Patent ID: 11867660
Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  C | IPC C  G

Claim 7:
8. A method of controlling a pH of a solution using a device that comprises an array of one or more feedback-controlling electrode set(s), the feedback-controlling electrode set(s) comprising (1) one or more reference electrode(s), (2) one or more counter electrode(s), and (3) one or more subset(s), the one or more subset(s) each including a pH sensing element electrically coupled, directly or indirectly, to a working electrode, wherein a reference electrode of the one or more reference electrode(s) and/or a counter electrode of the one or more counter electrode(s) is electrically coupled, directly or indirectly, with one or more of the subset(s), wherein the device further comprises one or more non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s) electrically coupled, directly or indirectly, to one or more of the feedback-controlling electrode set(s), the one or more non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s) each comprising (1) one or more reference electrode(s) of the respective non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s), (2) one or more counter electrode(s), and (3) one or more working electrode(s), each of the one or more reference electrode(s) of the respective non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s) and/or each of the one or more of the counter electrode(s) of the respective non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s) being electrically coupled, directly or indirectly, with at least one of the one or more working electrode(s) of the respective non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s), and each of the one or more non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s) not comprising a pH sensing element, the method comprising:
a. selecting a target sensing value for a pH sensing element based on one or more signal(s) output from a pH sensing element in a solution with a target pH; and
b. iteratively performing the following:
i. selecting a respective amount of current and/or voltage to be applied to at least one of the working electrode(s) of the feedback-controlling electrode set(s) in order to minimize a difference between a signal output of the pH sensing element and the target sensing value;
ii. applying the selected respective amount of current and/or voltage to the at least one of the working electrode(s) of the feedback-controlling electrode set(s) to change pH of a solution close to the respective working electrode of the feedback-controlling electrode set(s); and
iii. measuring the signal output of the pH sensing element;

wherein:
the electrical couplings are through solid electrically conductive material; and
the applying of the selected respective amount of current and/or voltage includes applying the selected amount of current and/or voltage to one or more of the working electrode(s) of the coupled feedback-controlling electrode set and applying the same respective amount of current and/or voltage to one or more of the working electrode(s) of the coupled non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s) to change pH of a solution close to the working electrode(s) of the coupled non-feedback-controlling electrode set(s).