Feedback system for parallel droplet control in a digital microfluidic device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A digital microfluidic (DMF) apparatus with parallel droplet detection, the apparatus comprising:
- a first plate having a plurality of actuation electrodes;
a second plate having one or more ground electrodes, wherein the second plate is spaced opposite from the first plate by a gap;
a voltage source;
a plurality of sensing circuits, wherein a sensing circuit from the plurality of sensing circuits is electrically connected to each actuation electrode, wherein each sensing circuit is configured to detect a charge voltage of a capacitor in a charging circuit of the sensing circuit, further wherein each sensing circuit of the plurality of sensing circuits comprises the charging circuit, a discharging circuit, and an analog-to-digital converter; and
a controller configured to alternate between applying voltage from the voltage source to the first plate and the second plate, wherein applying voltage to the first plate comprises applying voltage to one or more actuation electrodes from the plurality of actuation electrodes to move one or more droplets within the gap, and wherein applying voltage to the second plate comprises applying voltage to the one or more ground electrodes, further wherein the controller is configured to sense, in parallel, the location of one or more droplets relative to the plurality of actuation electrodes based on input from each of the sensing circuits when applying voltage to the second plate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Digital microfluidics apparatuses (e.g., devices and systems) configured to determine provide feedback on the location, rate of movement, rate of evaporation and/or size (or other physical characteristic) of one or more, and preferably more than one, droplet in the gap region of a digital microfluidics (DMF) apparatus.
253 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A digital microfluidic (DMF) apparatus with parallel droplet detection, the apparatus comprising:
-
a first plate having a plurality of actuation electrodes; a second plate having one or more ground electrodes, wherein the second plate is spaced opposite from the first plate by a gap; a voltage source; a plurality of sensing circuits, wherein a sensing circuit from the plurality of sensing circuits is electrically connected to each actuation electrode, wherein each sensing circuit is configured to detect a charge voltage of a capacitor in a charging circuit of the sensing circuit, further wherein each sensing circuit of the plurality of sensing circuits comprises the charging circuit, a discharging circuit, and an analog-to-digital converter; and a controller configured to alternate between applying voltage from the voltage source to the first plate and the second plate, wherein applying voltage to the first plate comprises applying voltage to one or more actuation electrodes from the plurality of actuation electrodes to move one or more droplets within the gap, and wherein applying voltage to the second plate comprises applying voltage to the one or more ground electrodes, further wherein the controller is configured to sense, in parallel, the location of one or more droplets relative to the plurality of actuation electrodes based on input from each of the sensing circuits when applying voltage to the second plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of simultaneously determining the locations of multiple drops in a digital microfluidics (DMF) apparatus, the method comprising:
-
applying voltage to a plurality of actuation electrodes in a first plate to move one or more droplets within a gap between the first plate and a second plate; applying voltage to one or more ground electrodes in the second plate; concurrently sensing, in a plurality of sensing circuits, wherein each actuation electrode is associated with a separate sensing circuit from the plurality of sensing circuits, a charging voltage while applying voltage to the one or more ground electrodes; and determining a location of the one or more droplets relative to the plurality of actuation electrodes based on the sensed charging voltages by comparing the sensed charging voltages to a predetermined value or range of values to determine if a droplet is on or adjacent to an actuation electrode. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of simultaneously determining size or the locations of multiple drops in a digital microfluidics (DMF) apparatus, the method comprising:
-
applying voltage to a plurality of actuation electrodes in a first plate to move one or more droplets within a gap between the first plate and a second plate; discharging voltage in each sensing circuit of a plurality of sensing circuits when not applying voltage to the plurality of actuation electrodes in the first plate, wherein each actuation electrode is associated with a separate sensing circuit from the plurality of sensing circuits; applying voltage to one or more ground electrodes in the second plate after discharging the voltage; concurrently sensing, in each of the sensing circuits, a charging voltage while applying voltage to the one or more ground electrodes; and determining a size or location of the one or more droplets relative to the plurality of actuation electrodes based on the sensed charging voltages.
-
-
23. A method of simultaneously determining the locations of multiple drops in a digital microfluidics (DMF) apparatus, the method comprising:
-
applying voltage to a plurality of actuation electrodes in a first plate to move one or more droplets within a gap between the first plate and a second plate; applying voltage to one or more ground electrodes in the second plate; concurrently sensing, in a plurality of sensing circuits, wherein each actuation electrode is associated with a separate sensing circuit from the plurality of sensing circuits, a charging voltage while applying voltage to the one or more ground electrodes; determining a location of the one or more droplets relative to the plurality of actuation electrodes based on the sensed charging voltages; and determining the size of the one or more droplets based on the sensed charging voltages.
-
-
24. A method of simultaneously determining the locations of multiple drops in a digital microfluidics (DMF) apparatus, the method comprising:
-
applying voltage to a plurality of actuation electrodes in a first plate to move one or more droplets within a gap between the first plate and a second plate; applying voltage to one or more ground electrodes in the second plate; concurrently sensing, in a plurality of sensing circuits, wherein each actuation electrode is associated with a separate sensing circuit from the plurality of sensing circuits, a charging voltage while applying voltage to the one or more ground electrodes; determining a location of the one or more droplets relative to the plurality of actuation electrodes based on the sensed charging voltages; and determining an evaporation rate based on the sensed charging voltages.
-
Specification