Method and apparatus for making quantitative measurements of localized accumulations of target particles having magnetic particles bound thereto
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for making quantitative measurements of target particles, said apparatus comprising:
- a movable substrate configured to receive samples including said target particles in defined patterns thereon, said samples being comprised of magnetic particles of known size and magnetic characteristics bound to the target particles to form magnetic bound complex samples, said samples being deposited in defined patterns on said substrate;
a magnetizer for generating an AC magnetic field;
magnetic field sensing elements having output signal conductors;
apparatus for moving said samples into the magnetic field and into operative relationship with said sensing elements which have resultant output signals;
a signal processor comprising processor and analyzer elements for converting said output signals from said sensing elements to provide a signal indicative of the quantity of said samples in a pattern; and
apparatus for converting said quantity indicating signal to a human useful form.
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Abstract
Apparatus for quantitatively measuring groups of magnetic particle. The particles are complexed with substances to be determined and are excited in a magnetic field. The magnetic particles are thereby caused to oscillate at the excitation frequency in the manner of a dipole to create their own fields. These fields are inductively coupled to sensing coils fabricated in a gradiometer configuration. The output signals from the sensing coils are appropriately amplified and processed to provide useful output indications.
141 Citations
36 Claims
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1. Apparatus for making quantitative measurements of target particles, said apparatus comprising:
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a movable substrate configured to receive samples including said target particles in defined patterns thereon, said samples being comprised of magnetic particles of known size and magnetic characteristics bound to the target particles to form magnetic bound complex samples, said samples being deposited in defined patterns on said substrate; a magnetizer for generating an AC magnetic field; magnetic field sensing elements having output signal conductors; apparatus for moving said samples into the magnetic field and into operative relationship with said sensing elements which have resultant output signals; a signal processor comprising processor and analyzer elements for converting said output signals from said sensing elements to provide a signal indicative of the quantity of said samples in a pattern; and apparatus for converting said quantity indicating signal to a human useful form. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for quantitatively measuring target particles, said method comprising:
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applying at least one sample pattern in a predetermined configuration on a substrate, the sample pattern being comprised of magnetic particles of known size and magnetic characteristics coupled to the target particles to form magnetic bound complex samples; creating a magnetic field by means of a magnetizer in a predefined location; moving the sample pattern through the magnetic field in a predefined manner to excite the magnetic particles in the pattern and cause oscillations therein; sensing the fields generated by the magnetic particle oscillations; creating a signal representative of the quantity of oscillating magnetic particles; and converting the representative signal to human useful form. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. Apparatus for making quantitative measurements of target particles formed in complex samples comprised of magnetic particles of known size and magnetic characteristics bound to the target particles, said apparatus comprising:
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a movable substrate on which the samples are deposited in defined patterns; a magnetizer for generating an AC magnetic field; magnetic field sensing elements having output signal conductors; apparatus for moving said samples into the magnetic field and into operative relationship with said sensing elements which have resultant output signals; a signal processor comprising processor and analyzer elements for converting said output signals from said sensing elements to provide a signal indicative of the quantity of said samples in a pattern; and apparatus for converting said quantity indicating signal to a human useful form. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for quantitatively measuring target particles coupled to magnetic particles to form magnetic bound complex samples, said method comprising:
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applying at least one sample pattern in a predetermined configuration on a substrate; creating a spatially uniform alternating magnetic field in a predefined location; moving the sample pattern through the magnetic field in a predefined manner to excite the magnetic particles in the pattern and cause oscillations therein; sensing the fields generated by the magnetic particle oscillations; creating a signal representative of the quantity of oscillating magnetic particles; and converting the representative signal to human useful form.
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Specification