System and method for dynamically measuring oxygen levels
AssigneeLaguna Research, Inc.
InventorDavid E. Forsyth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oxygen sensing system including an oxygen sensor, a microprocessor and one or more additional sensors for sensing parameters associated with the environment or with the oxygen sensor, accounts for one or more sensed conditions when calculating oxygen levels. The one or more sensors may sense conditions associated with environmental effects or effects of use that may cause the oxygen sensor to degrade over usage or over time. A baseline amplification and measurement circuit coupled to the oxygen sensor may enable the sensor to operate less frequently or for shorter periods of time, thereby increasing the life span, calibration hold time of the sensor, and reducing power requirements.
Claims19
An oxygen sensing system, the system comprising:
- an oxygen sensor for detecting an oxygen level in an ambient gas environment;
- a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the ambient gas environment;
- a microprocessor coupled to the oxygen sensor and the temperature sensor for receiving the detected oxygen sensor output and the measured temperature;
- and
- a memory within the microprocessor for storing calibrated temperature response data corresponding to a plurality of oxygen gas concentrations at a plurality of temperatures;
- wherein the microprocessor dynamically adjusts the detected oxygen sensor output based on the measured temperature by comparing the detected oxygen sensor output with the calibrated temperature response data and determines a temperature independent oxygen level based on the comparison.
An oxygen sensing system, the system comprising:
- an oxygen sensor for detecting an oxygen level in an ambient gas environment;
- a non-oxygen active environmental reference sensor configured to sense one or more environmental factors that is not responsive to ambient oxygen levels;
- a microprocessor for receiving a signal from the oxygen sensor corresponding to the detected oxygen level and from the non-oxygen active environmental sensor corresponding to the one or more environmental factors;
- and
- a memory for storing data comprised of calibrated reference sensor response formulas corresponding to a plurality of non-active sensor outputs for one or more ambient environmental conditions and a corresponding output of the active oxygen sensor;
- and
- wherein the microprocessor calculates an environment independent oxygen level utilizing the signals from the oxygen sensor and the non-oxygen active environmental sensor as inputs for the stored calibration formulas.
A method for determining an oxygen level utilizing an oxygen sensing system, the method comprising:
- detecting an oxygen level in an ambient gas environment utilizing an oxygen sensor;
- measuring a temperature of the ambient gas environment utilizing a temperature sensor;
- receiving the detected oxygen level and the measured temperature at a microprocessor coupled to the oxygen sensor and the temperature sensor;
- retrieving calibrated temperature response data corresponding to a plurality of oxygen gas concentrations at a plurality of temperatures stored in a memory utilizing the microprocessor;
- and
- dynamically adjusting the detected oxygen level based on the measured temperature by utilizing the microprocessor to compare the detected oxygen level with the calibrated temperature response data and to determine a temperature independent oxygen level based on the comparison.
A method for determining an oxygen level utilizing an oxygen sensing system, the method comprising:
- detecting an oxygen level in an ambient gas environment utilizing an oxygen sensor;
- sensing one or more environmental factors that is not responsive to ambient oxygen levels utilizing a non-oxygen active environmental reference sensor;
- receiving at a microprocessor a signal from the oxygen sensor corresponding to the detected oxygen level and from the non-oxygen active environmental sensor corresponding to the one or more environmental factors;
- utilizing the microprocessor to retrieve from a memory calibrated data corresponding to a plurality of non-active sensor outputs for one or more ambient environmental conditions and a corresponding output of the active oxygen sensor;
- and
- utilizing the microprocessor to calculate an environment independent oxygen level utilizing the signals from the oxygen sensor and the non-oxygen active environmental sensor as inputs for the stored calibration data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.