Methods of using dilution of a second type to calibrate one or more sensors

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining, by a computing system, an intermix ratio of an exhaust sample stream to a fresh air sample stream;
• instructing, by the computing system, a fresh air flow controller and a sample flow controller to deliver the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively, to a gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio;
• receiving, by the computing system, a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively;
• obtaining, by the computing system, an atmospheric level of at least one analyte, the gas sensor being configured to sense the at least one analyte;
• and
• calibrating, by the computing system, the gas sensor using the atmospheric level of the at lease one analyte.

A system for use with an atmospheric level of at least one analyte, the system comprising:

• a gas sensor configured to sense the at least one analyte;
• a fresh air flow controller configured to deliver fresh air to the gas sensor;
• a sample flow controller configured to deliver a sample to the gas sensor;
• and
• a system controller comprising at least one processor connected to memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
• determine an intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air, changes to the intermix ratio changing a dilution level of the sample,
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller being configured to adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively, delivered to the gas sensor in response to the instruction,
• receive a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively,
• cause the at least one processor to vary the dilution level by a predetermined amount to thereby implement multi-point calibration, varying the dilution level comprising instructing the sample flow controller not to deliver the sample to the gas sensor thereby causing the gas sensor to receive only the fresh air delivered by the fresh air flow controller and infinitely diluting the sample with the fresh air,
• obtain a typical atmospheric level of the at least one analyte,
• use the typical atmospheric level as the atmospheric level of the at least one analyte, and
• calibrate the gas sensor using the atmospheric level of the at least one analyte.

A system for use with an atmospheric level of at least one analyte that comprises an atmospheric analyte, the system comprising:

• a gas sensor configured to sense the at least one analyte;
• a nearby calibrated sensor configured to detect the atmospheric analyte;
• a fresh air flow controller configured to deliver fresh air to the gas sensor;
• a sample flow controller configured to deliver a sample to the gas sensor;
• and
• a system controller comprising at least one processor connected to memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
• determine an intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air, changes to the intermix ratio changing a dilution level of the sample,
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller being configured to adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively, delivered to the gas sensor in response to the instruction,
• receive a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively,
• cause the at least one processor to vary the dilution level by a predetermined amount to thereby implement multi-point calibration, varying the dilution level comprising instructing the sample flow controller not to deliver the sample to the gas sensor thereby causing the gas sensor to receive only the fresh air delivered by the fresh air flow controller and infinitely diluting the sample with the fresh air,
• receive a calibrated sensor reading of the atmospheric analyte from the nearby calibrated sensor,
• use the calibrated sensor reading as the atmospheric level of the at least one analyte, and
• calibrate the gas sensor using the atmospheric level of the at least one analyte.

A system for use with an atmospheric level of at least one analyte, the system comprising:

• a gas sensor configured to sense the at least one analyte;
• a fresh air flow controller configured to deliver fresh air to the gas sensor;
• a sample flow controller configured to deliver a sample to the gas sensor;
• and
• a system controller comprising at least one processor connected to memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
• determine an intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air, changes to the intermix ratio changing a dilution level of the sample,
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller being configured to adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively, delivered to the gas sensor in response to the instruction,
• receive a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively,
• cause the at least one processor to vary the dilution level by a predetermined amount to thereby implement multi-point calibration, varying the dilution level comprising instructing the sample flow controller not to deliver the sample to the gas sensor thereby causing the gas sensor to receive only the fresh air delivered by the fresh air flow controller and infinitely diluting the sample with the fresh air,
• receive an estimated value based upon atmospheric modeling,
• use the estimated value as the atmospheric level of the at least one analyte, and
• calibrate the gas sensor using the atmospheric level of the at least one analyte.

