Analyzer communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10408772-B2
Application number	US-201715806006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2017
Priority date	Aug 20, 2014
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

An analysis system 10 can include an analysis tool 20, such as an XRF analyzer, a LIBS spectrometer, an XRD analyzer, or Raman spectroscopy equipment which can communicate wirelessly with other devices. The system 10 can also include remote-processor software configured to be loaded onto a handheld electronic device 23 and/or remote-computer software configured to be loaded onto a remote-computer 28. The analysis tool 20 can include a microphone 18 and/or an output device 31 to allow a user 19 to communicate conveniently with the analysis tool 20.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool, the tool being a LIBS spectrometer, an XRD analyzer, or Raman spectroscopy equipment, the tool comprising:
a housing;
an x-ray source and an x-ray detector attached to the housing, the x-ray source being located and oriented to emit x-rays towards a sample and the x-ray detector being located and oriented to receive fluoresced x-rays emitted from the sample; and
an electronic-processor, attached to the housing, and configured to: obtain an initial signal from a user; wirelessly-transmit the initial signal to a remote-processor; receive a wirelessly-transmitted return signal from the remote-processor, the return signal based on the initial signal; and operate the tool based on the return signal.

2. An analysis system comprising the tool of claim 1 , the analysis system further comprising the remote-processor, the remote-processor configured to wirelessly receive the initial signal, select a program from a library of programs stored on the remote-processor for operation of the tool, and wirelessly transmit the return signal, the return signal including the program.

3. The analysis system of claim 2 , wherein the remote-processor is attached to a handheld electronic device that is physically separate from and independently movable from the tool.

4. The analysis system of claim 2 , wherein the remote-processor is configured to receive a signal transmitted wirelessly from a remote-computer to modify the library.

5. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the electronic-processor is configured to receive a disable signal from the remote-processor, and upon receipt of the disable signal to prevent operation of the tool.

6. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the electronic-processor is configured to monitor tool performance, generate an analysis signal based on the monitored tool performance, and wirelessly transmit the analysis signal to the remote-processor.

7. The tool of claim 6 , wherein monitoring tool performance includes monitoring filament resistance, x-ray detector cooling time, number of analysis performed, x-ray tube voltage, number of charges to a battery, or combinations thereof.

8. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising an output device attached to the housing and electrically connected to the electronic-processor, the output device configured to give notification to the user by vibration, verbal communication, a movable mechanical device, or combinations thereof of an acknowledgement of a program selected by the user, analysis results, instructions on proper use of the tool, a countdown until analysis begins, a countdown until analysis ends, a notification of analysis completion, or combinations thereof.

9. A tool, the tool being a LIBS spectrometer, an XRD analyzer, or Raman spectroscopy equipment, the tool comprising:
a housing;
an x-ray source and an x-ray detector attached to the housing, the x-ray source being located and oriented to emit x-rays towards a sample and the x-ray detector being located and oriented to receive fluoresced x-rays emitted from the sample; and
an electronic-processor, attached to the housing, and configured to monitor tool performance, including monitoring filament resistance, x-ray detector cooling time, number of analysis performed, x-ray tube voltage, number of charges to a battery, or combinations thereof.

10. The tool of claim 9 , wherein the electronic-processor is further configured to generate an analysis signal based on the monitored tool performance, and to wirelessly transmit the analysis signal to a remote-processor.

11. The tool of claim 9 , wherein monitoring tool performance includes monitoring x-ray tube voltage, number of charges to a battery, or combinations thereof.

12. The tool of claim 9 , further comprising an output device attached to the housing and electrically connected to the electronic-processor, the output device configured to give notification to a user by vibration, verbal communication, a movable mechanical device, or combinations thereof of an acknowledgement of a program selected by the user, analysis results, instructions on proper use of the tool, a countdown until analysis begins, a countdown until analysis ends, a notification of analysis completion, or combinations thereof.

13. The tool of claim 9 , wherein the electronic-processor is configured to receive a disable signal from a remote-processor, and upon receipt of the disable signal to prevent operation of the tool.

14. The tool of claim 9 , wherein monitoring tool performance includes monitoring filament resistance, x-ray detector cooling time, or both thereof.

15. An analysis system comprising the tool of claim 9 and a remote-processor, wherein:
the electronic-processor is configured to obtain an initial signal from a user and to wirelessly-transmit the initial signal to the remote-processor;
the remote-processor is configured to wirelessly receive the initial signal, select a program from a library of programs, and wirelessly transmit the return signal;
the electronic-processor is configured to receive the wirelessly-transmitted return signal from the remote-processor, the return signal based on the initial signal and including a program for operation of the tool, and to operate the tool based on the program; and
the remote-processor is configured to receive a signal transmitted wirelessly from a remote-computer to modify the library.

16. A tool, the tool being a LIBS spectrometer, an XRD analyzer, or Raman spectroscopy equipment, the tool comprising:
a housing;
an x-ray source and an x-ray detector attached to the housing, the x-ray source being located and oriented to emit x-rays towards a sample and the x-ray detector being located and oriented to receive fluoresced x-rays emitted from the sample; and
an electronic-processor attached to the housing;
an output device attached to the housing, electrically connected to the electronic-processor, and configured to give notification to a user by vibration, verbal communication, a movable mechanical device, or combinations thereof.

17. The tool of claim 16 , wherein the notification is an acknowledgement of a program selected by the user, analysis results, instructions on proper use of the tool, a countdown until analysis begins, a countdown until analysis ends, a notification of analysis completion, or combinations thereof.

18. The tool of claim 16 , wherein the notification to the user is by vibration.

19. The tool of claim 16 , wherein the notification to the user is by verbal communication.

20. The tool of claim 16 , wherein the notification to the user is by a movable mechanical device.

Assignees

• Moxtek Inc

Inventors

• Jones Vincent Floyd
• Paas Daniel N
• Harris Brad
• Hansen Bill

Classifications

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• G01N2223/301

  portable apparatus · CPC title

• G01N23/223 Primary

  by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence · CPC title