Portable Analytical Equipment Extraction for Field Deployment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional portable analytical equipment is bulky, power-intensive, and requires extensive user training due to the need for high-resolution displays and hypersensitive sensors, making it less compact, rugged, and efficient for field deployments.

Innovation Solution

The equipment dispenses with an integrated display, using low-power indicators like LEDs or electrophoretics to communicate basic results, and is designed to be more compact and rugged, allowing for longer battery life and easier operation by less trained personnel, with connectivity options for remote data access and analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional portable analytical equipment uses high-resolution displays and hypersensitive sensors for detailed analytical information, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalytical information accuracyVSAvoidequipment structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the display function from the portable analytical equipment, separating it into an external device (smartphone, tablet, or computer). This removes the need for integrated high-resolution displays, reducing device complexity and weight while maintaining the ability to present detailed analytical information through external devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a universal communication interface that can connect to multiple types of external devices (smartphones, tablets, computers). This multi-functional approach allows the same portable equipment to work with various external displays and processing units, reducing the need for specialized integrated components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If conventional portable analytical equipment uses high-resolution displays and specialized components, then measurement precision is improved, but portability and compactness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalytical information accuracyVSAvoidequipment weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The display and heavy processing components are extracted from the portable unit and placed in external devices. This extraction significantly reduces the weight of the portable analytical equipment while maintaining measurement precision through the use of specialized sensors and external processing power.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If conventional portable analytical equipment uses integrated displays and power-intensive components, then user interface capability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interfaceVSAvoidbattery power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The power-intensive display and user interface functions are extracted from the portable equipment and transferred to external devices with larger power supplies. This extraction dramatically reduces battery power consumption while maintaining robust user interface capabilities through the external devices' displays and interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If conventional portable analytical equipment is designed for field deployment with integrated displays, then ease of operation is improved, but device ruggedness and compactness worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefield deployment usabilityVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The display and bulky interface components are extracted from the portable unit, enabling a much more compact and rugged design. The portable equipment becomes a small, durable sensor unit that connects to external devices for user interaction, facilitating field deployment without compromising usability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3194913B1Portable analytical equipment
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 MARQMETRIX INC
  • EP3194913B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3194913B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3194913B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Portable analytical equipment, systems, methods, and techniques related thereto is disclosed. Portable analytical equipment can comprise a controller and a probe. The probe can interrogate a sample and receive a response. The controller can cause an analysis related to the interrogation. The analysis can be selected from a portfolio of analyses. The controller can analyze the response to the interrogation based on reference data. The controller can determine an indication based on the analyzing the response for presentation via a low-power interface, which can comprise an LED or electrophoretic element. The controller can further be connected to an external device, e.g., a smartphone or remote PC, to present collected data and the analyzing of the response to the interrogation. The disclosed subject matter can be employed in hand-held analytical equipment, e.g., a hand-held Raman spectrometer.