WIRELESS POWER MECHANISMS FOR LAB-ON-A-CHIP DEVICES
First Claim
1. A lab-on-a-chip device, comprising:
- a microfluidic chip;
an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and to produce a first alternating current (AC) signal;
a rectifier configured to convert the first AC signal into a direct current (DC) signal; and
one or more photoconductive components, each photoconductive component configured to convert the DC signal into an AC signal when illuminated by a modulated light, and to provide the AC signal to the microfluidic chip.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, devices and systems are provided for wirelessly powering and controlling a lab-on-a-chip device. Direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) signals can be produced at the lab-on-a-chip device in a wireless manner. In some configurations, integrated RF components and optoelectronic components of the lab-on-a-chip device are used to collaboratively produce the DC and AC signals. In other configurations only optoelectronic components on the lab-on-a-chip system can produce the DC and/or AC signals in response to incident light. By modulating the incident light, AC signals of various frequencies and waveforms can be generated. The DC and AC signals can be used by additional integrated electronic circuits and by a microfluidic chip lactated on the lab-on-a-chip device to control the behavior of the bioparticles in the microfluidic device.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A lab-on-a-chip device, comprising:
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a microfluidic chip; an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and to produce a first alternating current (AC) signal; a rectifier configured to convert the first AC signal into a direct current (DC) signal; and one or more photoconductive components, each photoconductive component configured to convert the DC signal into an AC signal when illuminated by a modulated light, and to provide the AC signal to the microfluidic chip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for wirelessly powering a lab-on-a-chip device, comprising:
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receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal that is generated outside the lab-on-a chip device at an antenna located on a lab-on-a-chip device; producing a first alternating current (AC) signal from the received RF signal; rectifying the first AC signal, using a rectifier located on the lab-on-a-chip device, to produce a direct current (DC) signal that is provided to one or more photoconductive components located on the lab-on-a-chip device; illuminating the one or more photoconductive components with a modulated light, the modulated light causing each illuminated photoconductive component to convert the DC signal into an AC signal; and supplying the AC signal to power a microfluidic chip located on the lab-on-a-chip device.
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29. A lab-on-a-chip device, comprising:
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a microfluidic chip; one or more photovoltaic components configured to; produce a direct current (DC) signal in response to excitation light incident upon the one or more photovoltaic components, and to provide the DC signal to the microfluidic chip; and one or more photoconductive components each photoconductive component configured to convert the DC signal into an alternating current (AC) signal when illuminated by a modulated light, and to provide the AC signal to the microfluidic chip. - View Dependent Claims (30, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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31. A method, comprising:
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illuminating one or more photovoltaic components located on a lab-on-a-chip device with a light with substantially constant intensity, the light with substantially constant intensity causing each illuminated photovoltaic component to produce a direct current (DC) signal that is provided to one or more photoconductive components located on the lab-on-a-chip device; illuminating the one or more photoconductive components with a modulated light, the modulated light causing each illuminated photoconductive component to convert the DC signal into an alternating current (AC) signal; and supplying a microfluidic chip located on the lab-on-a-chip device with the DC signal and the AC signal.
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32. A lab-on-a-chip device, comprising:
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a microfluidic chip; a first set of one or more photovoltaic components configured to; produce a direct current (DC) signal in response to excitation light incident upon each illuminated photovoltaic component in the first set, and to provide the DC signal to the microfluidic chip; and a second set of or more one or more photovoltaic components configured to; produce an alternating current (AC) signal in response to modulated light incident upon each illuminated photovoltaic component of the second set, and provide the AC signal to the microfluidic chip to power one or more components therein. - View Dependent Claims (37, 39, 49, 50)
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33. A method, comprising:
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illuminating a first set of one or more photovoltaic components located on a lab-on-a-chip device with a light with substantially constant intensity, the light with substantially constant intensity causing each illuminated photovoltaic component in the first set to produce a direct current (DC) signal; illuminating a second set of one or more photovoltaic components located on the lab-on-a-chip device with a modulated light, the modulated light causing each illuminated photovoltaic component in the second set to produce an alternating current (AC) signal; and supplying a microfluidic chip located on the lab-on-a-chip device with the DC signal(s) and the AC signal(s).
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34. An electrical signal generator located on a lab-on-a chip device, comprising:
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one or more photovoltaic components configured to produce a direct current (DC) signal in response to receiving an excitation light of substantially constant intensity; and one or more photoconductive components configured to produce an alternating current (AC) signal from the DC signal in response to receiving a modulated light. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification