Capacitance detection in a droplet actuator
First Claim
1. A droplet actuator for manipulating a fluid using an electrical field, comprising:
- (a) an actuator electrode configured to communicate the electrical field to the fluid;
(b) a reference electrode in communication with the actuator electrode and in selective communication with at least one of a ground node, a high voltage node and a high impedance node having an intermediate potential;
(c) a capacitance detection circuit in communication with the reference electrode and configured to detect a capacitance of the fluid; and
(d) a processor in communication with the capacitor detection circuit and configured to determine a position of the fluid based on the detected capacitance of the fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, circuit and apparatus for detecting capacitance on a droplet actuator, inter alia, for determining the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at an electrode on a droplet actuator by: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged on the substrate for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; (ii) a capacitance detection circuit for detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; (b) detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; and (c) determining from the capacitance the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at the droplet operations surface at the electrode.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A droplet actuator for manipulating a fluid using an electrical field, comprising:
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(a) an actuator electrode configured to communicate the electrical field to the fluid; (b) a reference electrode in communication with the actuator electrode and in selective communication with at least one of a ground node, a high voltage node and a high impedance node having an intermediate potential; (c) a capacitance detection circuit in communication with the reference electrode and configured to detect a capacitance of the fluid; and (d) a processor in communication with the capacitor detection circuit and configured to determine a position of the fluid based on the detected capacitance of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification