Temperature control method and apparatus for driving polymerize chain reaction (PCR) chip

• US 20030169799A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Young-Sun, Yi, Dong-Hoon, Lim, Geun-Bae, Yoon, Dae-Sung, Cho, Dong-Il
• Granted Patent: US 7,060,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/31
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means

Abstract

Provided are a temperature control method and apparatus for driving a polymerize chain reaction (PCR) chip. In the temperature control apparatus, which is for a polymerize chain reaction chip, PCR chips receive electric power from the outside and generating heat to maintain a predetermined temperature and for outputting actual temperature information to the outside. electric power supply units supply electric power to the PCR chips according to input control signals, and a controller generates the control signals based on control information including pre-established control temperature and control time information and the actual temperature information supplied from the PCR chips in order to supply the control signals to the electric power supply units. In the present invention, it is possible to examine various kinds of DNA at the same time because the temperature control apparatus controls the temperatures of DNA samples at the same time.

Claims

1. A temperature control apparatus for a polymerize chain reaction chip, the temperature control apparatus comprising:

PCR chips for receiving electric power from the outside and generating heat to maintain a predetermined temperature and for outputting actual temperature information to the outside;

electric power supply units for supplying electric power to the PCR chips according to input control signals; and

a controller for generating the control signals based on control information including pre-established control temperature and control time information and the actual temperature information supplied from the PCR chips in order to supply the control signals to the electric power supply units.

2. The temperature control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a selector for receiving a first selection signal for selecting the PCR chip to be controlled and the control signal from the controller, in order to select the electric power supply unit for supplying the electric power to the PCR chip to be controlled and supply the control signal to the selected electric power supply unit; and

a multiplexer for receiving a second selection signal for selecting one of the PCR chips from the controller and supplying the actual temperature information on a predetermined PCR chip to the controller according to the second selection signal.

3. The temperature control apparatus of claim 1, wherein one PCR chip includes:

a heater for receiving electric power from the electric power supply unit to generate heat; and

a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the PCR chip and outputting the temperature to the outside.

4. The temperature control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input/output (I/O) unit for receiving control information including the control temperature and time information from a user, in order to supply the control information to the controller and outputting the control result of the temperature of a predetermined PCR chip to the outside according to the control information.

5. A temperature control method for a PCR chip, the method comprising:

(a) receiving control information including the control temperature and time of a PCR chip;

(b) generating a control signal for the PCR chip to maintain the control temperature for the predetermined time; and

(c) controlling the temperature of the PCR chip according to the control signal.

6. The temperature control method of claim 5, wherein step (b) includes (b1) generating a selection signal for selecting a PCR chip to be controlled by the control signal when a plurality of PCR chips are arranged, and step (c), the temperature of the predetermined PCR chip is controlled according to the selection signal and the control signal.

7. The temperature control method of claim 5, further comprising:

(d) measuring the temperature of the PCR chip; and

(e) repeating (b) when the actual temperature and the control temperature of the PCR chip are different.

8. The temperature control method of claim 5, wherein (e) includes:

(e1) generating information for selecting a predetermined PCR chip when a plurality of PCR chips are arranged; and

(e2) subsequently comparing the actual temperature of the selected PCR chip with the control temperature corresponding to the selected PCR chip to perform (b) when the actual temperature and control temperature are different.

9. A recording medium readable in a computer, wherein a program for operating the method of the claim 5 is recorded.

10. A recording medium readable in a computer, wherein a program for operating the method of the claim 6 is recorded.

11. A recording medium readable in a computer, wherein a program for operating the method of the claim 7 is recorded.

12. A recording medium readable in a computer, wherein a program for operating the method of the claim 8 is recorded.