Patent ID: 7017386
Filing Date: 2006-03-28
Classification: G01N,G08B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A sensor system comprising: a chemical detector associated with a measurement circuit that produces a measurement of the partial pressure of a gas from the output of the chemical detector, wherein said chemical detector comprises a electrochemical cell; a reference gas releasing material comprising a metal hydride, wherein said reference gas releasing material releases a reference gas such that the partial pressure of the reference gas is a function of the temperature of the reference gas releasing material, wherein a heater is positioned to heat the reference gas releasing material; a temperature sensor positioned to measure the temperature of the reference gas releasing material and a control circuit that when activated delivers a known partial pressure of the reference gas to the chemical detector by controlling the heat generated by the heater and thereby the temperature of the reference gas releasing material; and a calibration circuit that, during calibration, activates the control circuit, reads a measurement called a calibration measurement from the measurement circuit, and produces a calibration factor by comparing the calibration measurement to an expected measurement, while the calibration circuit also, during regular operation, produces a calibrated measurement from the measurement and the calibration factor.