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US 10,591,411 B1Granted
Wideband optical sensor and use thereof in dispensing systems
AssigneeDelaware Capital Formation, Inc.
InventorTerry Tincher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses, methods, and software products for analyzing liquids dispensed from a chemical dispensing system. Beams of light having different wavelengths are passed through a liquid dispensed by the dispensing system. The intensity of each beam of light is measured after passing through the liquid. A transmission coefficient is determined by comparing the intensity of the beam of light to a calibration parameter obtained by passing the beam of light through an unadulterated diluent. The transmission coefficients for the beams of light are then compared to corresponding transmission coefficients obtained for one or more known reference solutions to determine one or more characteristics of the liquid being dispensed from the chemical dispensing system.
Claims17
An apparatus for analyzing a liquid, comprising:
- one or more photodetectors;
- a first light source configured to generate a first beam of light that has a first wavelength, passes through the liquid, and illuminates at least one of the one or more photodetectors after passing through the liquid;
- a second light source configured to generate a second beam of light that has a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, passes through the liquid, and illuminates at least one of the one or more photodetectors after passing through the liquid;
- a processor;
- and
- a memory storing program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to:
- when the liquid is a first solution:
- receive a first signal from the one or more photodetectors indicative of a first intensity of the first beam of light,
- receive a second signal from the one or more photodetectors indicative of a second intensity of the second beam of light,
- determine a first transmission coefficient based on the first intensity, and
- determine a second transmission coefficient based on the second intensity;
- when the liquid is a second solution:
- receive a third signal from the one or more photodetectors indicative of a third intensity of the first beam of light,
- receive a fourth signal from the one or more photodetectors indicative of a fourth intensity of the second beam of light,
- determine a third transmission coefficient based on the first intensity, and
- determine a fourth transmission coefficient based on the fourth intensity;
- determine a first difference between the first transmission coefficient and the third transmission coefficient;
- determine a second difference between the second transmission coefficient and the fourth transmission coefficient;
- and
- determine a characteristic of the first solution based on the first difference and the second difference.
17 more elements
A method of analyzing a liquid, comprising:
- when the liquid is a first solution:
- passing a first beam of light having a first wavelength through the liquid,
- measuring a first intensity of the first beam of light after passing through the liquid,
- determining a first transmission coefficient based on the first intensity,
- passing a second beam of light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength through the liquid,
- measuring a second intensity of the second beam of light after passing through the liquid, and
- determining a second transmission coefficient based on the second intensity;
- when the liquid is a second solution:
- passing the first beam of light through the liquid,
- measuring a third intensity of the first beam of light after passing through the liquid,
- determining a third transmission coefficient based on the third intensity,
- passing the second beam of light through the liquid,
- measuring a fourth intensity of the second beam of light after passing through the liquid, and
- determining a fourth transmission coefficient based on the fourth intensity;
- determining a first difference between the first transmission coefficient and the third transmission coefficient;
- determining a second difference between the second transmission coefficient and the fourth transmission coefficient;
- and
- determining a characteristic of the first solution based on the first difference and the second difference.
15 more elements
A computer program product for analyzing a liquid, the computer program product comprising:
- a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
- and
- program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
- when the liquid is a first solution:
- pass a first beam of light having a first wavelength through the liquid,
- measure a first intensity of the first beam of light after the first beam of light has passed through the liquid,
- determine a first transmission coefficient based on the first intensity,
- pass a second beam of light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength through the liquid,
- measure a second intensity of the second beam of light after the second beam of light has passed through the liquid, and
- determine a second transmission coefficient based on the second intensity;
- when the liquid is a second solution:
- pass the first beam of light through the liquid,
- measure a third intensity of the first beam of light after passing through the liquid,
- determine a third transmission coefficient based on the third intensity,
- pass the second beam of light through the liquid,
- measure a fourth intensity of the second beam of light after passing through the liquid, and
- determine a fourth transmission coefficient based on the fourth intensity;
- determine a first difference between the first transmission coefficient and the third transmission coefficient;
- determine a second difference between the second transmission coefficient and the fourth transmission coefficient;
- and
- determine a characteristic of the first solution based on the first difference and the second difference.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.