Patent ID: 7973929

Claim:
A calibration verification system for verifying the calibration status of an optical particle counter comprising: a particle generator for providing particles having a predetermined size distribution to an optical particle counter; a pulse height analyzer operably connected to said optical particle counter for measuring a pulse height distribution for said particles having said predetermined size distribution; and a calibration verification analyzer operably connected to said pulse height analyzer for analyzing said pulse height distribution by: receiving said pulse height distribution for said particles having said predetermined size distribution from said pulse height analyzer; determining a calibration verification parameter or set of calibration verification parameters from said pulse height distribution for said particles having said predetermined size distribution; wherein said calibration verification parameters are selected from the group consisting of: a median value of said pulse height distribution for said particles having said predetermined size distribution; a width of said pulse height distribution for said particles having said predetermined size distribution; a slope of the noise floor for said optical particle counter; a zero count failure point for said optical particle counter; and a signal-to-noise ratio equal to the ratio of said median value of said pulse height distribution for said particles having said predetermined size distribution and said zero count failure point for said optical particle counter; and comparing said calibration verification parameter or set of calibration verification parameters with one or more reference values; wherein said calibration verification system is an integrated component of said optical particle counter.