Patent ID: 11860095
Assignee: RADIOMETER MEDICAL APS
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 18:
19. An optical sensor for the detection of a contaminant, the optical sensor comprising a sensor layer with a sensor surface forming an interface to a sample space, stimulus means, detection means, data storage means, and a signal processor,
wherein the sensor layer comprises a luminophor adapted to emit luminescence radiation in response to an excitation stimulus applied to the luminophor;
wherein the stimulus means is arranged for providing the excitation stimulus to the luminophor in the sensor layer;
wherein the detection means is arranged to detect luminescence radiation emitted by the luminophor in response to the excitation stimulus;
wherein the data storage means comprises programmed instructions for:
receiving a time sequence of measurement values for detected luminescence as signals from the optical sensor as an input;
determining an actual value of a first parameter and an actual value of a second parameter, based on the time sequence, wherein one of the first and second parameters is sensitive to a change in refractive index across the interface between the sensor layer and the sample space, and wherein the other one of the first and second parameters is not sensitive to said change in refractive index across the interface between the sensor layer and the sample space;
providing feedback on a contamination state based on the actual value of the first parameter and the actual value of the second parameter,

wherein the signal processor is operable to execute said programmed instructions so as to produce an output indicative of the feedback on the contamination state.