Visual indicator of scan workflow

Abstract

A hand-held spectrometer includes at least one indicator light and a processor configured to control the at least one indicator light to indicate a state of the hand-held spectrometer selected from a group consisting of a background scanning state, a ready-to-scan-sample state, a signal strength state, a fluorescence intensity state, a sample match state, a sample classification state, an error state, a data transfer state, a battery charge state, and a memory capacity state. The sample match state can be, for example, one of a positive match state, a mixture match state, a negative match state, and a match error state. In some embodiments, the error state can be at least one of a background error state, a user error state, and an instrument error state, or any combination thereof.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A hand-held spectrometer comprising at least one indicator light and a processor configured to control the at least one indicator light to indicate a state of the hand-held spectrometer selected from a group consisting of a background scanning state, a ready-to-scan-sample state, a signal strength state, a fluorescence intensity state, a sample match state, an error state, a data transfer state, a battery charge state, and a memory capacity state. 
     
     
         2 . The handheld spectrometer of  claim 1 , wherein the sample match state is one of a positive match state, a sample classification state, a mixture match state, a negative match state, and a match error state. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld spectrometer of  claim 2 , wherein the sample classification state is one of an explosive match state, a narcotic material match state, a biological material match state, and a toxic material match state, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld spectrometer of  claim 1 , wherein the error state is at least one of a background error state, a user error state, and an instrument error state, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld spectrometer of  claim 1 , wherein the hand-held spectrometer includes an attenuated total reflection (ATR) platform, and at least one indicator light is adjacent to the ATR platform. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld spectrometer of  claim 5 , wherein at least one indicator light is located around the ATR platform. 
     
     
         7 . A method of using a hand-held spectrometer comprising:
 a. providing at least one indicator light configured to indicate a state of the hand-held spectrometer;   b. activating a scan function of the hand-held spectrometer, thereby changing the state of the hand-held spectrometer and the at least one indicator light to indicate a background scanning state while acquiring a background scan, and, after completion of the background scan, either a ready-to-scan-sample state or an error state;   c. acquiring a sample spectrum; and   d. displaying the sample spectrum.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein changing the state of the hand-held spectrometer and the at least one indicator light to an error state includes changing the state of the at least one indicator light to indicate at least one of a background error state, a user error state, and an instrument error state, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further including, after acquiring the sample spectrum, matching the sample to a spectrum library and changing the state of the at least one indicator light to indicate a sample match state. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sample match state is one of a positive match state, a mixture match state, a negative match state, and a match error state. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further including, after acquiring the sample spectrum, transferring sample spectrum data and changing the state of the at least one indicator light to indicate a data transfer state. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further including charging a battery of the hand-held spectrometer and changing the state of the at least one indicator light to indicate a battery charge state. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further including, after acquiring the sample spectrum, storing the sample spectrum, and changing the state of the at least one indicator light to indicate a memory capacity state. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , further including changing the state of the at least one indicator light to indicate a signal strength state. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , further including changing the state of the at least one indicator light to indicate a fluorescence intensity state.