G01N21/276

Apparatus and Method for Optically Characterizing a Textile Sample

An apparatus (100) for optically characterizing a textile sample (106) comprises a presentation subsystem (102) comprising a viewing window (108). A radiation subsystem (114) comprises a radiation source (120) for directing a first, ultraviolet radiation (122) and a second, visible radiation (123) toward the sample (106), and causing the sample (106) to produce a fluorescent radiation (124) and a reflected radiation (125). A sensing subsystem (126) comprises an imager (130) for capturing the fluorescent radiation (124) and the reflected radiation (125) in an array of pixels (408). A control subsystem (132) comprises a processor (136) for controlling the presentation subsystem (102), the radiation subsystem (114), and the sensing subsystem (126), and for creating a fluorescent and reflected radiation image (400) containing both spectral information and spatial information in regard to the fluorescent radiation (124) and the reflected radiation (125).

Apparatus for optical in-situ gas analysis
10156504 · 2018-12-18 · ·

An apparatus for optical in-situ gas analysis includes: a housing; a measuring lance a first end connected to the housing and a second end projecting into the gas to be measured; a light transmitter that is arranged in the housing and whose light is conducted into the measuring lance and is reflected by a reflector arranged at the second end onto a light receiver, and the optical path defines an optical measurement path within the measuring lance; and, an evaluation device for evaluating received light signals of the light receiver. In order to be able to reduce the consumption of test gas, the measuring lance has an outer tube, with the outer tube having openings for the gas to be measured. The openings can be closed by at least one seal for the test phase, with the seal searingly closing the openings by the enlargement of its volume.

Optical sensor
10113904 · 2018-10-30 · ·

An optical sensor comprises a light transmitter; a light receiver; an evaluation unit; at least one mirror unit that comprises a plurality of micromirror elements having an at least regionally reflective surface and comprising an electrode arrangement connected to the micromirror elements; and a control device that is configured to adjust the mirror unit between at least two different functional states by controlling the electrode arrangement. The mirror unit comprises an at least substantially transparent substrate at which the micromirror elements are arranged. The control device is configured to temporarily set the mirror unit into a transmission state in which the micromirror elements are in an open position and light radiation incident onto the mirror unit moves past the micromirror elements through the transparent substrate.

Apparatus for an optical in-situ gas analysis
10101198 · 2018-10-16 · ·

An apparatus for an optical in-situ gas analysis includes a housing; a measuring lance whose one first end is connected to the housing and whose other second end projects into the gas to be measured; a light transmitter that is arranged in the housing and whose light is conducted into the measuring lance and is reflected by a reflector arranged at the second end onto a light receiver, and the optical path defines an optical measurement path within the measuring lance; a gas-permeable filter that is held in the measuring lance and in whose interior the measurement path is located: and an evaluation device for evaluating received light signals of the light receiver. It is proposed to be able to reduce the consumption of test gas that the measuring lance has coaxially arranged inner and outer pipes and the outer pipe has openings for the gas to be measured.

Optical fiber calibration connector

The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector for mating a first group of one or more optical fibers (102) with one or more corresponding optical fibers in a second group of one or more optical fibers (103). The optical fiber connector includes a shutter (105), which prevents the ingress of debris into the connector, and provides an optical reference surface with which to calibrate optical fibers that are inserted into the connector. The optical fiber connector finds application in the general optical fiber field, and more particularly finds application in the medical field in which it may be used to connect optical fibers in a photonic needle application.

Reference switch architectures for noncontact sensing of substances

This relates to systems and methods for measuring a concentration and type of substance in a sample at a sampling interface. The systems can include a light source, optics, one or more modulators, a reference, a detector, and a controller. The systems and methods disclosed can be capable of accounting for drift originating from the light source, one or more optics, and the detector by sharing one or more components between different measurement light paths. Additionally, the systems can be capable of differentiating between different types of drift and eliminating erroneous measurements due to stray light with the placement of one or more modulators between the light source and the sample or reference. Furthermore, the systems can be capable of detecting the substance along various locations and depths within the sample by mapping a detector pixel and a microoptics to the location and depth in the sample.

REFERENCE SWITCH ARCHITECTURES FOR NONCONTACT SENSING OF SUBSTANCES

This relates to systems and methods for measuring a concentration and type of substance in a sample at a sampling interface. The systems can include a light source, optics, one or more modulators, a reference, a detector, and a controller. The systems and methods disclosed can be capable of accounting for drift originating from the light source, one or more optics, and the detector by sharing one or more components between different measurement light paths. Additionally, the systems can be capable of differentiating between different types of drift and eliminating erroneous measurements due to stray light with the placement of one or more modulators between the light source and the sample or reference. Furthermore, the systems can be capable of detecting the substance along various locations and depths within the sample by mapping a detector pixel and a microoptics to the location and depth in the sample.

Device and method for identifying refrigerants
10031075 · 2018-07-24 · ·

A device for identifying refrigerants includes a gas cell, which has a test gas inlet and a test gas outlet, an infrared source that radiates through the gas cell, and at least one sensor that detects the infrared radiation that passes through the gas cell. At least one wide-band filter is provided between the infrared source and the sensor. The passband of the at least one wide-band filter includes the absorption spectra of the refrigerants to be detected and does not include the absorption spectrum of hydrocarbons. The gas cell is connected to a cartridge, which contains the refrigerant to be detected in pure form as a reference gas.

INSPECTION APPARATUS, INSPECTION METHOD, AND PROGRAM
20180188160 · 2018-07-05 ·

The present technology relates an inspection apparatus, an inspection method and a program by which accurate measurement light correction can be performed.

The inspection apparatus determines, based on a table in which reference spectral information and a correction gain for correcting measurement spectral information of an inspection object obtained by sensing under a measurement light source are associated with each other and measurement spectral information of a reference reflector plate obtained by sensing under the measurement light source, a measurement light source correspondence correction gain corresponding to the measurement light source, and corrects the measurement spectral information of the inspection object obtained by sensing under the measurement light source based on the determined measurement light source correspondence correction gain. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a vegetation inspection apparatus that measures a vegetation index such as a normalized vegetation index (NDVI).

USE OF A FLUORESCENT MATERIAL TO DETECT FAILURE OR DETERIORATED PERFORMANCE OF A FLUOROMETER
20180180544 · 2018-06-28 ·

A System and method for self-checking a fluorometer for failure or deteriorated performance includes fluorescent reference standards mounted on a support to move with respect to one or more fixed fluorometers. The intensity of the fluorescent emission of the fluorescent reference standard is initially measured with the fluorometer, and, after a prescribed interval of usage of the fluorometer, a test measurement of the intensity of the fluorescent emission of the fluorescent standard is taken with the fluorometer. The test measurement is compared to the initial measurement, and failure or deteriorated performance of the fluorometer is determined based on a deviation of the test measurement from the initial measurement.