System for communicating information from an array of sensors

• US 10,330,633 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Sequencing Solutions, Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Genia Technologies, Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Chen, Roger J. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US15/380,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20170199151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6874 involving nucleic acid arrays, e.g. sequencing by hybridisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3278 involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanogaps or nanoparticles nanopores G01N33/48721; magnetic beads G01N27/745
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48721 Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68

Abstract

A system for communicating information from an array of sensors is disclosed. The system comprises a sensor array that includes a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor senses a physical property of a material that is in communication with the sensor. The system further comprises signal processing circuitry associated with each sensor that integrates the output of the sensor over time and compares the integrated output to a threshold. The system further comprises a communication network coupled to the signal processing circuitry that outputs information indicating that the integrated output corresponding to a given sensor has reached the threshold.

Claims

1. A circuitry for measuring a detected signal from a nanopore, comprising:

an integrating amplifier integrating a detected signal from a nanopore;

an initiating flag for resetting the integrating amplifier and starting an integration of the detected signal from the nanopore; and

a trip flag for terminating the integration of the detected signal from the nanopore, wherein the initiation flag is re-asserted in response to the trip flag being asserted such that the detected signal from the nanopore is integrated over a plurality of integrating cycles.

2. The circuitry of claim 1, wherein the trip flag is asserted in response to an integrated output of the integrating amplifier reaching a predetermined level.

3. The circuitry of claim 2, wherein the trip flag is used as a feedback signal to the integrating amplifier for terminating the integration of the detected signal from the nanopore.

4. The circuitry of claim 1, wherein a state of the trip flag is output to an external processor for processing.

5. The circuitry of claim 1, wherein a first clock cycle at which the initiation flag is asserted is recorded.

6. The circuitry of claim 5, wherein a second clock cycle at which the trip flag is asserted is recorded.

7. The circuitry of claim 6, wherein a number of clock cycles between the first clock cycle and the second clock cycle is used to determine a mean value of the detected signal from the nanopore.

8. A method of measuring a detected signal from a nanopore, comprising:

integrating by an integrating amplifier a detected signal from a nanopore;

resetting the integrating amplifier and starting an integration of the detected signal from the nanopore based on an initiating flag; and

terminating the integration of the detected signal from the nanopore based on a trip flag, wherein the initiation flag is re-asserted in response to the trip flag being asserted such that the detected signal from the nanopore is integrated over a plurality of integrating cycles.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the trip flag is asserted in response to an integrated output of the integrating amplifier reaching a predetermined level.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the trip flag is used as a feedback signal to the integrating amplifier for terminating the integration of the detected signal from the nanopore.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a state of the trip flag is output to an external processor for processing.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising recording a first clock cycle at which the initiation flag is asserted.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising recording a second clock cycle at which the trip flag is asserted.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a mean value of the detected signal from the nanopore based at least in part on a number of clock cycles between the first clock cycle and the second clock cycle.