Patent ID: 9470650
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: G01N

Claim Text:
1. A sensor system for sensing a constituent of a chemical environment, wherein the constituent is a member of a chemical family, the sensor system comprising: an array of sensors arranged in a matrix, said array of sensors designed, configured, and selected to sense multiple member chemicals of the chemical family and having differing sensitivities to differing ones of the multiple member chemicals based on sensor temperature; wherein each of said sensors includes a catalyst and one or more additional layers designed and configured to protect said catalyst and to allow the constituent to permeate through to said catalyst; wherein said array of sensors includes two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) sensors; a plurality of heaters having a plurality of heating elements located proximate to corresponding respective ones of said sensors; a temperature control system operatively connected to said plurality of heating elements and designed and configured to maintain, simultaneously, differing ones of said sensors in said matrix at differing temperatures below 200° C. during sensing operations of the sensor system; a sensor response system operatively coupled to said sensors and designed and configured to measure responses of said sensors; and a matrix analyzer containing an algorithm designed and configured to analyze responses of said sensors, operating at differing temperatures, measured by said sensor response system and to determine the presence of the constituent and distinguish the constituent from the rest of the multiple member chemicals.