# US 2013/0156155 A1 · Handheld spectrometer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0156155 A1 - Document ID: US20130156155A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/528,282 - Filed: 2012-06-20 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2008-09-26 - Assignees: i-Nalysis LLC - Inventors: Andrew Hession-Kunz; Robert Allard; Jerzy Wilder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156155A1 ## CPC - G01N 23/223: by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence - G01N 2223/076: X-ray fluorescence - G01N 2223/301: portable apparatus - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer includes a pyroelectric radiation source for directing X-rays toward a sample to be analyzed and a detector for receiving secondary X-rays emitted from the sample and converting the secondary X-rays into one or more electrical signals representative of the received secondary X-rays. A module is configured to receive the one or more electrical signals and send a representation of the one or more signals over a communication channel to a computing device without performing any spectral analysis on the one or more electrical signals to characterize the sample. The computing device is configured to perform spectral analysis on the one or more electrical signals and send the spectral analysis to the spectrometer over the communications channel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer comprising: a pyroelectric radiation source for directing X-rays toward a sample to be analyzed; a detector for receiving secondary X-rays emitted from the sample and converting the secondary X-rays into one or more electrical signals representative of the received secondary X-rays; a module configured to receive the one or more electrical signals and send a representation of the one or more signals over a communication channel to a computing device without performing any spectral analysis on the one or more electrical signals to characterize the sample, the computing device configured to perform spectral analysis on the one or more electrical signals and send the spectral analysis to the spectrometer over the communications channel; and an output display for displaying the spectral analysis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spectrometer of claim 1, further comprising a standardization material positioned to receive X-rays from the pyroelectric radiation source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The spectrometer of claim 2, wherein the detector receives secondary X-rays emitted from the standardization material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The spectrometer of claim 2, wherein the standardization material comprises a rare earth element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The spectrometer of claim 4, wherein the standardization material is at least one of Yttrium and Ytterbium. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The spectrometer of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of radiation sources. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The spectrometer of claim 6, wherein the plurality of radiation sources are operated such that the X-ray flux emissions are not synchronized in time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spectrometer of claim 1, further comprising a data storage device for storing data representative of the one or more electrical signals. ### Claim 9 A spectrometer comprising: a hand-holdable housing within which is included a source, a standardization material, a detector and a module, the source configured to electromagnetic energy toward a sample to be analyzed, the standardization material positioned to receive electromagnetic energy from the source, the detector for receiving secondary electromagnetic energy emitted from the sample and the standardization material, the detector configured to convert the secondary electromagnetic energy into one or more electrical signals, the module configured to receive the one or more electrical signals and send a representation of the one or more electrical signals over a communication channel to a remote computing device without performing any spectral analysis on the one or more electrical signals, the remote computing device configured to perform spectral analysis on the one or more electrical signals and send the spectral analysis to the spectrometer over the communications channel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The spectrometer of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic energy emitted from the source includes X-rays. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The spectrometer of claim 10, wherein the detector is configured to receive secondary X-rays from the sample. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The spectrometer of claim 11, wherein the source includes a window through which the X-rays can pass. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The spectrometer of claim 12, wherein the window is X-ray transmissive glass. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The spectrometer of claim 9 further comprising an output display for displaying the spectral analysis of the sample. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The spectrometer of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of sources. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The spectrometer of claim 15, wherein the sources are operated such that the electromagnetic energy emitted from the plurality sources are not synchronized in time. ### Claim 17 A method of analyzing a sample comprising: positioning a portable spectrometer adjacent the sample to be analyzed, the portable spectrometer comprising a hand-holdable housing within which is included a source, a standardization material, and a detector, the source comprising a radiation source for directing X-rays toward the sample to be analyzed, the standardization material positioned to receive X-rays from the radiation source, the detector for receiving secondary X-rays emitted from the sample and the standardization material, the detector configured to convert the secondary X-rays into one or more electrical signals; transmitting a representation of the one or more signals over a communication channel to a remote computing device, the remote computing device configured to perform spectral analysis on the one or more electrical signals; receiving the spectral analysis over the communications channel; and displaying the spectral analysis of the sample to a user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the data transmission is wireless. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the data is transmitted with a Short Message Service (SMS). ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising storing the data representative of the one or more electrical signals on a data storage device in the portable spectrometer.