Particle Sensor Sample Area Qualification Without Physical Slit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing particle sensing systems face challenges in accurately measuring particle size and aggregate properties due to limitations in defining the sample area, particularly when particles are at the edge of the sample region, leading to undersized measurements and increased optical layout complexity.
Innovation Solution
A particle sensor system with a single detector segmented into separate detection pixels, allowing for precise determination of particle location within the sample area using sampling and edge pixels, and a processor unit that combines and processes intensity data to discard non-overlapping edge pixel data, thereby eliminating the need for physical slits and enhancing optical efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a physical slit is used to restrict the sample area, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and optical efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The detector is divided into multiple pixels, with each pixel corresponding to a specific region in the sample area. This segmentation allows the system to determine which pixel detected the particle and use that information to assess whether the particle is within the optimal sample region, eliminating the need for a physical slit while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical physical slit with an electronic/software-based approach using multiple detector pixels and data processing. The system uses the pixel detection information to qualify or reject particles based on their position, substituting a mechanical optical restriction with an electronic detection and processing system
2Measurement precision
If a physical slit is used to restrict the sample area, then measurement precision is improved, but energy loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical physical slit that blocks light with an electronic detection system using multiple pixels. This substitution eliminates the physical barrier that causes light energy loss while maintaining the ability to restrict and qualify the sample area through software-based particle rejection
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from physical optical restriction to electronic parameter-based qualification. By using multiple detector pixels and analyzing which pixel detects the particle, the system can qualify particles based on their position parameters without physically blocking light, thereby reducing energy loss
3Measurement precision
If two detectors with a beam splitter are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple detectors into a single detector with multiple pixels. The single detector with segmented pixels performs the same sample area qualification function that would require two separate detectors and a beam splitter, but with a simpler optical layout and without signal splitting
Solution Approach 2:
The single detector with multiple pixels serves multiple functions: it detects particle presence, determines particle position within the sample area, and enables particle qualification/rejection all through one detector element, replacing the need for multiple specialized detectors and beam splitting optics
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
This approach improves measurement accuracy, expands the usable sample area, and reduces the optical layout complexity, enabling more efficient and accurate particle sizing and detection while maintaining a compact form factor.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light source configured to transmit a light beam into an interrogation region
Implementation Method 2
a set of receive optics configured to collect a scattered portion of the transmitted light beam from one or more particles in the interrogation region
Implementation Method 3
an optical detector configured to receive the collected scattered portion from the receive optics and measure an intensity from the collected scattered portion that corresponds to the one or more particles
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprises a particle sensor unit in communication with a processor. The sensor unit comprises a source that transmits light into an interrogation region; receive optics that collect scattered light from particles in the interrogation region; and an optical detector that receives the collected light from the receive optics. The detector comprises a sample area including one or more sampling pixels, and an edge region including one or more edge pixels. The processor analyzes intensity data from the detector by a method comprising: combining all intensity data from the sampling pixels; adding the combined intensity data to a data set; determining whether to accept overlap intensity data that corresponds to an overlap between the sampling pixels and the edge pixels; adding the overlap intensity data to the data set if accepted; discarding the overlap intensity data if not accepted; and discarding all non-overlapping intensity data from the edge pixels.