Portable Chemical Sensor Array for Odor Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current odor and gas identification systems lack the ability to accurately and objectively identify unknown odors and gases, particularly those that humans cannot smell or can only detect in low concentrations, and do not provide effective means for users to determine the chemical composition of their environment.
Innovation Solution
A portable electronic device equipped with a chemical sensor array that detects multiple analytes, generates measurement tuples, and compares these to reference tuples in a database to identify odors and gases, using normalization and pattern recognition to provide accurate identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a chemical sensor is used to detect gas composition, then the ability to identify odors and gases objectively is improved, but the system cannot detect gases that are imperceptible to humans or present at low concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by integrating multiple types of sensors (chemical sensors, metal oxide sensors, and human nose equivalents) into a single system. This allows the system to perform both objective chemical analysis and subjective odor perception, enabling detection of both perceptible and imperceptible gases through complementary sensing mechanisms
2Loss of information
If multiple analytes are detected by the chemical sensor, then the chemical composition information is improved, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the detection system into multiple specialized sensor cells, each optimized for detecting specific analyte groups. The chemical sensor array is segmented into individual sensing elements that can be selectively activated or weighted based on the target gas composition, reducing the effective complexity while maintaining comprehensive detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the complex multi-analyte detection problem into a lower-dimensional space through dimensionality reduction techniques. By projecting the high-dimensional sensor response data into principal components or other reduced representations, the system maintains comprehensive chemical composition information while simplifying data processing and pattern recognition
3Measurement precision
If normalization is applied to measurement tuples, then the comparison accuracy is improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing normalized reference tuples in a database during system initialization or offline calibration phases. When performing real-time odor identification, the system compares raw measurement tuples against these pre-normalized references using optimized algorithms, significantly reducing online processing time while maintaining high accuracy through the预先 prepared normalization data
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to objectively identify odors and gases, including those imperceptible to humans, by comparing measurement tuples to reference tuples, providing accurate and reliable chemical composition information.
Implementation Method 1
The chemical sensor is adapted to detect at least one property of at least two different analytes... an electrical property of the sensor material may be modified upon interaction such as its electrical conductance... or an optical property of the sensor material may be modified such as its transmission rate
Data Source
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AI summary
In a method for identifying an odour and/or gas, an odour and/or gas is measured with a portable electronic device comprising a chemical sensor (12), the chemical sensor (12) being sensitive to different analytes. A measurement tuple (mt) is supplied which measurement tuple (mt) comprises a set of tuple elements with each tuple element (mtx) of the set of tuple elements (mtx) providing a value measured by a dedicated cell of the chemical sensor and/or under a dedicated operating condition of the chemical sensor or of a cell of the chemical sensor. The measurement tuple (mt) is compared to one or more reference tuples (rt) with each reference tuple (rt) representing an odour and/or gas and comprising a set of tuple elements and an identifier (id) for the odour and/or gas represented by the reference tuple (rt). Each tuple element of the set of tuple elements of the reference tuple (rt) provides a value characteristic for being sensed by the dedicated cell of the chemical sensor and/or under the dedicated operating condition of the chemical sensor or of the cell of the chemical sensor in the presence of the odour and/or gas represented by the concerned reference tuple (rt). One or more odour and/or gas identifiers (id) are returned to the portable electronic device subject to a result of the comparison.