A system comprising:

• a gas sensor;
• a fresh air flow controller configured to deliver fresh air to the gas sensor;
• a sample flow controller configured to deliver a sample to the gas sensor;
• and
• a system controller comprising at least one processor connected to memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
• determine an intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air for setting a sensor baseline value for the gas sensor, the intermix ratio including 100% fresh air,
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller being configured to adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively, delivered to the gas sensor in response to the instruction,
• receive a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively, and
• calibrate the gas sensor based at least in part on the sensor reading, calibrating the gas sensor comprises setting the sensor baseline value for the gas sensor equal to the sensor reading received from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of sensor groups comprising first and second sensor groups, the first sensor group comprising a gas sensor;
• a fresh air flow controller configured to deliver fresh air to the plurality of sensor groups;
• a sample flow controller configured to deliver a sample to the plurality of sensor groups;
• and
• a system controller comprising at least one processor connected to memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
• determine a first intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air,
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the first sensor group in accordance with the first intermix ratio, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller being configured to adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively, delivered to the first sensor group in response to the instruction,
• receive a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively,
• determine a second intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air, and
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the second sensor group in accordance with the second intermix ratio.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of gas sensors comprising a first gas sensor and a second gas sensor;
• a fresh air flow controller configured to deliver fresh air to the first gas sensor;
• a sample flow controller configured to deliver a sample to the first gas sensor;
• and
• a system controller comprising at least one processor connected to memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
• determine an intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air,
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the first gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller being configured to adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively, delivered to the first gas sensor in response to the instruction, and
• receive a sensor reading from the first gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively, and
• operate the first gas sensor at a first sample rate and the second gas sensor at a second sample rate, the first and second sample rates being different from one another.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of gas sensors comprising a first gas sensor and a second gas sensor, the first gas sensor being a member of a sensor group;
• a fresh air flow controller configured to deliver fresh air to the first gas sensor;
• a sample flow controller configured to deliver a sample to the first gas sensor;
• and
• a system controller comprising at least one processor connected to memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
• determine an intermix ratio of the sample to the fresh air,
• instruct the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the fresh air and the sample, respectively, to the first gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller being configured to adjust the fresh air and the sample, respectively, delivered to the first gas sensor in response to the instruction, and
• receive a sensor reading from the first gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively,
• determine a first sample rate that limits cumulative exposure of the sensor group to exhaust;
• and
• operate the first gas sensor at the first sample rate and the second gas sensor at a second sample rate, the first and second sample rates being different from one another.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining, by a computing system, an intermix ratio of an exhaust sample stream to a fresh air sample stream;
• instructing, by the computing system, a fresh air flow controller and a sample flow controller to deliver the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively, to a gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio;
• receiving, by the computing system, a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively;
• receiving, by the computing system, a calibrated sensor reading from a nearby calibrated sensor configured to detect at least one analyte;
• using, by the computing system, the calibrated sensor reading as an atmospheric level of the at least one analyte, the gas sensor being configured to sense the at least one analyte;
• and
• calibrating, by the computing system, the gas sensor using the atmospheric level of the at least one analyte.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining, by a computing system, an intermix ratio of an exhaust sample stream to a fresh air sample stream for setting a sensor baseline value for a gas sensor, the intermix ratio including 100% fresh air;
• instructing, by the computing system, a fresh air flow controller and a sample flow controller to deliver the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively, to a gas sensor in accordance with the intermix ratio;
• receiving, by the computing system, a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively;
• and
• calibrating, by the computing system, the gas sensor by setting the sensor baseline value for the gas sensor equal to the sensor reading received from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the fresh air and the sample, respectively.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining, by a computing system, a first intermix ratio of an exhaust sample stream to a fresh air sample stream;
• instructing, by the computing system, a fresh air flow controller and a sample flow controller to deliver the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively, to a gas sensor in accordance with the first intermix ratio, the gas sensor belonging to a first one of a plurality of sensor groups;
• receiving, by the computing system, a sensor reading from the gas sensor after the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller have adjusted the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively;
• determining, by the computing system, a second intermix ratio of the exhaust sample stream to the fresh air sample stream;
• and
• instructing, by the computing system, the fresh air flow controller and the sample flow controller to deliver the exhaust sample stream and the fresh air sample stream, respectively, to a second one of the plurality of sensor groups in accordance with the second intermix ratio.