Optical Computing Device ICE Cores for Unknown Interferent Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical computing devices face challenges in real-time monitoring and identification of unknown interferents in fluids, as they often require time-consuming sample processing and may produce false readings due to radiating deviations, limiting their ability to accurately detect multiple characteristics simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
The use of integrated computational elements (ICE) that optically interact with fluids to generate output signals correlating to concentrations of characteristics, allowing for real-time analysis and reconstruction of a representative spectrum, which can be compared against standard spectra to identify unknown interferents, while compensating for radiating deviations using additional detectors and signal processing algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional optical computing devices are used to monitor fluids, then real-time analysis capability is improved, but the ability to identify unknown interferents deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical spectrum is divided into multiple discrete wavelength regions, each detected by a separate ICE core. This segmentation allows the system to process multiple spectral regions simultaneously for real-time analysis while maintaining the ability to identify unknown interferents by examining the complete segmented spectrum.
Solution Approach 2:
The ICE cores are designed to detect multiple characteristics and unknown interferents simultaneously using a universal optical interaction mechanism. The same optical computing device can identify known analytes and unknown interferents by comparing reconstructed spectra against reference data, providing multi-functional detection capability.
2Measurement precision
If multiple ICE cores are used to detect multiple characteristics, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple ICE cores and their corresponding detectors are merged into a single integrated optical computing device with a unified signal processing system. This consolidation allows simultaneous detection of multiple characteristics while managing complexity through shared optical components and coordinated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses reference spectra copies stored in memory to compare against reconstructed fluid spectra. This copying approach enables precise identification of multiple characteristics and unknown interferents without requiring additional physical detectors for each analyte type.
3Ease of operation
If conventional optical methods are used, then simplicity of operation is maintained, but false readings due to radiating deviations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where detected signal intensities are continuously compared against reference spectra and processed through algorithms that compensate for radiating deviations. This feedback loop maintains operational simplicity while improving reading accuracy by automatically correcting for interference effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameters by operating across multiple wavelength regions simultaneously and using reconstructed spectra that account for radiating deviations. This parameter transformation allows the system to maintain ease of operation while eliminating false readings through sophisticated spectral reconstruction and comparison methods.
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 real-time monitoring and accurate detection of multiple fluid characteristics, including unknown interferents, by correlating signal intensities with known spectral data, thereby improving the precision and speed of analysis and reducing false readings.
Implementation Method 1
an optical processing element that optically interacts with the substance to determine quantitative and/or qualitative values of one or more physical or chemical properties of the substance
Implementation Method 2
Electromagnetic radiation that optically interacts with a substance is changed and filtered by the ICE so as to be readable by a detector
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems and methods of using integrated computational elements to determine unknown interferents in a fluid being monitored. One method includes monitoring a fluid with an optical computing device comprising at least two integrated computational element (ICE) cores configured to optically interact with a fluid and detect a corresponding at least two characteristics of the fluid, each ICE core being designed and manufactured with reference to known spectra related to the at least two characteristics of the fluid, generating output signals corresponding to the at least two characteristics of the fluid with the optical computing device, wherein an intensity of each output signal corresponds to a concentration of the at least two characteristics of the fluid, and calculating a representative spectrum of the fluid with a signal processor based on the known spectra of the at least two characteristics and the intensity of each output signal.