Patent ID: 7231290

Claim:
A method for controlling a process that emits a multi-component mixture of gases, wherein the mixture is comprised of various individual component gases each of which has an individual concentration within the mixture; wherein a subgroup of the mixture is comprised of at least two but less than all of the component gases of the mixture; wherein the members of a subgroup of gases together have a collective concentration within the mixture; and wherein the method comprises (a) providing at least first and second signals, the first signal being related to the individual concentration within the unseparated components of the emitted gas mixture of an individual component gas therein, and the second signal being related to the collective concentration within the unseparated components of the emitted gas mixture of a subgroup of the component gases therein; (b) inputting the signal(s) to a decision-making routine for controlling the process; and (c) outputting a signal from the decision-making routine for adjusting an operating characteristic of the process.