Allen Joseph Paneral

US Patent:

57193967, Feb 17, 1998

Filed:

Jul 1, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/674075

Inventors:

Michael D. Jack - Goleta CA
Troy P. Bahan - Santa Barbara CA
Jeffrey L. Hanson - Lompoc CA
David R. Nelson - Santa Barbara CA
Allen J. Paneral - Goleta CA
Jay Peterson - Goleta CA

Assignee:

Envirotest Systems Corp. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G01N 2100

US Classification:

2503385

Abstract:

An emission-concentration monitoring system (20)includes first and second monitor stations (22,32) which are separated by a sensing space (40) along a path (28) of a moving vehicle (26). Each station has a source of electromagnetic radiation (64) which is directed through the vehicle's exhaust plume. Each station also has a set of detectors (66) which are positioned to receive the radiation and configured to measure transmittances at wavelengths which are absorbed by molecular species of exhaust plume (e. g. , hydrocarbons, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide). These sensed transmittances are converted to emission concentrations by a data processor (50) and compared to a set of emission-concentration standards. The vehicle is determined to be in violation only if its emission concentrations at both the first and second monitor stations exceeds the standards. To insure visual identification of the vehicle, images of it are formed at both stations with video cameras (42, 44) and a license plate reader (46).