Analog to digital converter for fluid analyzing apparatus

Claim 1

A device for analyzing a biological material by exposing said material to light and passing said light through an optical medium where it is converted into a plurality of discrete light components characterized by different wavelengths comprising: a pair of light responsive elements adapted to be impinged by different ones of said light components, each of said light responsive elements developing a current signal corresponding to the strength of the impinging light component; first storage means including an integrator with an input coupled to one of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a first charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said one of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal when said capacitor is substantially charged, and a second output signal when said capacitor is substantially discharged; second storage means including an integrator with an input coupled to another of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a second charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said other of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal when said capacitor is substantially charged, and a second output signal when said capacitor is substantially discharged; first circuit means, including cyclable means having a signal input coupled to said comparator of said first storage means, and a return output coupled to the capacitor of said first storage means to apply a first number of periodic reproducible discharge pulses to the capacitor such that each pulse discharges a determinable reproducible amount of said first charge; said first circuit means causing said capacitor of said first storage means to discharge said first charge in a first number of periodic increments until said first charge is substantially dissipated, whereby the first number of increments corresponds to the strength of one of said current signals; second circuit means, including cyclable means having a signal input coupled to said comparator of said second storage means, and a return output coupled to the capacitor of said second storage means to apply a second number of periodic reproducible discharge pulses to the capacitor such that each pulse discharges a determinable reproducible amount of said second charge; said second circuit means causing said capacitor of said second storage means to discharge said second charge in a second number of periodic increments until said second charge is substantially dissipated, whereby the second number of increments corresponds to the strength of another one of said current signals; and computation means, coupled to said first and second circuit means, for receiving signals corresponding to said first and second numbers, and using said signals to develop an output indicative of the analysis of said material.

Claim 2

A device for analyzing a biological material by exposing said material to light and passing said light through an optical medium where it is converted into a plurality of discrete light components characterized by different wavelengths comprising: a pair of light responsive elements adapted to be impinged by different ones of said light components, each of said light responsive elements developing a current signal corresponding to the strength of the impinging light component; first storage means including an integrator with an input coupled to one of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a first charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said one of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal when said capacitor is substantially charged, and a second output signal when said capacitor is substantially discharged; second storage means including an integrator with an input coupled to another of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a second charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said other of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal when said capacitor is substantially charged, and a second output signal when said capacitor is substantially discharged; first circuit means, including cyclable means having a signal input coupled to said comparator of said first storage means, and a return output coupled to the capacitor of said first storage means to apply a first number of periodic reproducible discharge pulses to the capacitor such that each pulse discharges a determinable reproducible amount of said first charge; said first circuit means causing said capacitor of said first storage means to discharge said first charge in a first number of periodic increments until said first charge is substantially dissipated, whereby the first number of increments corresponds to the strength of one of said current signals; second circuit means, including cyclable means having a signal input coupled to said comparator of said second storage means, and a return output coupled to the capacitor of said second storage means to apply a second number of periodic reproducible discharge pulses to the capacitor such that each pulse discharges a determinable reproducible amount of said second charge; said second circuit means causing said capacitor of said second storage means to discharge said second charge in a second number of periodic increments until said second charge is substantially dissipated, whereby the second number of increments corresponds to the strength of another one of said current signals; and computation means, coupled to said first and second circuit means, for receiving signals corresponding to said first and second numbers, and using said signals to develop an output indicative of the analysis of said material.

Claim 8

A device for analyzing a biological material by exposing said material to light and passing said light through an optical medium where it is converted into a plurality of discrete light components characterized by different wavelengths comprising: at least two light responsive elements adapted to be impinged by different ones of said light components, each of said light responsive elements developing a current signal corresponding to the strength of the impinging light component; first storage means comprising an integrator with an input coupled to one of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a first charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said one of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal indicative of the state of charge of the capacitor; second storage means comprising an integrator with an input coupled to another of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a second charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said other of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal indicative of the state of charge of the capacitor; means for generating a periodic clock signal; first circuit means comprising digital cyclable means having a clock signal input adapted to receive the clock signal, a signal input coupled to said comparator of said first storage means, and a digital output coupled to the capacitor of said first storage means to apply to said capacitor a series of periodic digital waveforms, each waveform of predetermined voltage, current and duration, to discharge said first charge in a first number of periodic discharges, whereby each discharge is synchronized with the clock signal and the first number of increments corresponds to the strength of one of said current signals; second circuit means comprising digital cyclable means having a clock signal input adapted to receive the clock signal, a signal input coupled to said comparator of said second storage means, and a digital output coupled to the capacitor of said second storage means to apply to said capacitor a series of periodic digital waveforms, each waveform of predetermined voltage, current and duration, to discharge said second charge in a second number of periodic discharges, whereby each discharge is synchronized with the clock signal and the second number of increments corresponds to the strength of the other one of said current signals; and computation means, coupled to said first and second circuit means, for receiving signals corresponding to said first and second numbers, and using said signals to develop an output indicative of the analysis of said material.

Claim 9

A device for analyzing a biological material by exposing said material to light and passing said light through an optical medium where it is converted into a plurality of discrete light components characterized by different wavelengths comprising: at least two light responsive elements adapted to be impinged by different ones of said light components, each of said light responsive elements developing a current signal corresponding to the strength of the impinging light component; first storage means comprising an integrator with an input coupled to one of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a first charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said one of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal indicative of the state of charge of the capacitor; second storage means comprising an integrator with an input coupled to another of said light responsive elements; a capacitor coupled across said integrator for storing a second charge corresponding to the strength of the light component impinging said other of said light responsive elements; and a comparator having an input coupled to said integrator, producing a first output signal indicative of the state of charge of the capacitor; means for generating a periodic clock signal; first circuit means comprising digital cyclable means having a clock signal input adapted to receive the clock signal, a signal input coupled to said comparator of said first storage means, and a digital output coupled to the capacitor of said first storage means to apply to said capacitor a series of periodic digital waveforms, each waveform of predetermined voltage, current and duration, to discharge said first charge in a first number of periodic discharges, whereby each discharge is synchronized with the clock signal and the first number of increments corresponds to the strength of one of said current signals; second circuit means comprising digital cyclable means having a clock signal input adapted to receive the clock signal, a signal input coupled to said comparator of said second storage means, and a digital output coupled to the capacitor of said second storage means to apply to said capacitor a series of periodic digital waveforms, each waveform of predetermined voltage, current and duration, to discharge said second charge in a second number of periodic discharges, whereby each discharge is synchronized with the clock signal and the second number of increments corresponds to the strength of the other one of said current signals; and computation means, coupled to said first and second circuit means, for receiving signals corresponding to said first and second numbers, and using said signals to develop an output indicative of the analysis of said material.