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US 7,525,660 B2Granted
Systems and methods for use in detecting harmful aerosol particles
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorsGeorge W. Gigioli, David W. Bope, Peter P. Hairston, Edward A. Miller
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Abstract
The invention provides systems and methods for detecting aerosols. The systems and methods can be used to detect harmful aerosols, such as, bio-aerosols.
Claims34
An aerosol detector system, comprising:
- a detector having a detector input and a field of view;
- an emitter apparatus configured to emit into a region of space within the field of view of the detector different wavelengths of excitation energy at different times such that a particle located within the field of view of the detector may be exposed to said different wavelengths of excitation energy at said different times while fluorescent light from the particle remains located at substantially the same position in space on the detector input at each of the different times;
- a reflector positioned such that the region of space is between the reflector and the detector and configured such that the reflector reflects light toward the detector;
- and
- a filter disposed in front of the detector input, wherein the filter is configured to filter a first band of wavelengths and a second band of wavelengths.
2 more elements
An aerosol detector system, comprising:
- detecting means for detecting emissions from the particle, said detecting means having a field of view;
- emitting means for emitting into a region of space within the field of view of the detector different wavelengths of excitation energy at different times such that a particle located within the field of view of the detector may be exposed to said different wavelengths of excitation energy at said different times while fluorescent light from the particle remains located at substantially the same position in space on the detector input at each of the different times;
- a reflecting means positioned such that the region of space is between the reflecting means and the detecting means and configured such that the reflecting means reflects light toward the detecting means;
- and
- a filter disposed in front of an input of the detecting means for filtering at least two different wavelength bands.
2 more elements
In an aerosol detector system comprising a detector having a detector input and a field of view and a filter disposed in front of the detector input, wherein the filter is configured to filter a first band of wavelengths and a second band of wavelengths, a method comprising:
- (a) while an aerosol is positioned within the field of view of the detector in a region of space between the detector and a reflector, illuminating the aerosol using a first wavelength of light;
- and
- (b) after performing step (a) and while the aerosol is still positioned within the field of view of the detector in the same region of space between the detector and the reflector, illuminating the aerosol using a second wavelength of light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.