Patent ID: 11971351
Assignee: AUTOMOTIVE COALITION FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  A | IPC A  G

Claim 13:
14. A system for the non-invasive measurement of an analyte in a sample, wherein the system comprises:
an illumination unit for generating a plurality of monochromatic light beams, wherein the plurality of monochromatic light beams constitute a plurality of different wavelengths; and
a sampling unit for receiving the plurality of monochromatic light beams from the illumination unit, delivering those monochromatic light beams to the sample, receiving scattered light back from the sample, and converting the scattered light into corresponding electrical signals for subsequent processing and analyte assessment, wherein the sampling unit comprises:
a sample interface device, the sample interface device comprising:
a substrate;
a low-absorbance injection area carried by the substrate for receiving the plurality of monochromatic light beams and delivering the plurality of monochromatic light beams to the sample; and
a plurality of photosensors carried by the substrate, wherein the plurality of photosensors are disposed outboard of the low-absorbance injection area, and further wherein each of the photosensors produces an electrical signal which corresponds to the amount of light received by that photosensor;
wherein one of the plurality of photosensors comprises a reference photosensor for measuring the light delivered to the sample, and the remainder of the plurality of photosensors comprise signal photosensors for measuring the scattered light returning from the sample;
wherein the sample interface device further comprises:
a diffuser disposed distal to the low-absorbance injection area, wherein the diffuser receives a plurality of monochromatic light beams and directs those monochromatic light beams to the reference photosensor;
a first mask disposed about the perimeter of the diffuser to prevent the monochromatic light beams from passing to the signal photosensors; and
a second mask disposed between the reference photosensor and the sample, wherein the second mask prevents scattered light from passing from the sample to the reference photosensor.