Patent ID: 6931913

Claim:
A chemical agent detector for sensing and detecting the presence of a multitude of different chemical agents through the utilization of surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors by taking an ambient air sample from an environment, the chemical agent detector comprising: a) a manifold having an air intake port and an air exhaust port through which the ambient air sample can be drawn within the manifold and tested for the presence of the multitude of different chemical agents and then expelled, the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold by a pump connected to the manifold, b) a plurality of sensor driver boards mounted on the manifold, c) a plurality of SAW sensors, one each mounted on each sensor driver board such that they are in contact with the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold, each SAW sensor coated with a substance that has an affinity for detecting a particular chemical agent, each SAW sensor and sensor driver board generating its own continuous RF signal which can emit a frequency shift of the continuous RF signal if the particular chemical agent to which the SAW sensor has an affinity for detecting is loaded upon the SAW sensor by the ambient air sample, d) an RF power tuner and cycler for selectively applying power to the plurality of SAW sensors such that only one SAW sensor is powered-on at a given point in time, the RF power tuner and cycler electrically coupled to the plurality of SAW sensors mounted on the sensor driver boards, e) an RF multiplexor for receiving the continuous RF signals generated by the SAW sensors and sensor driver boards and for outputting only one of the RF signals at a time based upon which SAW sensor is powered-on at the given point in time, the RF multiplexor electrically coupled to the plurality of sensor driver boards, the RF multiplexor receiving a constant voltage from the RF power tuner and cycler, f) a microprocessor for interpreting the RF signals generated by the SAW sensors and sensor driver boards and for detecting whether a frequency shift has occurred in any of the generated RF signals which would be indicative of the presence of a particular chemical agent in the ambient air sample drawn within the manifold, the microprocessor electrically coupled to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor, the microprocessor generating a timing signal to the RF power tuner and cycler and the RF multiplexor for instructing the RF power tuner and cycler when and in which order to power-on and power-off each of the plurality of SAW sensors and sensor driver boards such that the RF multiplexor receives and outputs an RF signal which is generated by only one of the plurality of SAW sensors and sensor driver boards that are turned-on at the given point in time as instructed by the microprocessor, and g) a power supply including a main power board for providing power to the RF power tuner and cycler, the microprocessor and the pump.