Method and apparatus for detecting substances using substance detection routines

Abstract

Methods and devices for sampling, processing and identifying use of a substance or substances of abuse are provided. Systems and kits for sampling, processing and identifying acute use of a substance of abuse is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a processing unit provided within the housing, the processing unit configured to:
 control acquisition of a first sample from a first source; 
 control acquisition of a second sample from a second source; 
 control performance of one or more substance detection routines on each of the first source and the second source to determine an amount of a first substance; and 
 generate one or more output signals based at least in part on the detected amount of the first substance. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first source and the second source are the same. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a type of the first sample is a breath sample. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a type of the first sample is the same as a type of the second sample. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first substance corresponds to or is indicative of THC. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more substance detection routines include a first substance detection routine and a second substance detection routine, the second substance detection routine being different than the first substance detection routine. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the second substance detection routine detects an amount of a second substance, the second substance being different than the first substance. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first substance and the second substance are indicative of a first target substance. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the processing unit is configured to control performance of any one of multiple substance detection routines, and wherein the second substance detection routine is based at least in part on a type of the second sample. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first substance detection routine and the second substance detection routine are performed concurrently. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first substance detection routine and the second substance detection routine are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to control concurrent acquisition of the first sample and the second sample. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to control acquisition of at least the first sample. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an output unit coupled to the processing unit, the output unit being configured to provide an output based on the one or more output signals. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 controlling acquisition of a first sample;   detecting a source of the sample;   retrieving a first one of multiple sampling processes that is suitable for the first sample based on the detected source of the first sample; and   controlling performance of the first sampling process to determine whether an amount of at least a first substance is present in the first sample.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first source and the second source are the same. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least a type of the first sample is a breath sample. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a type of the first sample is the same as a type of the second sample. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first substance corresponds to or is indicative of THC. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more substance detection routines include a first substance detection routine and a second substance detection routine, the second substance detection routine being different than the first substance detection routine.