Patent ID: 7502115

Claim:
A gas detector, comprising: an optical analyzer detecting in a sample of gas optical absorbance of said sample at a plurality of wavelengths, said optical analyzer transmitting an absorbency signal representative of optical absorbency for each respective one of said plurality of wavelengths; said optical analyzer having a selectable sensitivity; said selectable sensitivity selected according to a first probability that said optical analyzer will transmit a false positive (PFP) signal for a first gas and a second probability that said optical analyzer will transmit a false negative PFN signal for said first gas; a spectral library of gas species absorbing one or more of said plurality of wavelengths including determined absorptions for expected gases and target gases; and a processor receiving said absorbency signals and applying pattern recognition with said absorbency signals and said determined absorptions to provide mole fraction quantities for said expected gases and said target gases; whereby said sample of gas may be analyzed for presence and quantity of expected gases and target gases.