Non-spectrophotometric measurement of analyte concentrations and optical properties of objects

Claim 2

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of an object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response in a portion of said spectrum of illuminating radiation emitted by said radiation source, each of said detectors having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of at least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing said outputs from the detectors to generate a signal indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: said apparatus being constructed such that each of said detectors is located such that it congruently samples the radiation from said object.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said illuminating radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analysis means generates an output which is an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space, n being equal to, or less than, the number of detectors in said detection means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said three or more detectors.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said detectors comprises a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of said spectrum of illuminating radiation, each of said filters having a separate peak transmittance or absorbance response different from the peak transmittance or reflectance responses of the other filters of said detection means and at least a partial overlap in transmittance or reflectance response with at least one other of said filters.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprise a silicon photocell.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising beam splitting means to allow said three or more detectors to be arranged to achieve congruent sampling.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a fiber optic cable bundle containing a plurality of optical fibers to allow said three or more detectors to be arranged to achieve congruent sampling.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of an object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said sample; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response in a portion of said spectrum of illuminating radiation emitted by said radiation source, each of said detectors having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of at least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of an object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said sample; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response in a portion of said spectrum of illuminating radiation emitted by said radiation source, each of said detectors having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of at least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of said detectors comprises a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of said spectrum of illuminating radiation, each of said filters having a peak transmittance or reflectance response different from the peak transmittance or reflectance responses of the other filters of said detection means and at least to a partial overlap in transmittance or absorbance response with at least one other filter, said first detection means having a first set of filters and said second detection means having a second set of filters, and said first and second sets of filters having differing transmittance or reflectance responses.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said illuminating radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said analysis means generates an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space from said first data stream, where n is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in each of said first detection means; an analog of a location in a colorimetric m-dimensional space from said second data stream, where m is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in said second detection means; and compares said locations to generate said data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least one of said detection means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said three or more detectors in said detection means.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprises a silicon photocell.

Claim 19

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of an object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response to a portion of said spectrum of illuminating radiation emitted by said radiation source, each of said detector having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of a least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said second detector means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 20

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of an object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response to a portion of said spectrum of illuminating radiation emitted by said radiation source, each of said detector having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of a least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said second detector means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein each of said detectors has a filter with a peak spectral response different from the peak spectral responses of the other filters of said detection means and at least a partial overlap in spectral response with at least one other filter, said first detection means having a first set of filters and said second detection means having a second set of filters, and said first and second sets of filters having differing spectral transmittance or reflectance responses.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said illuminating radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said analysis means generates an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space from said first data stream, where n is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in each of said first detection means; an analog of a location in a colorimetric m-dimensional space from said second data stream, where m is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in said second detection means; and compares said locations to generate said data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein at least one of said detection means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said three or more detectors in said detection means.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprises a silicon photocell.

Claim 27

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of an object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of the spectrum of illuminating radiation emitted by said radiation source, each of said filters having a separate peak transmittance or reflection response and at least a partial overlap in transmittance or reflectance characteristics with at least one other of said filters; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from the detectors to generate a signal indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least one of said detectors in said detection means has a filter associated therewith which is selected from the group consisting of comb filters having spectral structure such that it has absorbance bands in the portion of the spectrum over which it transmits or reflects radiation, and filters which have only a single narrow transmittance or reflectance range.

Claim 28

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of an object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of the spectrum of illuminating radiation emitted by said radiation source, each of said filters having a separate peak transmittance or reflection response and at least a partial overlap in transmittance or reflectance characteristics with at least one other of said filters; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from the detectors to generate a signal indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least one of said detectors in said detection means has a filter associated therewith which is selected from the group consisting of comb filters having spectral structure such that it has absorbance bands in the portion of the spectrum over which it transmits or reflects radiation, and filters which have only a single narrow transmittance or reflectance range.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said illuminating radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said analysis means generates an output which is an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space, n being equal to, or less than, the number of detectors in said detection means.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said detector means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said plurality of detectors.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprises a silicon photocell.

Claim 34

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating at least a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response in a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object upon illumination, each of said detectors having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of at least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing said outputs from the detectors to generate a signal indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: said apparatus being constructed such that each of said detectors is located such that it congruently samples the radiation from said object.

Claim 35

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating at least a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response in a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object upon illumination, each of said detectors having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of at least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing said outputs from the detectors to generate a signal indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: said apparatus being constructed such that each of said detectors is located such that it congruently samples the radiation from said object.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said fluorescent radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said analysis means generates an output which is an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space, n being equal to, or less than, the number of detectors in said detection means.

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said detector means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said three or more detectors.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein each of said detectors comprises a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of said spectrum of fluorescent radiation, each of said filters having a separate peak transmittance or absorbance response different from the peak transmittance or reflectance responses of the other filters of said detection means and at least a partial overlap in transmittance or reflectance response with at least one other of said filters.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 41

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprise a silicon photocell.

Claim 42

The apparatus of claim 30 comprising beam splitting means to allow said three or more detectors to be arranged to achieve congruent sampling.

Claim 43

The apparatus of claim 30 comprising a fiber optic cable bundles containing a plurality of optical fibers to allow said three or more detectors to be arranged to achieve congruent sampling.

Claim 44

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said sample; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response in a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object upon illumination, each of said detectors having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of at least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 45

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said sample; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response in a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object upon illumination, each of said detectors having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of at least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 46

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein each of said detectors comprises a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of said spectrum of fluorescent radiation, each of said filters having a peak transmittance or reflectance response different from the peak transmittance or reflectance responses of the other filters of said detection means and at least to a partial overlap in transmittance or absorbance response with at least one other filter, said first detection means having a first set of filters and said second detection means having a second set of filters, and said first and second sets of filters having differing transmittance or reflectance responses.

Claim 47

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said fluorescent radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 48

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said analysis means generates an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space from said first data stream, where n is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in each of said first detection means; an analog of a location in a colorimetric m-dimensional space from said second data stream, where m is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in said second detection means; and compares said locations to generate said data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object.

Claim 49

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein at least one of said detection means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said three or more detectors in said detection means.

Claim 50

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 51

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprises a silicon photocell.

Claim 52

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having two or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response to a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object upon illumination, each of said detector having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of a least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said second detector means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 53

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having two or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a spectral response to a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object upon illumination, each of said detector having a separate peak spectral response and at least a partial overlap in spectral response characteristics with that of a least one other of said detectors; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from said detectors to generate a data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least two detection means, a first detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said first detection means generating a first data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component, and a second detection means adapted to receive radiation transmitted or reflected from a first object portion, said second detector means generating a second data stream formed of a composite of a data signal component indicative of said optical properties of said object and a background component; and said analysis means comprising means adapted for comparing said first data stream with said second data stream in order to generate an information signal indicative of the optical properties of said object while rendering the interfering features of the background from said first data stream and said second data stream to be less distinct than the background is in either data stream individually.

Claim 54

The apparatus of claim 46 wherein each of said detectors has a filter with a peak spectral response different from the peak spectral responses of the other filters of said detection means and at least a partial overlap in spectral response with at least one other filter, said first detection means having a first set of filters and said second detection means having a second set of filters, and said first and second sets of filters having differing spectral transmittance or reflectance responses.

Claim 55

The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said fluorescent radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 56

The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said analysis means generates an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space from said first data stream, where n is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in each of said first detection means; an analog of a location in a colorimetric m-dimensional space from said second data stream, where m is equal to or less than, the number of detectors in said second detection means; and compares said locations to generate said data signal component indicative of the optical properties of said object.

Claim 57

The apparatus of claim 46 wherein at least one of said detection means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said three or more detectors in said detection means.

Claim 58

The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 59

The apparatus of claim 46 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprises a silicon photocell.

Claim 60

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object, each of said filters having a separate peak transmittance or reflection response and at least a partial overlap in transmittance or reflectance characteristics with at least one other of said filters; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from the detectors to generate a signal indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least one of said detectors in said detection means has a filter associated therewith which is selected from the group consisting of comb filters having spectral structure such that it has absorbance bands in the portion of the spectrum over which it transmits or reflects radiation, and filters which have only a single narrow transmittance or reflectance range.

Claim 61

In an apparatus for determining the optical properties of a fluorescent object having: a radiation source generating a spectrum of illuminating radiation for illuminating a portion of said object; detection means having three or more detectors adapted to generate an output, each of said detectors having a filter which transmits or reflects a portion of the spectrum of fluorescent radiation emitted by said object, each of said filters having a separate peak transmittance or reflection response and at least a partial overlap in transmittance or reflectance characteristics with at least one other of said filters; and analysis means for analyzing the outputs from the detectors to generate a signal indicative of the optical properties of said object; the improvement comprising: having at least one of said detectors in said detection means has a filter associated therewith which is selected from the group consisting of comb filters having spectral structure such that it has absorbance bands in the portion of the spectrum over which it transmits or reflects radiation, and filters which have only a single narrow transmittance or reflectance range.

Claim 62

The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said fluorescent radiation comprises infrared radiation in the 700-2500 nm range.

Claim 63

The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said analysis means generates an output which is an analog of a location in a colorimetric n-dimensional space, n being equal to, or less than, the number of detectors in said detection means.

Claim 64

The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said detector means further comprises a black/white luminosity detector which is responsive to and overlaps said spectral response of all of said three or more detectors.

Claim 65

The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said analysis means comprises a neural network.

Claim 66

The apparatus of claim 53 wherein at least one of said three or more detectors comprises a silicon photocell.