Apparatus for conducting measurements of electrochemiluminescent phenomena
First Claim
1. Apparatus for conducting measurements of electrochemiluminescent phenomena, comprising:
- cell means for holding a sample fluid which contains an electrochemiluminescent moiety;
detector means for detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid and providing a signal indicative of the intensity of emitted radiation;
control means for generating a digital control signal indicative of a selected slope of a ramp voltage waveform;
digital to analog converter means for generating said ramp voltage waveform in response to said digital control signal;
said digital to analog converter means comprising pulse width modulation means for converting said digital control signal to a pulse width modulated control signal; and
integrator means for producing said ramp voltage waveform whose slope is determined by said pulse width modulated control signal produced by said pulse width modulation means; and
means for supplying electrochemical energy to said sample fluid in response to the ramp voltage waveform such that said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid is induced to repeatedly emit electromagnetic radiation.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for conducting measurements of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) phenomena includes a cell unit having an electrode configuration for inducing the emission of ECL light by the application of a selected voltage waveform to a sample fluid including an ECL moiety. The sample fluid is transported to and from the cell unit by a flow-through pump/tubing system. A photomultiplier tube detects the intensity of light emitted by the sample fluid during the ECL measurement process. A computer control unit both analyzes the detected data and provides digital control signals to the cell unit to generate effective voltage waveforms. The digital control signals are supplied to a novel pulse width modulated digital to analog converter which outputs a ramp voltage waveform having the desired slope.
95 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for conducting measurements of electrochemiluminescent phenomena, comprising:
-
cell means for holding a sample fluid which contains an electrochemiluminescent moiety; detector means for detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid and providing a signal indicative of the intensity of emitted radiation; control means for generating a digital control signal indicative of a selected slope of a ramp voltage waveform; digital to analog converter means for generating said ramp voltage waveform in response to said digital control signal;
said digital to analog converter means comprising pulse width modulation means for converting said digital control signal to a pulse width modulated control signal; and
integrator means for producing said ramp voltage waveform whose slope is determined by said pulse width modulated control signal produced by said pulse width modulation means; andmeans for supplying electrochemical energy to said sample fluid in response to the ramp voltage waveform such that said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid is induced to repeatedly emit electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. Apparatus for conducting measurements of electrochemiluminescent phenoma, comprising:
-
cell means for holding a sample fluid which contains an electrochemiluminescent moiety; means for introducing a sample fluid containing an electrochemiluminescent moiety to said cell means; detector means for detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid and providing a signal indicative of the intensity of emitted radiation; ramp voltage generating means for generating a ramp voltage waveform having a selected slope, said ramp voltage generating means including means for producing a control signal representing said selected slope, and means for producing said ramp voltage waveform having said selected slope in response to said control signal; and means for supplying electrochemical energy to said sample fluid in response to the ramp voltage waveform said that said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid is induced to repeatedly emit electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 19, 20)
-
-
14. Apparatus for conducting measurements of electrochemiluminescent phenomena, comprising:
-
cell means for holding a sample fluid which contains an electrochemiluminescent moiety; detector means for detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid and providing a signal indicative of the intensity of emitted radiation; computer control means for generating a first predetermined voltage waveform having at least one selected slope;
said computer control means including means for producing a control signal representing said selected slope, and means for producing said first predetermined voltage waveform having said selected slope in response to said control signal; andmeans for supplying electrochemical energy to said sample fluid in response to the first predetermined voltage waveform such that said electrochemiluminescent moiety in said sample fluid is induced to repeatedly emit electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22)
-
Specification