BACKGROUND

[0001] Near infra-red (N IR) spectroscopy is used for food, pharmaceutical, petroleum, and agricultural industries for identification and quantification of chemical compounds. Until now, the technique has been limited to traditional lab based instruments due to the required stability, accuracy and data processing power. In recent years, handheld microelectromechanical (MEMS)-based NIR Hadamard transform spectrometers have been introduced that exhibit lab instrument accuracy and precision. With the advent of this type of instrumentation combined with the sampling technology described by this patent, the restriction of such measurements to a lab only environment has been eliminated. Food, feed and agricultural sample analysis can now be performed successfully in the field with such portable

instrumentation.

[0002] For food, feed, and agricultural products, it is practically impossible to analyze the entire batch. A representative sample of the total product is taken, from which the appropriate analysis can be made. For samples that will be analyzed in the lab environment, a representative sample is obtained by taking several primary samples. Once they have been gathered and mixed together in a clean receptacle, they constitute a global sample on which the necessary test will be made. Analysis often occurs by placing the material in a sample cup designed to be compatible with the benchtop laboratory instrumentation.

SUMMARY

[0003] Embodiments of the invention include an analyzer, which may be hand-held. The analyzer comprises a housing that has an optical port. The analyzer further includes a light source, a spectrometer, and a sample site repositioner. The light source is positioned within the housing, so as to transmit a beam through the optical port so as to impinge upon and reflect from a sample to be analyzed by the analyzer. The spectrometer is positioned within the housing, and comprises a detector to receive the reflected beam. The sample site repositioner causes the beam to impinge on a plurality of different sites on the sample.

[0004] In some embodiments, a sampling accessory is included which holds a sample so at to enable the sample site repositioner to cause the beam to impinge on the plurality of different sites. The sample accessory may be, in part or in whole, the sample site repositioner. The ability to have the impinging beam be repositioned on a plurality of different sites provides better signal averaging from agricultural products which are often inhomogeneous.

[0005] The sampling accessory may include a sample site repositioning means and a "sample cup" having a base that is transmissive to the impinging beam and reflected beam. By "transmissive" in this context is referenced that the base will transmit at least part of the spectrum of both. For example, the base may be transmissive to near IR wavelengths. "Transmissive" may be used interchangeably with "transparent".

[0006] Further embodiments of analyzer may include a shutter responsive to control signals from the control circuitry. In such embodiments the shutter may be used such that when the shutter is closed, a baseline measurement, e.g. reference measurement, may be made by the spectrometer. When the shutter is open, a sample measurement may be taken.

[0007] Sample repositioning, and data acquisition from multiple sites of the sample, may be performed by several means in any of the embodiments described herein. For example, fresh sample regions or "sites" may be exposed through either manual or motor driven sample cup movement. Alternatively, the sample may be vibrated to induce exposure of fresh sample sites to the illuminating beam. A further embodiment includes illumination and/or detection paths that may be altered through electrically driven steering optics.

A measurement method is also provided which may use a handheld reflectance spectrometer, for example such a spectrometer having a sample cup with an optically transmissive base. The method may include loading a sample such as into the sample cup and a reflected sample beam may then be measured. This measuring of the reflected sample beam may include projecting, detecting, and repeating. In the projecting a beam of light may be projected onto a site on the sample to generate a reflected sample beam. The reflected sample beam may then be detected, wherein the reflected sample beam contains spectral data indicative of the sample at the sample site. The repeating may include repeating the projecting and detecting for each of a plurality of sample sites.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Some embodiments of the invention will not be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an analyzer including a hand-held instrument, e.g. handheld reflectance spectrometer.

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates the sample accessory 14 shown in FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment using electrically driven beam steering optics.

[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates the sample cup and the axis of rotation.

[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates a process flowchart according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] It will be understood that in any embodiment herein, reference to light being "reflected" from a sample refers to any light from the sample in response to an impinging illumination and which carries some information about the sample composition or type. Such "reflected" light can be detected by a detector in the same general direction from which the illumination originated (for example, at some position which is within less than a 180 degree arc or even less than a 90 degree arc, centered about an illuminating beam). Such reflected light can be subsequently analyzed using a spectrometer. For example, such "reflected" light may include infra-red light characteristic of a sample which is reflected from that sample, or may include Raman emissions or fluorescent emissions. It will be appreciated also that while a reflected "beam" may be referenced in this application this does not imply that only a concentrated beam is actually reflected, but just references that the total angle over which the reflected light is actually detected will be limited by spectrometer characteristics (for example, such as a spectrometer slit). "Light" reference any electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range which may include ranges generally recognized as ultraviolet (10 to 400nm), visible (400-700nm), near infrared and infrared (700 nm-15 μηη), and far infrared (15 -1000 μηη). The order of any sequence of events in any method recited in the present application is not limited to the order recited. Instead, the events may occur in any order, including simultaneously, which is logically possible.

[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates an analyzer 8 including a hand-held instrument 10, e.g.

reflectance spectrometer, and a sample accessory 14 that includes an optional sample site repositioner (not shown) and a sample cup 30. FIG. 2 further illustrates the sample accessory shown in FIG. 1. The hand-held instrument 10 includes a spectrometer (sometimes referenced as a "spectrometer engine") and control circuitry 16, a light source 18, a shutter motor 20, a shutter 22, and detection optics 24, e.g. an optic fiber leading to the spectrometer engine.

[0016] The sample accessory 14 consists of a sample site repositioner, e.g. cup rotator 12, and a sample cup 30. The attachment flange 28 houses the shutter 22 and the flange window 32. The attachment flange 28 is contoured to receive the sample accessory 14 with positive "snap in" for reproducible positioning. The shutter 22 interposes the flange window 32 and the detection optics 24 that lead to the spectrometer engine 16. The shutter 22 is responsive to control signals provided by the control circuitry 16 through activation of a mechanically coupled shutter motor 20. In this illustrative example, the shutter 22 has a diffuse gold surface designed to reflect light at all angles regardless of the incidence angle, e.g. Lambertian reflectance. Other suitable materials include but are not limited to diffuse gold, PTFE materials such as Spectralon and Fluorilon, and aluminum. Other materials may also be used as long as the reflectance is stable with time, temperature, and humidity.

[0017] The hand-held instrument 10 may be a hand-held near IR Hadamard transform spectrometer such as that disclosed in by McAllister, ef al. in U.S.Pat. No. 7,791,027, "Apparatus and Method Providing a Hand-Held Spectrometer," assigned to Polychromix Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Scientific. In this context, a "hand-held" spectrometer instrument weighs less than 10kg, and more typically less than 5, 2, 1, or even less than 0.5 or 0.2 kg, and may have dimensions of less than 50cm or 30cm in each dimension, and one of the dimensions (the thickness) may even be less than 10cm or 5 or 3 cm. A "hand-held" spectrometer will often be battery powered with the battery typically fitting within the foregoing dimensions and included in the foregoing weights, although a separate power supply could be provided and connected to the spectrometer.

[0018] To be a practical "hand-held" instrument, the IR spectrometer should meet generally accepted ergonomic standards for such tools. Eastman Kodak's publication [Eastman Kodak Co. 1983, Ergonomic Design for People at Work, Lifetime Learning Pub., Belmont, Calif.] describes requirements for hand-held tools generally and includes a recommended maximum weight of five pounds for hand-held tools. Further, the size/volume of the tool should be small enough so that the tool is not cumbersome and unwieldy. The above-recommended maximum weight may also limit the power capacity of the tool, and consequently, the amount of time that the tool can operate. That is, the weight of a power source generally increases as its power rating increases, and in particular, the weight of battery power sources becomes quite large relative to the overall weight of the tool when large amounts of power are required for the tool's operation. As a result, the power consumption of the tool should be controlled to allow the tool to be used over an extended period of time (e.g., hours) with a relatively lightweight power source, for example, a battery power source that is light enough to be employed in a hand-held tool.

[0019] In practice, to be hand held and portable, a spectrometer should contain its own light source. Light sources, however, consume a considerable amount of power. Thus, the power consumption of both the spectrometer electronics and the light source are important considerations when developing a hand held IR spectrometer.

[0020] The analyzer attachment flange 28 may be in direct contact with a sample. Alternatively, an optional sample accessory 14 is used to contain the sample. The base of the sample accessory 14 is a window 32 that is transparent to the light source 18. In this illustrative example, the window is transparent to near IR frequencies.

[0021] The sample site repositioning may be performed automatically or manually. Repositioning may be done by moving the sample, sample accessory, or beam steering optics (shown in FIG. 3). Alternatively, an agitation motion could be applied that may be lateral, vertical, or rotational. When required, a lid (not shown) may be attached to the sample cup to retain the sample. This provides for multiple measurements of a non-homogeneous sample, e.g. animal feed.

[0022] The sample accessory 14 may be integrated into the housing of the handheld instrument 10 or a detachable cup. The analyzer 8 may be in direct contact with the sample. Alternatively, the detachable sample cup 30 is used to contain the sample. FIG. 2 shows the sample cup 30 in more detail. The base of the sample cup 30 is a cup window 34 that is transparent to the excitation source. In this illustrative example, the cup window 34 is transparent to near IR wavelengths. A cup rotator 12 is positioned proximate the window 32. The sample cup's axis of rotation is not coincident with the center of an illuminated area permitting the plurality of different regions on the sample (as shown in FIG. 4). In this way, cup rotation results in an entirely new sample area to be illuminated. The cup rotator 12 includes at least two positions, each position accessing a unique section of sample. The positions may be indexed, e.g. defined rotation positions, or unspecified.

[0023] The sample site may also be repositioned on the sample by a beam steering mechanism. The mechanism may move the illumination source and detection optics, or it may redirect the illumination and detection path via optical deflection (mirrors or lenses).

[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates a process flowchart according to one embodiment of the invention. In step 100, a reference measurement is made when the shutter is closed. In step 102, sample is loaded into the sample cup. In step 104, the shutter is opened. In step 106, a measurement is taken. In step 108, it is determined if new sample sites are available. If yes, in step 110, a new sample site is exposed. If no, stop. [0025] It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made to the above described embodiments of the invention. For example, if a reference measurement is not desired the shutter can be eliminated and the light source simply turned on and off as needed. Similarly, the sample cup in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is not shown as removable. However, the sample cup may be removable. That is it may be reversibly removed and reattached to the remainder of the analyzer without damage, using either just hands or simple tools (for example, a screwdriver). Such a removable feature permits filling the sample cup by dipping into a sample, for example. However, this removable feature can be eliminated for embodiments where it is not expected to be needed. When the sample cup is removable, the optical port which is normally defined by the transparent cup window, will just be an open end in the remainder of the analyzer. With the removable cup such open end may also be covered by a transmissive window to avoid dirt or contaminants entering the remainder of the analyzer. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein.