Patent ID: 8438904

Claim:
An apparatus for sensing analyte, comprising: a plurality of sensor array columns, each sensor array column comprising a plurality of sensors, each sensor being adapted for sensing one or more parameters in reaction to the presence of one or more analytes and output a current therefrom in accordance with level of the sensed parameter; a heating element for selectively heating one or more of the sensor array columns; a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) array comprising a plurality of VCOs, each VCO adapted to receive an output current from one of the plurality of sensors from each of the plurality of sensor arrays and for and generating an output oscillation frequency in accordance with the level of the received output current; and a counter array comprising a plurality of counters, each counter adapted to receive an output from a corresponding VCO and count a number of oscillations over a predetermined time; wherein the heating element comprises an n+ resistive heating element; wherein one or more heating elements are provided to selectively heat one or more of the sensor array columns; wherein during operation, one or more of the sensor array columns are heated, and one or more of the sensor array columns are not heated; and wherein each counter of the counter array selectively determines a number of oscillations from each of a corresponding sensor element from one of the non-heated sensor array columns over a first predetermined time, and determines a number of oscillations from each of a corresponding sensor element from one of the heated sensor array columns over a second predetermined time.