Environmental sampling and assay device
Inventors
Saaski, Elric • Livingston, Robert Fay • Fox, Duane M.
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10197558-B1
Publication Date
2019-02-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
An environmental sampling and assay system, utilizing coupons, and having an assay coupon wetting and monitoring assembly adapted to perform an assay on a coupon. The system also includes a coupon storage assembly and a coupon moving assembly, adapted to move a coupon from the coupon storage assembly to the coupon wetting and monitoring assembly. Further, the coupon storage assembly includes a first coupon magazine storing a set of first-shaped coupons and a second coupon magazine storing a set of second-shaped coupons, different in shape from the first-shaped coupons, and wherein the coupon moving assembly includes a first moveable coupon carrier, positioned to receive coupons from the first magazine, that is shaped to hold first-shaped coupons and a second moveable coupon carrier, positioned to receive coupons from the second magazine and that is shaped to hold second-shaped coupons.
Core Innovation
The invention is an environmental sampling and assay system utilizing coupons to detect target substances and produce a human perceptible advisory signal. The system forms an environmental sample infused sample liquid by mixing an environmental sample with a liquid, and the sample-liquid bears environmental substances. Coupons are positioned to be wetted with the sample-liquid, and the system forms coupon perceptions after moving a coupon to a position substantially optimized for viewing by a coupon perceiving device.
A data processing and control assembly controls the coupon storage, sampling, wetting, and moving assemblies and the coupon perceiving device. The controlled sequence includes moving coupons from coupon storage to the wetting assembly, wetting the coupons with the sample liquid, moving the coupon to the optimized viewing position, and processing coupon perceptions from the coupon perceiving device. A human perceptible advisory issuing device issues advisories based on the advisory signal.
The stored coupons include different coupon types adapted to detect distinct target substances. The system further supports multiple coupon geometries by providing a coupon storage assembly that includes a first coupon magazine storing a set of first-shaped coupons and a second coupon magazine storing a set of second-shaped coupons different in shape from the first-shaped coupons. The coupon moving assembly includes a first moveable coupon carrier shaped to hold first-shaped coupons and a second moveable coupon carrier shaped to hold second-shaped coupons.
In another described configuration, the system processes coupon perceptions before a manufacturer specified coupon development time has elapsed after coupon wetting, while the coupons are adapted to detect a target substance when present in a concentration above a threshold.
Claims Coverage
The partial content identifies three independent claims, each covering a different aspect of an environmental coupon-based sampling, wetting, assay, imaging, and human advisory system, including multi-type coupon handling and early image-based detection relative to a manufacturer specified coupon development time.
Environmental sampling and assay system with coupon wetted sample-liquid imaging and human advisory issuance
An environmental sampling and assay system utilizing coupons for detecting target substances and comprising a data input assembly, an environment sampling assembly mixing an environmental sample with a liquid to create a sample-liquid bearing the environmental sample, a coupon wetting assembly positioned to wet coupons with the sample-liquid, a coupon perceiving device, a coupon storage assembly including stored coupons, a coupon moving assembly, and a data processing and control assembly communicatively coupled to the storage, sampling, wetting, moving, and perceiving devices, controlling storage, sampling, wetting, and moving to form an environmental sample infused sample liquid, move coupons from storage to wetting, wet coupons, move the coupon to a position substantially optimized for viewing to form coupon perceptions, and process the coupon perceptions to produce an advisory signal, with a human perceptible advisory issuing device that issues advisories based on the advisory signal.
Coupon storage and moving assembly for different coupon shapes via first and second magazines and shaped carriers
An environmental sampling and assay system utilizing coupons comprising an assay coupon wetting and monitoring assembly adapted to perform an assay on a coupon, a coupon storage assembly, and a coupon moving assembly adapted to move the coupons from the coupon storage assembly to a set position at the coupon wetting and monitoring assembly, wherein the coupon storage assembly includes a first coupon magazine storing a set of first-shaped coupons and a second coupon magazine storing a set of second-shaped coupons different in shape from the first-shaped coupons, and wherein the coupon moving assembly includes a first moveable coupon carrier positioned to receive coupons from the first magazine and shaped to hold first-shaped coupons, and a second moveable coupon carrier positioned to receive coupons from the second magazine and shaped to hold second-shaped coupons.
Coupon image processing before manufacturer specified coupon development time and concentration-above-threshold detection
An environmental sampling and assay system utilizing coupons comprising an environment sampling assembly mixing an environmental sample with a liquid to create a sample-liquid bearing environmental substances, a coupon wetting assembly positioned to wet coupons located at a wetting position with the sample-liquid, a coupon perceiving device, a coupon storage assembly including stored coupons each adapted to detect at least a first target substance in a manufacturer specified coupon development time when the target substance is present in a concentration above a threshold, a coupon moving assembly, and a data processing and control assembly communicatively coupled to the sampling coupon storage assembly, sampling assembly, wetting assembly, moving assembly and coupon perceiving device, controlling the assemblies and perceiving device to form an environmental sample and produce an environmental sample infused sample liquid, move coupons to a wetting position, wet the coupons, move the coupon to a position substantially optimized for viewing by the coupon perceiving device to form coupon perceptions, process coupon perceptions to form a detection if a target substance is present and produce an advisory signal in response to the processing, and issuing advisories via a human perceptible advisory issuing device, wherein the data processing and control assembly receives and processes images from the coupon perceiving device before the manufacturer specified coupon development time has elapsed after coupon wetting.
Across the identified independent claims, the coverage centers on a controlled system that mixes an environmental sample with a liquid to create a sample-liquid, wets coupons, moves coupons to an optimized viewing position for coupon perceptions via a coupon perceiving device, processes images to generate an advisory signal issued to a human, and supports both multiple coupon types and multiple coupon shapes; additionally, one claim requires processing coupon images before the manufacturer specified coupon development time has elapsed.
Stated Advantages
Issues a human perceptible advisory signal in response to processing coupon perceptions from the coupon perceiving device.
Enables detection of a target substance using coupons, including different coupon types adapted to detect different substances.
Supports coupon selection by commanding the coupon moving assembly to pick and move a coupon of a first or second coupon type depending on input received through the data input assembly.
Supports different coupon geometries by using separate first and second coupon magazines and corresponding first and second moveable coupon carriers shaped to hold the respective coupon shapes.
Receives and processes coupon images before the manufacturer specified coupon development time has elapsed after coupon wetting.
Documented Applications
Environmental sampling and assay using coupons to detect target substances and issue human perceptible advisories based on the detection.
Providing an environmental sample infused sample liquid by mixing an environmental sample with a liquid, and using that sample-liquid to wet coupons for assay and image-based detection.
Handling multiple coupon types and issuing advisories based on input selecting which coupon type to use.
Interested in licensing this patent?