Electronic assay device and method
First Claim
1. An assay device for determining the presence of one or more selected analytes in a sample, the device comprising:
- a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior area;
sample receptor means for receiving a sample, the sample receptor means being located on the exterior surface of the housing;
sample treatment means for reacting the sample with a reagent to yield a physically detectable change which correlates with the amount of selected analyte in the sample, the sample treatment means being located within the housing and in fluid communication with the sample receptor means;
detector means for responding to the physically detectable change and producing an electrical signal which correlates to the amount of selected analyte in the sample, the detector means being located within the housing and in electrical or optical communication with the sample treatment means;
processing means for storing assay calibration information, the assay calibration information being uniquely characteristic to the specific reagent and physically detectable change of the sample treatment means and to the specific detector means of the individual assay device, the processing means further calibrating the sample treatment means and the detector means using the stored assay calibration information, and the processing means further converting the electrical signal to a digital output, the processing means being located within the housing and connected to the detector means;
starting means for automatically activating the processing means and detector means upon the application of the sample to the device, the starting means being located within the housing and connecting to the processing means; and
display means for visually displaying the digital output external to the housing, the display means being connected to the processing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an assay device for determining the presence of one or more selected analytes in a sample. The device includes a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior area. A sample receptor receives the sample. A sample treatment strip reacts the sample with a reagent to yield a physically detectable change which correlates with the amount of selected analyte in the sample. A detector responds to the physically detectable change and produces an electrical signal which correlates to the amount of the selected analyte in the sample. A processor converts the electrical signal to a digital output. A starter automatically activates the processor and detector upon the application of the sample to the device. A display visually displays the digital output external to the housing and is connected to the processor. The present invention also provides a method for determining the presence of one or more selected analytes in a sample within a disposable housing, automatically starting a diagnostic device to analyze a sample, and displaying quantitative assay results for a plurality of selected analytes in a sample on a diagnostic device.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An assay device for determining the presence of one or more selected analytes in a sample, the device comprising:
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a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior area; sample receptor means for receiving a sample, the sample receptor means being located on the exterior surface of the housing; sample treatment means for reacting the sample with a reagent to yield a physically detectable change which correlates with the amount of selected analyte in the sample, the sample treatment means being located within the housing and in fluid communication with the sample receptor means; detector means for responding to the physically detectable change and producing an electrical signal which correlates to the amount of selected analyte in the sample, the detector means being located within the housing and in electrical or optical communication with the sample treatment means; processing means for storing assay calibration information, the assay calibration information being uniquely characteristic to the specific reagent and physically detectable change of the sample treatment means and to the specific detector means of the individual assay device, the processing means further calibrating the sample treatment means and the detector means using the stored assay calibration information, and the processing means further converting the electrical signal to a digital output, the processing means being located within the housing and connected to the detector means; starting means for automatically activating the processing means and detector means upon the application of the sample to the device, the starting means being located within the housing and connecting to the processing means; and display means for visually displaying the digital output external to the housing, the display means being connected to the processing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A multi-assay device for determining the presence of a plurality of selected analytes in a sample, the multi-assay device comprising:
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a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior area; sample receptor means for receiving a sample, the sample receptor means being located on the exterior surface of the housing; sample treatment means for reacting the sample with a plurality of reagents corresponding to the plurality of selected analytes to yield physically detectable changes which each correlate with the amount of one of the selected analytes in the sample, the sample treatment means being located within the housing and in fluid communication with the sample receptor means; detector means for responding to the physically detectable changes and producing electrical signals which each correlate to the amount of one of the selected analytes in the sample, the detector means being located within the housing and in electrical or optical communication with the sample treatment means; processing means for storing assay calibration information, the assay calibration information being uniquely characteristic to the specific reagent and physically detectable change of the sample treatment means and to the specific detector means of the individual multi-assay device, the processing means further calibrating the sample treatment means and the detector means using the stored assay calibration information, and the processing means further converting each electrical signal to a digital output corresponding to each selected analyte, the processing means being located within the housing and connected to the detector means; and display means for externally displaying each digital output corresponding to one of the selected analytes, each digital output having assay result information of one of the selected analytes, the display means being connected to the processing means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An assay device for providing quantitative measurement of one or more selected analytes in a sample using reflected optical radiation, the device comprising:
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a housing having an exterior surface and sealing an interior area; a receptor configured to receive a sample containing an analyte, the receptor being located on the exterior surface of the housing; at least one assay strip for reacting the sample with a self-contained reagent to yield a physically detectable change in at least one sampling area on each assay strip which correlates with the amount of selected analyte in the sample, each assay strip being in fluid communication with the receptor; a reflectometer having an optical radiation source, a detector configured to quantitatively detect optical radiation, and an optics assembly configured to direct illumination from the optical radiation source to each sampling area on the at least one assay strip and to direct radiation diffusely reflected from each sampling area to the detector, the detector producing an electrical signal which correlates to the amount of the selected analyte in the sample; a processor configured to store assay calibration information, the assay calibration information being uniquely characteristic to the specific self-contained reagent and physically detectable change within each sampling area and to the specific reflectometer of the individual assay device, the processor further configured to calibrate each sampling area and the reflectometer using the stored assay calibration information, and the processor further configured to convert each electrical signal to a digital output, the processor being sealed within the housing and connected to the reflectometer; a starter configured to automatically activate the processor and reflectometer upon the application of the sample to the device, the starter being located within the housing and connecting to the processor; and a display configured to visually display each digital output external to the housing, the display being connected to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of determining the presence of one or more selected analytes in a sample using a disposable housing, the method comprising the steps of:
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reacting a sample within the housing with a reagent corresponding to one or more of the selected analytes to yield a physically detectable change which correlates with the amount of the selected analyte in the sample; calibrating the physically detectable change using assay calibration information uniquely characteristic to the specific reagent in the housing and to the physically detectable change for the selected analyte to determine the amount of the selected analyte; and displaying the amount of the selected analyte. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of automatically starting a diagnostic device and of determining the presence of one or more selected analytes in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:
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sensing the introduction of a sample to a single-use, disposable device and generating a signal to activate the device; and reacting a self-contained reagent located within the device with one or more selected analytes in the sample to yield a physically detectable change which correlates with assay calibration information stored within the device which is uniquely characteristic to the specific self-contained reagent and physically detectable change. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification