics, and laser status from the custom system electronics, wind speed measurements, and associated housekeeping parameters from the anemometer. Image data may be analyzed by a separate software component discussed above, and all other parameters may be processed and stored in a local data file along with derived parameters such as sample volume. Software may also provide an interface to enable / disable the various electronic systems and may set a trigger threshold voltage on the custom system electronics.

[0079]

[0073] As discussed above, some embodiments may include algorithms to automatically process holograms and extract particle information. These algorithms may be suited for rapid implementation and design iterations but may not necessarily prioritize processing speed. Improvements to these embodiments may address processing speeds and the accuracy of sizing particles obtained from hologram reconstructions. In particular, rapid onboard analysis of holograms may improve both speed and accuracy. One exemplary approach may include translating some Python-based algorithms to C code for optimized execution time. Sizing accuracy may be improved by implementing more robust ways to threshold images to determine contour size. Another exemplary approach may include machine learning algorithms, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), to rapidly detect, measure, and classify raw particle hologram patterns. This approach may improve upon existing hologram particle identification and scattering pattern classification techniques. Some embodiments may apply CNN classifications of raw holograms focusing on particle classification rather than sizing and counting. Results from the hologram processing may be used to calculate particle number, size, and type, and may then be aggregated to obtain statistics such as particle size distributions, number concentrations (using integrated wind speed measurements), and other relevant statistics. These parameters may be stored locally and uploaded to the cloud using an integrated cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

[0080]

[0074] Some embodiments may include a cloud-based data platform such as hosted on Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, or other similar service providers, to allow a broader understanding of measurements in the PAI network. PAI devices may use their integrated cellular modems to connect to the cloud provider and upload data at regular intervals to the database service running in the cloud. The cloud database may drive a live- view front-end and may generate daily data files for download and offline analysis. A web-based front-end may enable interactive visualization of the PAI data. Visualizations may include map-views of sensor locations coded by measured concentration and timeseries of concentrations, particle size, and other instrument parameters. Users may be able to select data to download, with the ability to filter based on instrument, instrument location, time range, or other parameters. Other output products may be generated based on information requirements of customers.

[0081]

[0075] Laboratory evaluations may characterize the performance of the PAI prototypes under controlled conditions and orientations and for particles of known size, shape, and composition.

[0076] Particle response may be determined using an exemplary custom aerosol wind chamber. The tunnel may comprise a 28 x 29.5 x 49.5-inch test region where particles can be injected into a filtered air stream at air velocities up to 8 m s'1. The prototype system may be mounted to the sidewall of the chamber and centered in the particle-laden sample air stream. Additional instruments may be mounted in the chamber or sample from it to provide reference particle size and concentration information. Processes using monodisperse particle standards may help verify the performance of some embodiments. The exemplary trigger system and lower detection limit of the PAI prototypes may be characterized by sampling particle standards at sizes ranging from 1 to 10 pm diameter, which may be the lower end of an anticipated size detection limit of the imaging system. Embodiments may use an Aerodynamic Aerosol Classifier (AAC, Cambustion, UK) to size select low density hollow glass spheres and polystyrene latex spheres for these tests. The low- density spheres (e.g. 0.1 g cm'3, Cospheric LLC, CA) may have a small enough aerodynamic diameter to be size selected by the AAC (Dae < 5 pm) but may be physically large enough (D < 16 pm) to be measured by the PAI prototypes. Concentrations measured by the holographic system may be compared to independent measurements performed by an APS and filters analyzed offline using visual microscopy.

[0082]

[0077] Instruments may be subjected to a range of environmental conditions expected in urban environments. Embodiments may have performance determined by a consumer-grade freezer to conduct temperature testing, which may help permit testing at temperature ranges as low as -20 °C and as warm as +50 °C. Warm temperature testing may be conducted by putting a small heater in the freezer and adjusting its duty cycle based on a simple temperature feedback circuit built into a microcontroller. Thermistors incorporated into the electronics system may be used to determine how well the thermal system is controlling the enclosure temperature. Embodiments may incorporate design changes based on the performance of the temperature control system at different ambient temperatures for improved performance. Further, responses to particles at different temperatures may be determined to help ensure no sizing biases exist at temperature extremes. A port may be drilled through the top of the freezer to introduce particle standards directly into the sensor viewing volume through a transparent tube. These tests may be repeated at different values of relative humidity, which may be controlled by operating a particle-free humidifier controlled with the same feedback circuit used for the temperature control.

[0083]

[0078] In some embodiments, instrument geometry itself may be designed and configured to introduce little if any bias in the measured particle size distributions and concentrations. Some embodiments may have a smaller footprint due to having custom components instead of off-the- shelf components and may be more susceptible to orientation effects, such as orientation relative to the incident wind flow. Testing these embodiments may inform requirements for sensor placement in the field and help assess magnitude of any biases related to the direction the wind is blowing when performing field measurements. Because vertical wind speed is typically much lower than horizontal wind speed, a bulk of the deployments may use a horizontal orientation. Although in some situations, e.g., street canyons, a vertical orientation may be preferred. Some tests may characterize the effect of changes in the orientation of the winds relative to the sensor geometry. In some embodiments, a device may be mounted to an adjustable stage that allows for changing of the tilt of the device such as relative to the chamber wall. Designs may incorporate features from the previously discussed concentration tests described above. Orientation may be adjusted from a purely parallel orientation (0 degrees) through to a near perpendicular orientation (90 degrees), as feasible for the tilt mount geometry. Configurations may accommodate between 0.1 and 8 m s'1(the maximum wind chamber speed). Some embodiments may include design features to address the impact of the sensor on the air flow. These tests may also identify the range of conditions when particle measurements from the device are valid, and the device may include corrections for collected data.

[0084]

[0079] Extensive field testing of the exemplary prototypes may help confirm their efficacy and readiness for urban environments. Some embodiments, specifically designed to address urban air quality challenges, may undergo rigorous validation in diverse urban settings, including Baltimore, Maryland and Phoenix, Arizona — sites of two urban IFLs. An initial outdoor deployment such as in Fort Collins, Colorado may allow fine-tuning of the instrument’s performance, focusing on power efficiency and reliable communication systems. These deployments may not only be critical for identifying design improvements but also for gathering data essential to validate the instrument’s commercial viability and appeal to early adopters. Collaborative testing with potential end-users may bring valuable insights, ensuring embodiments effectively meet urban air quality monitoring and research needs.

[0085]

[0080] Strategically planned field tests may capture essential data during peak periods of biological particle activity such as pollen, which may be crucial for understanding broader environmental and air quality dynamics. This task may leverage seasonal variation to test the instrument's sensitivity and accuracy in detecting coarse mode particles, including biological particles, alongside standard air quality metrics. These tests may verify the fundamental operation of some embodiments of the instrument, help ensure robust temperature control under variable spring conditions, evaluate the stability of data communication systems, and compare its performance against established air quality monitoring systems. Tests may be performed in two distinct urban settings in Fort Collins, targeting areas with different environmental profiles. For example, a downtown deployment (RPL lab roof) may examine effects of increased urban activities on particle observations, offering a more complex environment for testing. This deployment may provide valuable data on the instrument’s potential to differentiate and quantify diverse particulate matter, including pollen, in an urban setting with high human activity. A second deployment may occur in a suburban residential area (a private home). This location may offer a contrasting environmental setting, ideal for observing suburban air quality dynamics. This location may focus on documenting the variations in air quality and evaluating the design’s response to these changes. A comprehensive database may be compiled, detailing such findings, performance metrics, and any adaptations made to optimize the instrument for diverse environmental conditions.

[0086]

[0081] The PAI may be deployed in a strategic collaboration with the Southwest Integrated Field Laboratory (SW-IFL). This partnership may be crucial in achieving an overarching goal of refining the designs, identifying key requirements for its commercialization, and developing awareness of its technological capabilities. The prototype systems may be deployed at regulatory monitoring stations in Maricopa and Pinal Counties, particularly during the dust season from late- July to mid-September, perhaps to capture comprehensive data on coarse mode aerosol concentrations. The data and insights gained from these activities may not only contribute to the SW-IFL's research objectives but may also play a significant role in refining the holographic system for broader application, ensuring its readiness for commercialization.

[0087]

[0082] The prototypes may be deployed in collaboration with the Baltimore Social-Environmental Collaborative (BSEC) to complement the focused research objectives of the BSEC Air Quality Theme Team. The deployment plan may include placing one of the prototypes indoors, complemented by at least two additional sensors outdoors. Indoor sensors may be modified to use a small fan to aspirate the detection area if needed to achieve sufficient sample volumes. This setup may be designed to thoroughly investigate the linkages and differences between coarse particles in both environments, addressing design configurations to address the variability of urban air quality outdoors and indoors. This approach may investigate how the built environment influences the relationship between outdoor and indoor air conditions and may contribute to understanding the emission impacts on air quality and asthma risks. This deployment may not only align with broader commercialization goals but may also emphasize community-responsive research, environmental justice, and the importance of understanding urban greening strategies' impact on health risks.

[0088]

[0083] A flow diagram showing an exemplary process (100) for generating a holographic image 30 of the PAI (1) is shown in Figure 7. In this process, at step (102), particles may flow into an inlet (10) of the PAI (1). The inlet (10) may include a substantially 360-degree cylindrical area surrounding the sensing region as opposed to a traditional planar monodirectional inlet area. At step (104), for example, the PAI (1) may detect wind speed using a sonic anemometer (12). Concurrently or subsequently, at step (106), the trigger laser (14) may illuminate a detection area across a cross-sectional area of the inlet (10). Concurrently or subsequently, at step 108 the PAI may detect the presence of a particle (2) by monitoring the output of the photodetector (16) and determining if the output exceeds a predetermined threshold. After detecting the presence of the particle (2), at step (110), an imaging laser (16) may illuminate the detected particle (2). Next, at step 1(12), an image sensor (20) may collect scattered light and record data (22) representing an interference pattern (24) generated by illuminating the detected particle (2). At step (114), the data may be sent to a processor (21) for processing. At step (116), the processor (21 or 26) may subtract a reference illumination pattern (28) previously stored in a memory (30) from the interference pattern (24) to generate a holographic image (32). In step (114), the processor (21 or 26) may be an on-board processor or a remote processor, such that the data may be sent remotely (e.g., to the cloud) for storage and processing. Likewise, the memory (30) may be local memory, or remote memory (e.g., even the same facility) or a combination of both.

[0089]

[0084] Figure 7 also depicts an optional first process (120) and an optional second process (130) for obtaining the reference illumination pattern (28). In the first process (120), at step (122) the PAI may determine the absence of any particles in the inlet (10) by monitoring the output of photodetector (16) and determining that the output does not exceed the predetermined threshold. Next, at step (124), the imaging laser (16) may illuminate the empty space along its directed pathway. Next, at step (126), the image sensor (20) may collect light and record data (34) representing the reference illumination pattern (28). As discussed above, circumstances may exist where it may not be practical to obtain the reference illumination pattern (28). For these circumstances, the second process (130) may be used for obtaining the reference illumination pattern (28).

[0090]

[0085] In the second process (130), at step (132) the processor (26) may take a set of previously acquired images saved in memory (30) (i.e., image data collected and saved before step 112) and calculate a median pixel value from these images.

[0091]

[0086] A flow diagram showing an exemplary process (140) for classifying a particle from a holographic image (32) is shown in Figure 8. This process includes, at step (142), obtaining a holographic image (32). The obtained holographic image (32) may be the holographic image (32) generated in step (116) from process (100), for example. Next, in step (144), the image may be analyzed using a process (160) for detecting, measuring, and classifying particles. Part of the analysis may include identifying and filtering small particles, such as particles smaller than 7 pm, or any other size. In step (146), the results from the analysis may be stored in memory (30) including information regarding particle number, size, and / or type. Further, the results may be associated with the holographic image (32). The results also may be aggregated to include statistics, such as particle size distribution, number concentrations, etc. In step (148), the results may be displayed or disseminated.

[0092]

[0087] The process 140 may include optional steps 150-152 for artificial intelligence or machine learning. For example, at step 150 the results from the analysis may be scored by comparing the results to known results or standards and in step 152 the process 160 may be updated based on this comparison. Machine learning may include the application of convolutional neural networks or other models.

[0093]

[0088] In some embodiments, the processes 100 and 140, for example, may be incorporated into method for aerosol sensing, pollen sensing, and / or coarse particle sensing.

[0094]

[0089] Figure 9 shows the process (160) in more detail. The process (160) may include identifying particle locations within the images. For example, at step (162), the volume may be approximated by selecting a number of z-dimension computational layers. At step (164), a confidence interval may be created for the coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity through these layers. At step (166), a single flattened image of the coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity from all the layers may be created. At step (168), an adaptive threshold filter followed by a morphological opening may be applied to the image to create a mask to locate the particle centers. At step (170), an autofocus routine may be applied to determine the particle’s optimal focus across various z-depths. The autofocus routine may include obtaining and using Tamura coefficients for the image. Next, at step (172), hologram reconstruction may be performed at the target-z depths. Next, at step (174), particle shapes and diameters may be determined using contour analysis. In step (176), the particles may be classified into distinct types using analytic tools. Particle classification methods may include evaluating a relationship between a holographic extinction cross section with a true extinct cross section.

[0095]

[0090] In addition systems can be configured to limit the brute force calculation to a limited number of layers, perhaps about 45 layers initially by computing the coefficient of variation (CV) of specific pixel intensity through these layers through inclusion of a limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator. This can result in a flattened image. Processes can involve calculating how much pixel noise varies across these rough layers through use of a pixel noise variation calculator. For a portion of the image without a particle at any z, the CV of pixel intensity through these layers may be expected to be low. Should a particle be located close to one of the 45-layer depths, the CV of pixel intensity may be expected to increase. Thus, producing a single flattened image of the CV of pixels computed through the rough z depths can allow for far simpler observation of all particles in the image and can serve as a particle presence determination element that is responsive to said limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator. Next processes may apply a watershed algorithm from the field of computational topology to this flattened image of the CV of pixel intensities. The result can even be a set of peaks that correspond to potential particle centers in the original contrast hologram. To compute the particle’s focus, processes can create a new composite metric, P2=TamuraxSVxToGA2. (With Tamura being the Tamura gradient measure, ToG being the Tamura of Gradient Modulus, and SV being the Variance Sharpness). This can provide a sharp, unambiguous focus peak for all particle sizes across the PAI's operational range. Through programming this is generally a tamura gradient- based focal location calculator and it can be even as tamura gradient squared-based focal location calculator and a variance sharpness-based focal location calculator. This / these may first be applied at a cropped region around particle centers in the previously reconstructed layers to obtain a rough particle focus, thus serving as a particle focal location estimation element. Then a set of z-layers may be reconstructed of the cropped hologram at a finer precision around the z-depth identified in the rough particle focus to find the final particle focus. This can serve as providing a cropped region rough focal location calculator, and a fine precision multi-layer image reconstruction element responsive to the cropped region rough focal location calculator.

[0096]

[0091] While the inventions have been described in connection with some preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the inventions to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined by the disclosed embodiments. As used herein, the expression “any other clause” is intended to indicate that the features recited in the present clause may be combined with the features recited in any other independent or dependent claim. Examples of alternative claims (posed as clauses) may include:

[0097] 1. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system independently or dependent on any other clause comprising: a holographic aerosol particle illumination source capable of emitting holographic illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; an onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; a first digital inline holography housing configured to contain at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor and having a first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; a transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing having a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment configured at least partly in said digital inline holography optical pathway, wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment has a differential second digital inline holography housing temperature environment as compared to said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; a significantly temperature insulating, substantially free flow aerosol particle air path configured between said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing and also configured to permit air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees; and a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side, and wherein said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing are configured to together comprise a dual layer digital inline holography system, and wherein said transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing is configured on an opposite side of said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path as compared to said temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing.

[0098] 2. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system independently or dependent on any other clause comprising: a holographic aerosol particle illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from the impact of said aerosol particle illumination source on an aerosol particle; an onboard, high resolution, near real-time, coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; and a digital inline holography component thermal control system to which at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor are thermally responsive and which maintains at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor within an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0099] 3. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1, 2, or any other clause and further comprising at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system having opto-thermally sensitive focal components all of which are contained within a temperature controlled, optically holographically accurate, operative temperature environment.

[0100] 4. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1, 2, or any other clause wherein said onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an automatic aerosol particle free flow air path parameter range validity limiter configured to identify a range of at least one condition when particle measurements are deemed valid.

[0101] 5. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1, 2, or any other clause wherein said onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises: a limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; a pixel noise variation calculator; a particle presence determination element response to said limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; a particle focal location estimation element; a tamura gradient-based focal location calculator; a cropped region rough focal location calculator; and a fine precision multi-layer image reconstruction element responsive to said cropped region rough focal location calculator. 6. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1 , 2, or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography system further comprises a network communication element, and wherein said digital inline holography system is a part of a holographic sensor network of similar digital inline holography systems that integrate through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across said holographic sensor network.

[0102] 7. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1, 2, or any other clause and further comprising a high volumetric aerosol particle sampling air path configured to for sampling air volume selected from: an up to 1 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 3 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 10 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 12 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 15 1 / min sampled air volume, and an up to 201 / min sampled air volume.

[0103] 8. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1, 2, or any other clause wherein said coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography processor comprises a high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography processor selected from: an at least less than 1 um resolution, less than one second result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 2 um resolution, less than ten second result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 3.7 um resolution, less than 1 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 5 um resolution, less than 2 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, and an at least about 8 um resolution, less than 3 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, and any combinations of such values.

[0104] 9. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1, 2, or any other clause wherein said digital inline holograph image processor comprises a limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation, iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor.

[0105] 10. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 1, 2, or any other clause and further comprising an exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

[0106] 11. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 10 or any other clause wherein said exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises a median pixel value calculator.

[0107] 12. A passively sensing digital inline holography system independently or dependent on any other clause comprising: a holographic aerosol particle illumination source capable of emitting holographic illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; an onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered obj ect wave; a first digital inline holography housing configured to contain at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor and having a first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing having a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment configured at least partly in said digital inline holography optical pathway, wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment has a differential second digital inline holography housing temperature environment as compared to said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; and a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path configured between said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing.

[0108] 13. A passively sensing digital inline holography system independently or dependent on any other clause comprising: an illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; an onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered obj ect wave; a first digital inline holography housing configured to contain at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor and having a first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing having a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment configured at least partly in a digital inline holography optical pathway, wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment has a differential second digital inline holography housing temperature environment as compared to said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; and a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path configured between said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing.

[0109] 14. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 13 or any other clause wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing comprises a transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing.

[0110] 15. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 14 or any other clause wherein said transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing comprises a non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said first digital inline holography housing comprises a temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing. 16. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 15 or any other clause and further comprising a first housing heater element configured to heat said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment of said first digital inline holography housing.

[0111] 17. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 15 or any other clause and further comprising a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said nontemperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side.

[0112] 18. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 17 or any other clause wherein said substantially free flow aerosol particle air path is configured to permit air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees.

[0113] 19. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 17 or any other clause wherein said substantially free flow aerosol particle air path comprises a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path modular cage.

[0114] 20. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 13 or any other clause wherein said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing are configured to together comprise a dual layer digital inline holography system.

[0115] 21. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 20 or any other clause and further comprising at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system, and wherein said at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system and said onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor are contained within said temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing in a temperature controlled environment.

[0116] 22. A passive sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 20, 26, or any other clause and further comprising at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system having opto- thermally sensitive focal components all of which are contained within a temperature controlled, optically holographically accurate, operative temperature environment.

[0117] 23. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 14 or any other clause wherein said non- temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing is configured on an opposite side of said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path as compared to said temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing.

[0118] 24. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in clause 23 or any other clause wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path is configured to comprise a significantly temperature insulating free flow air path. 25. A digital inline holography system independently or dependent on any other clause comprising: a holographic aerosol particle illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from the impact of said aerosol particle illumination source on an aerosol particle; a raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; and a digital inline holography component thermal control system to which at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor are thermally responsive and which maintains at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor within an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0119] 26. A digital inline holography system independently or dependent on any other clause comprising: an illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; a raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; and a digital inline holography component thermal control system to which at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor are thermally responsive and which maintains said at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor within an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0120] 27. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 25 or any other clause and further comprising a substantially aerosol particle free flow air path configured external to said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0121] 28. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 12, 25, or any other clause further comprising a first housing heater element.

[0122] 29. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 28 or any other clause wherein said first housing heater element comprises said raw digital inline holograph image processor.

[0123] 30. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13 or any other clause and further comprising a thermal control system.

[0124] 31. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 27 or any other clause and further comprising an air path unintrusive heat transfer fan configured to direct air remote from and without impact on said substantially free flow aerosol particle air path.

[0125] 32. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 27 or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography system is configured with a first system equipment layer and second system equipment layer, and wherein said digital inline holography component thermal control system comprises an only first system equipment layer digital inline holography component thermal control system.

[0126] 33. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 32 or any other clause and further comprising a second system equipment layer digital inline holography component thermal control system wherein said first system equipment layer and second system equipment layer are configured on opposite sides of said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path, and wherein said second system equipment layer comprises a non-temperature controlled second system equipment layer.

[0127] 34. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 33 or any other clause wherein said first system equipment layer comprises an only first system equipment layer digital inline holography heater element.

[0128] 35. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 33 or any other clause wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path is configured to comprise a significantly temperature insulating free flow air path.

[0129] 36. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 25 or any other clause wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing comprises a transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing.

[0130] 37. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 36 or any other clause and further comprising a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side.

[0131] 38. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 37 or any other clause wherein said substantially free flow aerosol particle air path is configured to permit air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees.

[0132] 39. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 38 or any other clause and further comprising at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system, and wherein said at least one optothermal sensitive lens system and said onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor are contained within said temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing in a temperature controlled environment.

[0133] 40. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an automatic aerosol particle free flow air path parameter range validity limiter configured to identify a range of at least one condition when particle measurements are deemed valid. 41 . A digital inline holography system as described in clause 40 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises an automatic data correction element configured to respond to environmental conditions sensed by said digital inline holography system.

[0134] 42. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises: a limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; a particle presence determination element response to said limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; and a particle focal location estimation element.

[0135] 43. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 42 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises a tamura gradient-based focal location calculator.

[0136] 44. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 43 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises a pixel noise variation calculator.

[0137] 45. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 44 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises: a cropped region rough focal location calculator; and a fine precision multi-layer image reconstruction element responsive to said cropped region rough focal location calculator.

[0138] 46. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography system comprises a network communication element, and wherein said digital inline holography system is a part of a holographic sensor network of similar' digital inline holography systems that integrate through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across said holographic sensor network.

[0139] 47. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises a coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor.

[0140] 48. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 47 or any other clause wherein said coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor is configured to sense coarse mode aerosols having sizes selected from: about 1 um and larger, about 10 um and larger, about 22 um and larger, about 40 um and larger, about 60 um and larger.

[0141] 49. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 25 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor. 50. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 49 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor is thermally responsive to said digital inline holography component thermal control system.

[0142] 51. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 50 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor is contained in a first digital inline holography housing.

[0143] 52. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause wherein said aerosol particle free flow air path comprises a high volumetric aerosol particle sampling air path.

[0144] 53. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 52 or any other clause wherein said high volumetric aerosol particle sampling air path comprises a sampled air volume selected from an up to 1 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 3 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 10 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 121 / min sampled air volume, an up to 15 1 / min sampled air volume, and an up to 201 / min sampled air volume.

[0145] 54. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 12, 25, or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography processor comprises a high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography processor.

[0146] 55. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 54 or any other clause wherein said high resolution, near- real-time digital inline holography processor is selected from: an at least less than 1 um resolution, less than one second result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 2 um resolution, less than ten second result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 3.7 um resolution, less than 1 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 5 um resolution, less than 2 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, and an at least about 8 um resolution, less than 3 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, and any combinations of such values.

[0147] 56. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause wherein said aerosol particle free flow air path comprises a coarse mode aerosol particle three-dimensional positionally agnostic digital inline holography sampling air path.

[0148] 57. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 56 or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography sensor and said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprise an all particulate image data capture system configured to capture image data for substantially all particulates flowing through said aerosol particle free flow air path in a given time.

[0149] 58. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 56 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor. 59. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 58 or any other clause wherein said iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor comprises a limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation digital inline holograph image processor.

[0150] 60. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 59 or any other clause wherein said limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation digital inline holograph image processor comprises a low confidence value data exclusion digital inline holograph image processor.

[0151] 61. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 58 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises a hologram reconstruction digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor.

[0152] 62. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause and further comprising a coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigger system.

[0153] 63. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 62 or any other clause wherein said coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigger system comprises: a laser trigger illumination source configured to provide illumination at least partially substantially coincident with illumination from said holographic aerosol particle illumination source; and a trigger sensor.

[0154] 64. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 63 or any other clause wherein said trigger sensor is selected from: a photodetector sensor, and a photomultiplier sensor.

[0155] 65. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 63 or any other clause wherein said coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigger system further comprises a beam splitter configured to permit said trigger sensor to be positioned apart from said digital inline holography sensor.

[0156] 66. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 62 or any other clause and further comprising a non-triggering event digital inline holography reference signal.

[0157] 67. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises a limited image processing digital inline holograph image processor, and further comprising a cloud-based digital inline holograph image process capability.

[0158] 68. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 67 or any other clause wherein said machine learning capable digital inline holograph image process capability comprises a remote coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph process capability.

[0159] 69. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 12, 25, or any other clause and further comprising: a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator; and a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal data storage.

[0160] 70. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 69 or any other clause wherein said dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises: a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal imaging laser; and a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal sensor.

[0161] 71. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 69 or any other clause wherein said dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises a periodic dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

[0162] 72. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 69 or any other clause wherein said dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises an exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

[0163] 73. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 72 or any other clause wherein said exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises a median pixel value calculator.

[0164] 74. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 47, 72, 73, or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an onboard digital inline holograph contrast generator.

[0165] 75. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 74 or any other clause wherein said onboard digital inline holograph contrast generator comprises a raw digital inline holograph image subtractive processor responsive to a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

[0166] 76. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 12, 25, or any other clause and further comprising the step of automatically characterizing an aerosol particle.

[0167] 77. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 76, or any other clause wherein said step of automatically characterizing an aerosol particle comprises the steps of:

[0168] - identifying the presence of an aerosol particle; creating a plurality of depth-varied, reconstructed particle holograms based on a cropped subset of pixels around an estimated particle center for said aerosol particle; iteratively determining an optimal focal image for said aerosol particle from said plurality of depth-varied, reconstructed particle holograms; applying a contour analysis to said optimal particle image; and determining at least one particle statistic as a result of said step of applying a contour analysis to said optimal particle image.

[0169] 78. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 77, or any other clause wherein said step of determining at least one particle statistic as a result of said step of applying a contour analysis to said optimal particle image is selected from the steps of: determining a particle size from said step of applying a contour analysis to said optimal particle image; determining a particle area from said step of applying a contour analysis to said optimal particle image; and determining a particle shape from said step of applying a contour analysis to said optimal particle image; and determining a particle type from said step of applying a contour analysis to said optimal particle image.

[0170] 79. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 13, 26, or any other clause and further comprising a digital inline holography retroreflective element.

[0171] 80. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 79 or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography retroreflective element comprises a digital inline holography halfwave plate.

[0172] 81. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 79 or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography retroreflective element comprises a digital inline holography short pass filter.

[0173] 82. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 79 or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography retroreflective element comprises a reflective element.

[0174] 83. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 82 or any other clause wherein said digital inline holography retroreflective element comprises a dual reflective element.

[0175] 84. A digital inline holography system comprising: an illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; a raw digital inline holograph image processor comprising: o a limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; o a particle presence determination element response to said limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; and o a particle focal location estimation element.

[0176] 85. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 84 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises a tamura gradient-based focal location calculator.

[0177] 86. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 85 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises a pixel noise variation calculator.

[0178] 87. A digital inline holography system as described in clause 86 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises: a cropped region rough focal location calculator; and a fine precision multi-layer image reconstruction element responsive to said cropped region rough focal location calculator.

[0179] 88. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography comprising the steps of: emitting holographic aerosol particle illumination; digital inline holography sensing a scattered object wave formed from said illumination on a holographic aerosol particle; onboard digital inline holograph image processing raw data from said step of digital inline holography sensing; establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment for said step of emitting holographic aerosol particle illumination and said step of digital inline holography sensing; establishing a differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment at least partly in a digital inline holography optical pathway, wherein said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment has a different temperature as compared to said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; and substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between said first digital inline holography temperature environment and said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment.

[0180] 89. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography independently or dependent on any other clause comprising the steps of: emitting illumination; digital inline holography sensing a scattered object wave formed from said illumination on a particle; onboard digital inline holograph image processing raw data from said step of digital inline holography sensing; establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment for said step of emitting holographic aerosol particle illumination and said step of digital inline holography sensing; establishing a differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment at least partly in a digital inline holography optical pathway, wherein said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment has a different temperature as compared to said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; and substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between said first digital inline holography temperature environment and said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment.

[0181] 90. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 89 or any other clause wherein said step of establishing a differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of establishing a transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment. 91 . A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 90 or any other clause wherein said step of establishing a transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of establishing a non-temperature controlled transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment, and wherein said step of establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of temperature controlling said first digital inline holography temperature environment.

[0182] 92. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 91 or any other clause and further comprising the step of heating said first digital inline holography temperature environment.

[0183] 93. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 91 or any other clause and further comprising a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said nontemperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side.

[0184] 94. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 93 or any other clause wherein said step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between said first digital inline holography temperature environment and said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of permitting air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees.

[0185] 95. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 93 or any other clause wherein said step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between said first digital inline holography temperature environment and said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of utilizing a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path modular' cage.

[0186] 96. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 89 or any other clause wherein said step of establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment and said step of establishing a differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment together comprise the step of establishing a dual layer digital inline holography system.

[0187] 97. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 96 or any other clause and further comprising the step of establishing at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system, and wherein said at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system and said onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor are contained within said temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing in a temperature controlled environment.

[0188] 98. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 90 or any other clause wherein said step of establishing a transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of establishing a non-temperature controlled transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment on an opposite side to said step of establishing a first digital inline holography temperature environment.

[0189] 99. A method of passively sensing digital inline holography as described in clause 98 or any other clause wherein said step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between said first digital inline holography temperature environment and said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of creating a significantly temperature insulating free flow air path.

[0190] 100. A method of digital inline holography comprising the steps of: emitting holographic aerosol particle illumination; digital inline holography sensing a scattered object wave formed from said holographic aerosol particle illumination on an aerosol particle; digital inline holograph image processing raw data from said step of digital inline holography sensing; and digital inline holography component thermal controlling at least said step of emitting holographic aerosol particle illumination and said step of digital inline holography sensing at an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0191] 101. A method of digital inline holography comprising the steps of: emitting illumination; digital inline holography sensing a scattered object wave formed from said illumination on a particle; digital inline holograph image processing raw data from said step of digital inline holography sensing; and digital inline holography component thermal controlling at least said step of emitting illumination and said step of digital inline holography sensing at an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0192] 102. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 100 or any other clause and further comprising the step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path external to said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0193] 103. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 88, 100, or any other clause and further comprising the step of heating said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0194] 104. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 103 or any other clause wherein said step of step of heating said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment comprises said step of digital inline holograph image processing.

[0195] 105. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89 or any other clause and further comprising a digital inline holography component thermal control system to which at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor are thermally responsive and which maintains said at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor within an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0196] 106. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 102 or any other clause and further comprising the step of air path unintrusively transferring heat from said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment without impact upon said step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path.

[0197] 107. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 102 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling comprises the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling only one side of a dual layer digital inline holography system.

[0198] 108. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 107 or any other clause and further comprising the step of establishing a non-temperature controlled transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment on an opposite side to said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0199] 109. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 108 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling only one side of a dual layer digital inline holography system comprises the step of heating only said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0200] 110. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 108 or any other clause wherein said step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path between said first digital inline holography temperature environment and said differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of creating a significantly temperature insulating free flow air path.

[0201] 111. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 100 or any other clause wherein said step of establishing a differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment comprises the step of establishing a transiently differential temperature second digital inline holography temperature environment

[0202] 112. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 102 or any other clause and further comprising a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side.

[0203] 113. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 112 or any other clause wherein said substantially free flow aerosol particle air path is configured to permit air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees. 114. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 113 or any other clause and further comprising the step of establishing at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system, and wherein said at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system and said onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor are contained within said temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing in a temperature controlled environment.

[0204] 115. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101, or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of parameter range validity limiting data to a range of at least one condition when particle measurements are deemed valid.

[0205] 116. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 115 or any other clause and further comprising the step of automatically correcting data to respond to actual environmental conditions sensed.

[0206] 117. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101, or any other clause and further comprising the steps of: communicating a network of digital inline holographic system data through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across a holographic sensor network.

[0207] 118. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101, or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing.

[0208] 119. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 118 or any other clause wherein said step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing is selected from: about 1 um and larger coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing, about 10 um and larger coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing, about 22 um and larger coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing, about 40 um and larger coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing, about 60 um and larger coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph image processing.

[0209] 120. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 100 or any other clause wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises said step of raw digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of onboard raw digital inline holograph image processing.

[0210] 121. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 120 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling further comprises the step of digital inline holography component thermal controlling said step of digital inline holograph image processing in said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

[0211] 122. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101, or any other clause wherein said step of substantially free flowing at least one aerosol particle in a substantially free flow particle air path comprises the step of high volumetric aerosol particle sampling in said substantially free flow particle air path. 123. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 122 or any other clause wherein said step of high volumetric aerosol particle sampling in said substantially free flow particle air path is selected from the steps of: up to 1 1 / min air volume sampling, up to 3 1 / min air volume sampling, up to 101 / min air volume sampling, up to 12 1 / min air volume sampling, up to 15 1 / min air volume sampling, and up to 201 / min air volume sampling.

[0212] 124. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 88, 100, or any other clause and further comprising the step of outputting high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography images.

[0213] 125. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 124 or any other clause wherein said step of outputting high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography images is selected from: outputting an at least less than 1 um resolution, less than one second result, outputting an at least about 2 um resolution, less than ten second result yielding digital inline holography system, outputting an at least about 3.7 um resolution, less than 1 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, outputting an at least about 5 um resolution, less than 2 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, and outputting an at least about 8 um resolution, less than 3 minute result, and any combinations of such values.

[0214] 126. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101, or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holography sensing comprises the step of coarse mode aerosol particle three-dimensional positionally agnostic digital inline holography sensing.

[0215] 127. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 126 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holography sensing comprises the step of capturing image data for substantially all aerosol particulates flowing through said free flow air path in a given time.

[0216] 128. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 126 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of iteratively determining an optimal focal distance for individually sensed aerosol particles.

[0217] 129. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 128 or any other clause wherein said step of iteratively determining an optimal focal distance for individually sensed aerosol particles comprises the step of layer limiting and confidence interval on coefficient of variation limiting digital inline holograph image processing.

[0218] 130. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 129 or any other clause wherein said step of layer limiting and confidence interval on coefficient of variation limiting digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of low confidence value data excluded digital inline holograph image processing.

[0219] 131. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 128 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of hologram reconstructive digital inline holograph image processing responsive to said step of iteratively determining an optimal focal distance for individually sensed aerosol particles. 132. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101, or any other clause and further comprising the step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigging said step of digital inline holography sensing.

[0220] 133. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 132 or any other clause wherein said step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigging comprises the step of at least partially substantially coincident with said illumination from said step of emitting illumination, laser trigger illuminating.

[0221] 134. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 133 or any other clause wherein said step of coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph trigging comprises the step of beam splitting to permit a step of trigger sensing to be accomplished apart from said step of digital inline holography sensing.

[0222] 135. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 132 or any other clause and further comprising the step of generating a non-triggered event digital inline holography reference signal.

[0223] 136. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of cloud-based digital inline holograph image processing.

[0224] 137. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 136 or any other clause wherein said machine learning capable digital inline holograph image process capability comprises a remote coarse mode aerosol digital inline holograph process capability.

[0225] 138. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 88, 100, or any other clause and further comprising the steps of:

[0226] - generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal; and storing said dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal.

[0227] 139. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 138 or any other clause wherein said step of generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal comprises the step of periodically generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal.

[0228] 140. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 138 or any other clause wherein said step of generating a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal comprises the step of exclusively data analysis generating said dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal.

[0229] 141. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 140 or any other clause wherein said step of exclusively data analysis generating said dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal comprises the step of median pixel value calculating to accomplish said step of exclusively data analysis generating said dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal.

[0230] 142. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 118, 140, 141 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holograph image processing comprises the step of onboard digital inline holograph contrast processing.

[0231] 143. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 142 or any other clause wherein said step of onboard digital inline holograph contrast processing comprises the step of raw digital inline holograph image subtractive processing responsive to a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal.

[0232] 144. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 89, 101, or any other clause and further comprising the step of digital inline holography retroreflecting.

[0233] 145. A method of digital inline holography as described in clause 144 or any other clause wherein said step of digital inline holography retroreflecting comprises the step of dual digital inline holography retroreflecting.

[0234]

[0092] As can be easily understood from the foregoing, the basic concepts of the various embodiments of the present invention(s) may be embodied in a variety of ways. It involves both holography for aerosol characterization techniques in urban and other environments as well as devices to accomplish the appropriate characterization techniques. In this application, the aerosol characterization techniques are disclosed as part of the results shown to be achieved by the various devices described and as steps which are inherent to utilization. They are simply the natural result of utilizing the devices as intended and described. In addition, while some devices are disclosed, it should be understood that these not only accomplish certain methods but also can be varied in a number of ways. Importantly, as to all of the foregoing, all of these facets should be understood to be encompassed by this disclosure.

[0235]

[0093] The discussion included in this application is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible; many alternatives are implicit. It also may not fully explain the generic nature of the various embodiments of the invention(s) and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. As one example, terms of degree, terms of approximation, and / or relative terms may be used. These may include terms such as the words: substantially, about, only, and the like. These words and types of words are to be understood in a dictionary sense as terms that encompass an ample or considerable amount, quantity, size, etc. as well as terms that encompass largely but not wholly that which is specified. Further, for this application if or when used, terms of degree, terms of approximation, and / or relative terms should be understood as also encompassing more precise and even quantitative values that include various levels of precision and the possibility of claims that address a number of quantitative options and alternatives. For example, to the extent ultimately used, the existence or non-existence of a substance or condition in a particular input, output, or at a particular stage can be specified as substantially only x or substantially free of x, as a value of about x, or such other similar language. Using percentage values as one example, these types of terms should be understood as encompassing the options of percentage values that include 99.5%, 99%, 97%, 95%, 92%, or even 90% of the specified value or relative condition; correspondingly for values at the other end of the spectrum (e.g., substantially free of x, these should be understood as encompassing the options of percentage values that include not more than 0.5%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 8%, or even 10% of the specified value or relative condition, all whether by volume or by weight as either may be specified). In context, these should be understood by a person of ordinary skill as being disclosed and included whether in an absolute value sense or in valuing one set of or substance as compared to the value of a second set of or substance. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure and should (and, it is believed, would) be understood to a person of ordinary skill in this field. Where the application is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. Apparatus claims may not only be included for the device described, but also method or process claims may be included to address the functions of the embodiments and that each element performs. Neither the description nor the terminology is intended to limit the scope of the claims that will be included in any subsequent patent application.

[0236]

[0094] It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the various embodiments of the invention(s). Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of the various embodiments of the invention(s). A broad disclosure encompassing the explicit embodiment(s) shown, the great variety of implicit alternative embodiments, and the broad methods or processes and the like are encompassed by this disclosure and may be relied upon when drafting the claims for any subsequent patent application. It should be understood that such language changes and broader or more detailed claiming may be accomplished at a later date (such as by any required deadline) or in the event the applicant subsequently seeks a patent filing based on this filing. With this understanding, the reader should be aware that this disclosure is to be understood to support any subsequently filed patent application that may seek examination of as broad a base of claims as deemed within the applicant's right and may be designed to yield a patent covering numerous aspects of embodiments of the invention(s) both independently and as an overall system.

[0237]

[0095] Further, each of the various elements of the embodiments of the invention(s) and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. Additionally, when used or implied, an element is to be understood as encompassing individual as well as plural structures that may or may not be physically connected. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the various embodiments of the invention(s), the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms — even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which embodiments of the invention(s) are entitled. As but one example, it should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, as but one example, the disclosure of an “image” should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of “imaging” — whether explicitly discussed or not — and, conversely, were there effectively disclosure of the act of “imaging,” such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of an “image” and even a “means for imaging.” Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description. Further, each such means (whether explicitly so described or not) should be understood as encompassing all elements that can perform the given function, and all descriptions of elements that perform a described function should be understood as a nonlimiting example of means for performing that function. As other non-limiting examples, it should be understood that claim elements can also be expressed as any of: components, programming, subroutines, logic, or elements that are configured to, or configured and arranged to, provide or even achieve a particular result, use, purpose, situation, function, or operation, or as components that are capable of achieving a particular activity, result, use, purpose, situation, function, or operation. All should be understood as within the scope of this disclosure and written description.

[0238]

[0096] Any patents, publications, or other references mentioned in this application for patent are hereby incorporated by reference. Any priority case(s) claimed by this application is hereby appended and hereby incorporated by reference. In addition, as to each term used, it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with a broadly supporting interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms such as contained in the Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, second edition are hereby incorporated by reference. Finally, all references listed in the list of References To Be Incorporated By Reference In Accordance With The Provisional Patent Application or other information statement filed with the application are hereby appended and hereby incorporated by reference, however, as to each of the above, to the extent that such information or statements incorporated by reference might be considered inconsistent with the patenting of the various embodiments of invention(s) such statements are expressly not to be considered as made by the applicant(s).

[0239]

[0097] REFERENCES TO BE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

[0240] US PATENTS

[0241] U.S.PATENT APPLICATION PUBLICATIONS

[0242] NON-PATENT LITERATURE DOCUMENTS

[0243]

[0098] Thus, the applicant(s) should be understood to have support to claim and make claims to embodiments including at least: i) each of the holography devices as herein disclosed and described, ii) the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these devices and methods, iv) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, v) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, vi) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the resulting products produced by such processes, methods, systems or components, ix) each system, method, and element shown or described as now applied to any specific field or devices mentioned, x) methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to any of the accompanying examples, xi) an apparatus for performing the methods described herein comprising means for performing the steps, xii) the various combinations and permutations of each of the elements disclosed, xiii) each potentially dependent claim or concept as a dependency on each and every one of the independent claims or concepts presented, and xiv) all inventions described herein.

[0244]

[0099] In addition and as to computer aspects and each aspect amenable to programming or other electronic automation, it should be understood that in characterizing these and all other aspects of the various embodiments of the invention(s) - whether characterized as a device, a capability, an element, or otherwise, because all of these can be implemented via software, hardware, or even firmware structures as set up for a general purpose computer, a programmed chip or chipset, an ASIC, application specific controller, subroutine, logic, or other known programmable or circuit specific structure — it should be understood that all such aspects are at least defined by structures including, as person of ordinary skill in the ait would well recognize: hardware circuitry, firmware, programmed application specific components, and even a general purpose computer programmed to accomplish the identified aspect. For such items implemented by programmable features, the applicant(s) should be understood to have support to claim and make a statement of invention to at least: xv) processes performed with the aid of or on a computer, machine, or computing machine as described throughout the above discussion, xvi) a programmable apparatus as described throughout the above discussion, xvii) a computer readable memory encoded with data to direct a computer comprising means or elements which function as described throughout the above discussion, xviii) a computer, machine, or computing machine configured as herein disclosed and described, xix) individual or combined subroutines, processor logic, and / or programs as herein disclosed and described, xx) a carrier medium carrying computer readable code for control of a computer to carry out separately each and every individual and combined method described herein or in any claim, xxi) a computer program to perform separately each and every individual and combined method disclosed, xxii) a computer program containing all and each combination of means for performing each and every individual and combined step disclosed, xxiii) a storage medium storing each computer program disclosed, xxiv) a signal carrying a computer program disclosed, xxv) a processor executing instructions that act to achieve the steps and activities detailed, xxvi) circuitry configurations (including configurations of transistors, gates, and the like) that act to sequence and / or cause actions as detailed, xxvii) computer readable medium(s) storing instructions to execute the steps and cause activities detailed, xxviii) the related methods disclosed and described, xxix) similar', equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these systems and methods, xxx) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, xxxi) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, xxxii) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, and xxxiii) the various combinations of each of the above and of any aspect, all without limiting other aspects in addition.

[0245]

[0100] In addition, the applicant(s) should be understood to have support to claim and make a statement of invention that may include claims directed to:

[0246]

[0101] A machine learning method for detecting, measuring, and classifying particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle holographic patterns.

[0247]

[0102] A machine learning method for detecting, measuring, and classifying particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle holographic patterns using convolutional neural networks.

[0248]

[0103] A device for passively sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles.

[0249]

[0104] A method for passively sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles.

[0250]

[0105] A device for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles using a passive trigger with digital thresholds.

[0251]

[0106] A method for passively triggering particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle sensing using digital thresholds for triggering.

[0252]

[0107] An open path device for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles without using forced air.

[0253]

[0108] A method for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles with an open path device without using forced air.

[0254]

[0109] A dual inline holography device for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles.

[0110] A method for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles using a dual inline holography device.

[0255]

[0111] A holographic sensor network for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles.

[0256]

[0112] A method for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles using a holographic sensor network.

[0257]

[0113] A system for reporting particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle analytical data in real time.

[0258]

[0114] A method for reporting particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle analytical data in real time.

[0259]

[0115] A device for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles including a charge generator for reducing or eliminating particle buildup on the instrument window or windows.

[0260]

[0116] A method for reducing or eliminating particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle buildup on the instrument window or windows using a charge generator.

[0261]

[0117] A robust enclosure for housing a particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle sensor.

[0262]

[0118] A device for generating an interference pattern for particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles.

[0263]

[0119] A method for generating an interference pattern for particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles.

[0264]

[0120] An extinction cross section method for classifying particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles.

[0265]

[0121] A method for dynamically calculating a reference hologram by using a median pixel value of a set of preceding images.

[0266]

[0122] A method for producing a single flattened image of multiple z-depth layers of a fixed volume.

[0267]

[0123] A method for applying an adaptive threshold filter to a flattened image to identify particle locations.

[0268]

[0124] A method for calculating the volume flow rate through a device for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles based on a triggered and a non-triggered imaging rate.

[0269]

[0125] A device for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles comprising a housing for enclosing electronic and optical components and a retroreflector positioned outside of the housing.

[0270]

[0126] A method for sensing particles, aerosol particles, coarse particles, biologic particles, or perhaps pollen particles using a particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle sensor having a housing for enclosing electronic and optical components and a retroreflector positioned outside of the housing.

[0127] A thermal controlling system for a particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle sensor enclosure comprising a temperature sensor and an element for removing heat out of the enclosure.

[0271]

[0128] A method for controlling the temperature within a particle, aerosol particle, coarse particle, biologic particle, or perhaps pollen particle sensor enclosure including a temperature sensor and an element for removing heat out of the enclosure.

[0272]

[0129] With regard to claims whether now or later presented for examination, it should be understood that for practical reasons and so as to avoid great expansion of the examination burden, the applicant may at any time present only initial claims or perhaps only initial claims with only initial dependencies. The office and any third persons interested in potential scope of this or subsequent applications should understand that broader claims may be presented at a later date in this case, in a case claiming the benefit of this case, or in any continuation in spite of any preliminary amendments, other amendments, claim language, or arguments presented, thus throughout the pendency of any case there is no intention to disclaim or surrender any potential subject matter. It should be understood that if or when broader claims are presented, such may require that any relevant prior art that may have been considered at any prior time may need to be re-visited since it is possible that to the extent any amendments, claim language, or arguments presented in this or any subsequent application are considered as made to avoid such prior art, such reasons may be eliminated by later presented claims or the like. Both the examiner and any person otherwise interested in existing or later potential coverage, or considering if there has at any time been any possibility of an indication of disclaimer or surrender of potential coverage, should be aware that no such surrender or disclaimer is ever intended or ever exists in this or any subsequent application. Limitations such as arose in Hakim v. Cannon Avent Group, PLC, 479 F.3d 1313 (Fed. Cir 2007), or the like are expressly not intended in this or any subsequent related matter. In addition, support should be understood to exist to the degree required under new matter laws — including but not limited to European Patent Convention Article 123(2) and United States Patent Law 35 USC 132 or other such laws— to permit the addition of any of the various dependencies or other elements presented under one independent claim or concept as dependencies or elements under any other independent claim or concept. In drafting any claims at any time whether in this application or in any subsequent application, it should also be understood that the applicant has intended to capture as full and broad a scope of coverage as legally available. To the extent that insubstantial substitutes are made, to the extent that the applicant did not in fact draft any claim so as to literally encompass any particular embodiment, and to the extent otherwise applicable, the applicant should not be understood to have in any way intended to or actually relinquished such coverage as the applicant simply may not have been able to anticipate all eventualities; one skilled in the ait, should not be reasonably expected to have drafted a claim that would have literally encompassed such alternative embodiments.

[0273]

[0130] Further, if or when used, the use of the transitional phrases “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and “having” are used to maintain the “open-end” claims herein, according to traditional claim interpretation including that discussed in MPEP § 2111.03. Thus, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that the terms “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising,” “include” or variations such as “includes” or “including,” “contain” or variations such as “contains” and “containing,” “characterized by” or variations such as “characterizing by,” and “have” or variations such as “has” or “having,” are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps. Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive form so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible. It should be understood that the term “a” used in the description and claims could mean “one” or could mean “at least one.” Use of “at least one” in the description and claims is not intended nor used in this disclosure to mean that other claims or descriptions not incorporating the “at least one” language cannot further include one or more like elements and the language “at least one” is not intended nor used to change “open-ended” claims, inherently including devices or methods having additional elements or steps apart from those claimed, into “closed-ended” claims wherein devices or methods having additional elements would not be covered by such claims. The use of the phrase, “or any other claim” is used to provide support for any claim to be dependent on any other claim, such as another dependent claim, another independent claim, a previously listed claim, a subsequently listed claim, and the like. As one clarifying example, if a claim were dependent “on claim 9 or any other claim” or the like, it could be re-drafted as dependent on claim 1, claim 8, or even claim 11 (if such were to exist) if desired and still fall with the disclosure. It should be understood that this phrase also provides support for any combination of elements in the claims and even incorporates any desired proper antecedent basis for certain claim combinations such as with combinations of method, apparatus, process, and the like claims.

[0274]

[0131] With respect to the drawings, it should be understood that these present only initial views, mirror views such as left, right, top, bottom, front, and back should be understood as within the realm of this disclosure as may be appropriate for design or industrial design protections. Furthermore, any aspect and any portion of such drawings should be understood as potentially not within the scope of any then-made claim such as by then dashing any portion desired. And such drawings should be understood as including drawing elements such as rectangles, circles, ellipses, ovals, squares, and the like as particular side or other views as well understood from the existing drawings.

[0275]

[0132] Also, with respect to patent drawings depicting design patent amenable features, breaks in a line accompanied by a wavy line perpendicular to the broken line may be inserted at any time to depict lines of varying length and dashed lines can be inserted at any time to disclaim parts of the design.

[0276]

[0133] Finally, any claims set forth at any time are hereby incorporated by reference as part of this description of the various embodiments of the application, and the applicant expressly reserves the right to use all of or a portion of such incorporated content of such claims as additional description to support any of or all of the claims or any element or component thereof, and the applicant further expressly reserves the right to move any portion of or all of the incorporated content of such claims or any element or component thereof from the description into the claims or vice-versa as necessary to define the matter for which protection is sought by this application or by any subsequent continuation, division, or continuation-in-part application thereof, or to obtain any benefit of, reduction in fees pursuant to, or to comply with the patent laws, rules, or regulations of any country or treaty, and such content incorporated by reference shall survive during the entire pendency of this application including any subsequent continuation, division, or continuation-in- part application thereof or any reissue or extension thereon.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 31 January 20261. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system comprising: a holographic aerosol particle illumination source capable of emitting holographic illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; an onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; a first digital inline holography housing configured to contain at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor and having a first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; a transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing having a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment configured at least partly in said digital inline holography optical pathway, wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment has a differential second digital inline holography housing temperature environment as compared to said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; a significantly temperature insulating, substantially free flow aerosol particle air path configured between said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing and also configured to permit air to inlet throughout substantially 360 degrees; and a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side, and wherein said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing are configured to together comprise a dual layer digital inline holography system, and wherein said transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing is configured on an opposite side of said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path as compared to said temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing.

2. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 and further comprising at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system having opto-thermally sensitive focal components all of which are contained within a temperature controlled, optically holographically accurate, operative temperature environment.

3. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 wherein said onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an automatic aerosol particle free flow air path parameter range validity limiter configured to identify a range of at least one condition when particle measurements are deemed valid.58AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)4. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 wherein said onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises: a limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; a pixel noise variation calculator; a particle presence determination element response to said limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; a particle focal location estimation element; a tamura gradient-based focal location calculator; a cropped region rough focal location calculator; and a fine precision multi-layer image reconstruction element responsive to said cropped region rough focal location calculator.

5. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 wherein said digital inline holography system further comprises a network communication element, and wherein said digital inline holography system is a part of a holographic sensor network of similar digital inline holography systems that integrate through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across said holographic sensor network.

6. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 and further comprising a high volumetric aerosol particle sampling air path configured to for sampling air volume selected from: an up to 1 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 3 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 10 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 12 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 15 1 / min sampled air volume, and an up to 20 1 / min sampled air volume.

7. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 wherein said coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system comprises a high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography system selected from: an at least less than 1 um resolution, less than one second result yielding digital inline holography system, an at least about 2 um resolution, less than ten second result yielding digital inline holography system, an at least about 3.7 um resolution, less than 1 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, an at least about 5 um resolution, less than 2 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, and an at least about 8 um resolution, less than 3 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, and any combinations of such values.

8. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 wherein said digital inline holograph image processor comprises a limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation, iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor.

9. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 1 and further comprising an exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

10. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 9 wherein said exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises a median pixel value calculator.59AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)11. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system comprising: a holographic aerosol particle illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from the impact of said aerosol particle illumination source on an aerosol particle; an onboard, high resolution, near real-time, coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; a digital inline holography component thermal control system to which at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor are thermally responsive and which maintains at least said holographic aerosol particle illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor within an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment; and at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system having opto-thermally sensitive focal components all of which are contained within a temperature controlled, optically holographically accurate, operative temperature environment.

12. (Canceled)13. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 11 wherein said onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an automatic aerosol particle free flow air path parameter range validity limiter configured to identify a range of at least one condition when particle measurements are deemed valid.

14. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 11 wherein said onboard coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises: a limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; a pixel noise variation calculator; a particle presence determination element response to said limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; a particle focal location estimation element; a tamura gradient-based focal location calculator; a cropped region rough focal location calculator; and a fine precision multi-layer image reconstruction element responsive to said cropped region rough focal location calculator.

15. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 11 wherein said digital inline holography system further comprises a network communication element, and wherein said digital inline holography system is a part of a holographic sensor network of similar digital inline holography systems that integrate through a cloud-based data platform to enable measurements across said holographic sensor network.

16. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 11 and further comprising a high volumetric aerosol particle sampling air path configured to for sampling air volume selected from: an up to 1 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 3 1 / min sampled air volume,60AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)an up to 10 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 12 1 / min sampled air volume, an up to 15 1 / min sampled air volume, and an up to 20 1 / min sampled air volume.

17. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 11 wherein said coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system comprises a high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography system selected from: an at least less than 1 um resolution, less than one second result yielding digital inline holography system, an at least about 2 um resolution, less than ten second result yielding digital inline holography system, an at least about 3.7 um resolution, less than 1 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, an at least about 5 um resolution, less than 2 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, and an at least about 8 um resolution, less than 3 minute result yielding digital inline holography system, and any combinations of such values.

18. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 11 wherein said digital inline holograph image processor comprises a limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation, iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor.

19. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 11 and further comprising an exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

20. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 19 wherein said exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises a median pixel value calculator.

21. A passively sensing digital inline holography system comprising: an illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; an onboard raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; a first digital inline holography housing configured to contain at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor and having a first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing having a differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment configured at least partly in a digital inline holography optical pathway, wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing environment has a differential second digital inline holography housing temperature environment as compared to said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment; and a substantially free flow aerosol particle air path configured between said first digital inline holography housing and said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing.61AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)22. A digital inline holography system comprising: an illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; a raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave; a digital inline holography component thermal control system to which at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor are thermally responsive and which maintains said at least said illumination source and said digital inline holography sensor within an optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment and at least one opto-thermal sensitive lens system having opto-thermally sensitive focal components all of which are contained within a temperature controlled, optically holographically accurate, operative temperature environment.

23. A digital inline holography system comprising: an illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from an impact of said illumination on a particle; a raw digital inline holograph image processor comprising: o a limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator configured to determine a variation of pixel intensities through plural layers of different depth images; o a particle presence determination element response to said limited layer, coefficient of variation of specific pixel intensity calculator; and o a particle focal location estimation element.

24. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system comprising: a holographic aerosol particle illumination source capable of emitting illumination; a digital inline holography sensor configured to capture a scattered object wave formed from the impact of said aerosol particle illumination source on an aerosol particle; an exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator; an onboard, high resolution, near real-time, coarse mode aerosol raw digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said digital inline holography sensor in response to said digital inline holography sensor capturing said scattered object wave and responsive to said exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

25. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 24 and further comprising a substantially aerosol particle free flow air path configured external to said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.62AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)26. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 24 wherein said exclusively data analysis sourced dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator comprises a median pixel value calculator.

27. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 26 wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an onboard digital inline holograph contrast generator.

28. A coarse mode aerosol sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 27 wherein said onboard digital inline holograph contrast generator comprises a raw digital inline holograph image subtractive processor responsive to a dynamic background digital inline holography reference signal generator.

29. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 21 wherein said differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing comprises a transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing.

30. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 29 wherein said transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing comprises a non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said first digital inline holography housing comprises a temperature controlled first digital inline holography housing.

31. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 30 and further comprising a first housing heater element configured to heat said first digital inline holography housing temperature environment of said first digital inline holography housing.

32. A passively sensing digital inline holography system as described in claim 30 and further comprising a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said non-temperature controlled transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side.

33. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 22 and further comprising a substantially aerosol particle free flow air path configured external to said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.

34. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 33 and further comprising a first housing heater element.

35. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 34 wherein said first housing heater element comprises said raw digital inline holograph image processor.63AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)36. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 22 wherein said digital inline holography processor comprises a high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography processor.

37. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 36 wherein said high resolution, near real-time digital inline holography processor is selected from: an at least less than 1 um resolution, less than one second result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 2 um resolution, less than ten second result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 3.7 um resolution, less than 1 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, an at least about 5 um resolution, less than 2 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, and an at least about 8 um resolution, less than 3 minute result yielding digital inline holography processor, and any combinations of such values.

38. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 33 wherein said digital inline holography system is configured with a first system equipment layer and a second system equipment layer, and wherein said digital inline holography component thermal control system comprises an only first system equipment layer digital inline holography component thermal control system.

39. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 38 wherein said first system equipment layer and said second system equipment layer are configured on opposite sides of said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path, and wherein said second system equipment layer comprises a non-temperature controlled second system equipment layer.

40. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 39 wherein said first system equipment layer comprises an only first system equipment layer digital inline holography heater element.

41. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 39 wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path is configured to comprise a significantly temperature insulating free flow air path.

42. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 22 and further comprising a.transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing.

43. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 42 and further comprising a digital inline holography retroreflector contained within said transient differential temperature established, second digital inline holography housing, and wherein said substantially aerosol particle free flow air path comprises: a first temperature regime air path side; and a second, different temperature regime air path side, opposite said first temperature regime air path side.

44. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 23 and further comprising a substantially aerosol particle free flow air path configured external to said optically holographically accurate operative temperature environment.64AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)45. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 23 wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises an iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor.

46. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 45 wherein said iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor comprises a limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation digital inline holograph image processor.

47. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 46 wherein said limited layer, confidence interval on coefficient of variation digital inline holograph image processor comprises a low confidence value data exclusion digital inline holograph image processor.

48. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 45 wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor comprises a hologram reconstruction digital inline holograph image processor responsive to said iterative optimal focal distance digital inline holograph image processor.

49. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 23 wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises a tamura gradient-based focal location calculator.

50. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 49 wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises a pixel noise variation calculator.

51. A digital inline holography system as described in claim 50 wherein said raw digital inline holograph image processor further comprises: a cropped region rough focal location calculator; and a fine precision multi-layer image reconstruction element responsive to said cropped region rough focal location calculator.65AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

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