Application of biosensor chips

• US 20070102304A1
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Tam, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,972,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/792
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3271 Amperometric enzyme electrodes for analytes in body fluids, e.g. glucose in blood amperometry per se G01N27/49; aspects concerning the enzyme reagent C12Q1/001

Abstract

A method of sensing a property of each of a plurality of samples is disclosed. The method includes disposing a sensor chip in each sample, the sensor chip being adapted to sense the property of a respective sample and comprising sensing electronics, a wireless communication device and an identifier. Each sensor chip is then registered and sensed data is received from each of the registered sensor chips concurrently via the respective wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A method of sensing at least one property of each of a plurality of samples, the method comprising:

disposing at least one sensor chip in each sample, said at least one sensor chip being adapted to sense at least one said property of a respective sample and comprising sensing electronics, a wireless communication device and an identifier;

registering each sensor chip; and

receiving sensed data from each of the registered sensor chips concurrently via the respective wireless communication device.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

adding a further sample to the plurality of samples by registering each sensor chip in the further sample and receiving sensed data from the sensor chips in the further sample concurrently with the sensed data from the plurality of samples.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing when the sensed data from a sensor chip in a respective sample has been successfully received and the at least one property sensed by this sensor chip has been determined; and

when this established for each sensor chip in the respective sample, removing the respective sample from the plurality of samples.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein each sample is provided with a wireless communication device, an identifier and an indicator and, when it is established for each sensor in a sample that the respective at least one property has been determined, setting the indicator to indicate that sensing for the sample has been finished.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of registering each sensor in a sample includes disposing the sample in a sensing area.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of registration includes searching in a sensing area for sensor chips having previously unrecognised identifiers and registering each such sensor chip.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising previously recording at least a portion of the identifier of each sensor chip and associating the at least a portion of the identifier with the at least one property that the sensor chip is adapted to sense, whereby when the sensor chip is registered the at least one property sensed by the sensor chip is known.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein upon registration each sensor chip transmits via its wireless communication device the at least one property that it is adapted to sense.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving data from each of the sensor chips in a sample includes polling each registered sensor chip to determine whether it has sensed data ready for transmission.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensor chips is a biosensor chip.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the biosensor chip is adapted to sense at least one of DNA, RNA, a gene sequence, a peptide and another biological molecule.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the biosensor chip includes one or more potentiostat circuits.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein a counter electrode is provided for each potentiostat circuit in a sample by applying a bias voltage to the sample.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor chip is used for sensing one or more said properties of a sample using a redox reaction.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising disposing a respective sample in a sensing area, the sensing area adapted to control one or more predetermined conditions of the sample.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the sensing area includes at least one of a heater, a cooler, a temperature-controlled fluid bath, an agitator and a means for controlling flow of a fluid to be sampled over the sensor chips.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of registering is carried out before the step of disposing the sensor chips in a respective sample.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication device and the identifier of each sensor chip include RFID electronics.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of registering includes associating each sensor chip with a respective sample.

20. An apparatus for sensing at least one property of each of a plurality of samples concurrently, comprising:

a sensing area;

a wireless communication device for wirelessly transmitting signals to and receiving signals from each of a plurality of sensor chips within the sensing region, each sensor chip being disposed in a respective sample, being adapted to sense at least one said property of the respective sample and comprising sensing electronics, a sensor chip wireless communication device and an identifier;

a register for registering the identifier of each sensor chip; and

a sensed data processor for receiving and processing sensed data from each of the registered sensor chips concurrently via the sensor chip wireless communication devices.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the register is adapted to register associated data of each sensor chip, including at least one of the samples in which the sensor chip is disposed and the at least one property which the sensor chip is adapted to sense.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the register and the sensed data processor are adapted to perform operations concurrently.

23. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the sensed data processor is adapted to establish when the at least one property of a respective sample sensed by a sensor chip has been determined;

and

indicate when it is established for each sensor in a sample that the respective at least one property has been determined.

24. An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a loader for loading each sample into the sensing area before registration and for removing each sample from the sensing area after it is established for each sensor chip in that sample that the respective at least one property has been determined.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the loader is adapted to dispose predetermined sensor chips in each sample before or after loading the sample into the sensing area.

26. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein each sample is provided with a wireless communication device, an identifier and an indicator, and the sensed data processor is adapted to establish for all sensor chips in a sample when the respective at least one property has been determined, and to set the indicator to indicate that sensing for the sample has finished.

27. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the register has previously recorded in it at least a portion of the identifier of each sensor chip and, associated with the at least a portion of the identifier, the at least one property that the sensor chip is adapted to sense, whereby when the sensor chip is registered the at least one property sensed by the sensor chip is known.

28. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein upon registration each sensor chip transmits the at least one property that it is adapted to sense to the antenna via its wireless communications means for registration.

29. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus is arranged to poll each registered sensor chip to determine whether it has sensed data for transmission.

30. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein at least one of said sensor chips is a biosensor chip.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the sensed data relates to at least one of DNA, RNA, a gene sequence, a peptide and another biological molecule.

32. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the biosensor chip includes one or more potentiostat circuits and wherein the apparatus is arranged to apply a bias voltage to a sample in which the biosensor chip is disposed to provide a counter electrode for each potentiostat circuit of the biosensor chip.

33. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein at least one sensor chip is used for sensing said at least one property of a sample during a redox reaction.

34. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus is adapted to control at least one condition of samples in a sensing area.

35. An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the sensing area includes at least one of a heater, a cooler, a temperature-controlled fluid bath, an agitator and a means for controlling flow of a fluid to be sampled over the sensor chips.

36. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the register is adapted to register the sensor chips before they are disposed in a respective sample.

37. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the communication device and the identifier of each sensor chip include RFID electronics.

38. A sensor chip having integrated in it sensing electronics, a wireless communication device, an identifier and a memory, wherein the memory is for storing sensed data and the sensor chip is adapted to transmit the identifier and sensed data stored in the memory.