Sensor system and sensing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017254737-A1
Application number	US-201515505130-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 25, 2015
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Sep 7, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensor system is for sensing a substance in a fluid ( 1 ), comprising a first sensor ( 10 ) and a second sensor ( 12 ) of the same type. The first sensor ( 10 ) is used until a calibration event, during which the second sensor ( 12 ) is used. The second sensor ( 12 ) is used only during the calibration event. The first sensor ( 10 ) is calibrated using the sensor information from the second sensor ( 12 ).

First claim

1 . A sensor system for determining the status of a filter, comprising:
a first sensor for sensing the substance in the fluid; a second sensor for sensing the substance in the fluid, the second sensor being of the same type as the first sensor and for sensing the same substance; and a controller adapted to: control the first sensor to sense the substance in the fluid, until a calibration event; during the calibration event, control the second sensor to sense the substance in the fluid, the second sensor being operated only during the calibration event; calibrate the first sensor using the sensor information from the second sensor, a first filter coupled to the first sensor and a second filter coupled to the second sensor; the sensor system is configured to route fluid filtered by the first and second filters to one of the first and second sensors in turn, and to determine a status of the first filter based on a difference between signals from the first and the second sensor.

2 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is configured for sensing the presence and/or amount of a target substance in a fluid.

3 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the sensor system is configured for sensing a pollutant amount or concentration in air.

4 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensors each comprise a mechanical sensor.

5 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the mechanical sensors each comprise a sensing element, and a transducer adapted to drive the sensing element into resonance and to detect a resonance frequency of the sensing element, wherein the resonance frequency is dependent on a mass of particles deposited on the sensing element.

6 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensors each comprise a light scattering optical sensor.

7 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensors each comprise a gas sensor, or such as an electrochemical sensor or a MOX-based gas sensor.

8 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a sample intake device for driving the fluid monitored towards the sensor being used.

9 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensors are particle sensors, the first filter is for selecting a range of particle sizes from air for supply to the first sensor and the second filter is for selecting a range of particle sizes from air for supply to the second sensor.

10 . A sensor system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a valve arrangement for selectively routing fluid filtered by the first and second filters to a selected one of the first and second sensors.

11 . An air treatment device, comprising a sensor system as claimed in claim 1 .

12 . A sensing method for determining the status of a filter, comprising:
sensing a substance in a fluid using a first sensor until a calibration event; during the calibration event, sensing the substance using a second sensor, the second sensor being of the same type as the first sensor and for sensing the same substance, the second sensor being operated only during the calibration event; and calibrating the first sensor using the sensor information from the second sensor; and filtering the fluid before supply to the first sensor using a first filter and filtering the fluid before supply to the second sensor using a second filter, wherein the method further comprises: performing a test of the first filter by routing fluid filtered by the first and second filters to one of the first and second sensors in turn, and determining a first filter status based on a difference between signals from the first and the second sensors.

13 . A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first and second sensors each comprise:
a physical sensor, such as a mechanical, optical, thermal, acoustic, electrostatic, or electromagnetic sensor; or a chemical sensor, such as an electrochemical sensor or a MOX sensor; or a hybrid sensor, such as a flame ionization detector.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Ke Rui
• Ronda Cornelis Reinder

Classifications

• G01N33/0031

  comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array · CPC title

• G01N33/0006 Primary

  Calibrating gas analysers · CPC title

• G01N2015/084

  Testing filters · CPC title

• B01D46/42

  Auxiliary equipment or operation thereof · CPC title

• G01N15/082 Primary

  Investigating permeability by forcing a fluid through a sample · CPC title