Apparatus and method for collecting a breath sample using an air circulation system
AssigneePicomole Inc.
InventorChristopher Quentin Purves
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for collecting a breath sample are provided. The apparatus has a breath input interface configured to receive exhaled breath, a first conduit system connected to the breath input interface, a valve configured to control fluid communication between the first conduit system and at least one breath sample storage device configured to store a breath sample, an air circulation system configured to circulate air through the first conduit system upon completion of a first received exhaled breath, and at least one controller configured to control the valve upon completion of the first received exhaled breath at least partially based on a humidity level in the first conduit system.
Claims18
An apparatus for collecting a breath sample, comprising:
- a breath input interface configured to receive exhaled breath;
- a first conduit system connected to the breath input interface;
- a valve configured to control fluid communication between the first conduit system and at least one breath sample storage device configured to store a breath sample;
- an air circulation system configured to circulate air through the first conduit system upon completion of a first received exhaled breath;
- and
- at least one controller configured to control the valve upon completion of the first received exhaled breath at least partially based on a humidity level in the first conduit system,
- wherein the at least one controller is configured to control the valve at least partially based on whether a change rate in the humidity level is within a humidity level change rate target range.
A method for collecting a breath sample, comprising:
- receiving an exhaled breath via a breath input interface connected to a first conduit system;
- collecting at least some of the exhaled breath via at least one breath sample storage device connected to the first conduit system;
- detecting a completion of the exhaled breath;
- closing a valve between the first conduit system and the at least one breath sample storage device upon detecting the completion of the exhaled breath;
- circulating air through a first conduit system connected to the breath input interface after detecting the completion of the exhaled breath;
- monitoring a humidity level in the first conduit system;
- determining if a change rate in the humidity level is within a humidity level change rate target range;
- and
- controlling, via at least one controller, the valve at least partially based on the humidity level in the first conduit system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.