Msa Technology, LLC

Jerin Miller

Robert Kevin Sexton

Ryan Alan Sherry

Robert Eric Uber

Nicholas Emidio Ciccone

Michael Alvin Brown

Brian Keith Davis

A gas sensor device to detect an analyte gas in an ambient environment includes a housing including an inner chamber and a port, a porous member through which the analyte gas transports in operative connection with the port to separate the inner chamber from the ambient environment, a sensor responsive to the analyte positioned within the inner chamber, a source of pressure waves positioned within the inner chamber, a sensor responsive to pressure waves positioned within the inner chamber; and circuitry in operative connection with the sensor responsive to pressure waves to relate a response of the sensor responsive to pressure waves to a state of blockage in the porous member.

Detection of blockage in a porous member

A method of detecting at least a blockage status in a porous member separating a measurement chamber of a device including a gas sensor positioned within the measurement chamber which is responsive to an analyte in an ambient environment to be sampled, includes emitting pressure waves from a pressure wave source which travel within the measurement chamber, measuring a first response via a first sensor responsive to pressure waves positioned at a first position within the measurement chamber, measuring a second response via a second sensor at a second position, different from the first position, and in fluid connection with the pressure wave source, determining the blockage status of the porous member based upon a functional relation of the first response and the second response.

A method of detecting at least a partial blockage in a porous member separating an inner chamber of a device having a gas sensor responsive to an analyte positioned within the inner chamber and an ambient environment includes emitting pressure waves within the inner chamber and measuring a response via a sensor responsive to pressure waves positioned within the inner chamber.

A method of detecting at least a partial blockage in a porous member separating an inner chamber of a device having a gas sensor responsive to an analyte positioned within the inner chamber and an ambient environment includes emitting pressure waves within the inner chamber and measuring a change in phase of a response via a sensor responsive to pressure waves.

A method of operating a sensor to detect an analyte in an environment, wherein the sensor includes a working electrode and circuitry in operative connection with the working electrode, includes performing a sensor interrogation cycle including applying electrical energy to the working electrode to generate a non-faradaic current, measuring a response to the generation of the non-faradaic current to determine a state of the sensor, and actively controlling the circuitry to dissipate the non-faradaic current.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Jerin Miller