Time-delay integration in electrophoretic detection systems
First Claim
1. An apparatus for detecting analytes in a sample, comprising:
- one or more channels having a detection zone;
one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the detection zone with non-coherent radiation;
a detector array disposed for collecting light signals emitted from markers in the detection zone excited by the radiation, the detector array having an output; and
a system coupled to the detector array for effecting time delay integration of charges on the detector array corresponding to the light signals by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the detector array.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting analytes in a sample is provided. The apparatus includes: one or more channels having a detection zone; one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the detection zone with non-coherent radiation; a detector array disposed for collecting light signals emitted from markers in the detection zone excited by the radiation, the detector array having an output; and a system coupled to the detector array for effecting time delay integration of the charges on the detector array corresponding to the light signals by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the detector array. Other apparatus and methods for detecting analytes in a sample are also provided.
62 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for detecting analytes in a sample, comprising:
-
one or more channels having a detection zone;
one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the detection zone with non-coherent radiation;
a detector array disposed for collecting light signals emitted from markers in the detection zone excited by the radiation, the detector array having an output; and
a system coupled to the detector array for effecting time delay integration of charges on the detector array corresponding to the light signals by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the detector array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An apparatus for detecting analytes in a sample, comprising:
-
one or more channels having a detection zone;
one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the detection zone with radiation;
a detector array disposed for collecting light signals emitted from markers in the detection zone excited by the radiation, the detector array having an output; and
a system coupled to the detector array for effecting time delay integration of the charges on the detector array corresponding to the light signals by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the detector array, the system effecting time delay integration by moving, relative to one another, the detector array and light signals from the detection zone.
-
-
10. An apparatus for detecting analytes in a sample, comprising:
-
one or more channels having a detection zone;
one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the detection zone with radiation;
a detector array disposed for collecting light signals emitted from markers in the detection zone excited by the radiation, the detector array having an output;
a system coupled to the detector array for effecting time delay integration of the charges on the detector array corresponding to the light signals by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the detector array; and
a re-imaging lens disposed between the detection zone and the detector array for optically inverting an image produced by the light signals before the image is collected by the detector array. - View Dependent Claims (11)
-
-
12. An apparatus for detecting analytes, comprising:
-
a plurality of elongate channels;
a non-coherent light source;
an excitation-light pathway extending from said light source to said channels;
focusing optics disposed along said excitation-light pathway; and
a charge-coupled device optically coupled to said channels, wherein said charge-coupled device is configured to operate in time-delay integration mode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An apparatus for detecting analytes, comprising:
-
a plurality of elongate channels, each having an inlet end and an outlet end;
a detection zone located at one or both of (i) along said channels and (ii) outside of said channels on a side of said outlet ends opposite the inlet ends;
a non-coherent light source and associated focusing optics configured for irradiating at least a portion of said detection zone with non-coherent light; and
a charge-coupled device optically coupled to said detection zone;
wherein said charge-coupled device is configured to operate in time-delay integration mode. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An apparatus for detecting analytes, comprising:
-
a plurality of analyte-migration lanes;
a non-coherent light source;
an excitation-light pathway extending from said light source to said analyte-migration lanes, with said light source being disposed to direct non-coherent light along said excitation-light pathway;
a charge-coupled device configured to operate in time-delay integration mode; and
a fluorescence-emission pathway optically coupling said analyte-migration lanes and said charge-coupled device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. An apparatus for detecting analytes in a sample, comprising:
-
one or more channels including one or more detection zones;
one or more irradiation sources, each irradiation source being capable of irradiating with non-coherent radiation at least one of the one or more detection zones;
a detector array disposed for collecting light signals emitted from the one or more detection zones by markers excited by the radiation, the detector array being capable of generating one or more output signals; and
a charge-shifting system coupled to the detector array for effecting time delay integration of charges on the detector array which correspond to the light signals, the charge-shifting system being capable of accumulating the charges on the detector array and moving the accumulated charges on the detector array at a speed substantially synchronized to respective speeds of migration of bands of markers that migrate across the one or more detection zones. - View Dependent Claims (29)
-
-
30. An apparatus for detecting analytes in a sample, comprising:
-
one or more channels, each channel including one or more detection zones;
one or more irradiation sources, each irradiation source being capable of irradiating with radiation at least one or the one or more detection zones;
a detector array disposed for collecting light signals emitted from the detection zone by markers excited by the radiation, the detector array being capable of generating one or more output signals; and
a system coupled to the detector array for effecting time delay integration of the charges on the detector array which correspond to the light signals by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the detector array, the system being capable of effecting time delay integration by moving, relative to one another, the detector array and light signals from the detection zone, the system comprising a charge-shifting system capable of shifting accumulated charges corresponding to light signals emitted from the one or more detection zones, at a speed substantially synchronized to speeds of migration of bands of markers that migrate across the one or more detection zones.
-
Specification