Method for triggering through disc grooves and related optical analysis discs and system

• US 7,428,200 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vindur Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Burstein Technologies, Inc., Vindur Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Worthington, Mark Oscar, McIntyre, Kevin Robert, Coombs, James Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari; Ali
• Application Number:
  US11/781,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20070264722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 369/53.31, 369/44.41, 369/53.2, 369/53.21, 369/53.22, 369/53.23, 369/53.41, 369/53.42, 369/275.4, 369/275.3, 369/13.54, 369/13.55, 369/47.14, 369/47.15, 422/58, 422/100, 422/101, 422/82.05, 422/68.1, 435/287.2, 435/39, 435/7.25, 436/164, 436/165
• US Class Current: 369/53.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0806 Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00178 Special arrangements of analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00069 whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk

Abstract

An optical analysis disc includes grooves defining corresponding laser-readable tracks and trigger marks that identify respective target regions on the disc. The trigger marks are implemented as a radial interruption of the grooves to thereby produce an increased reflection of a laser beam. There is also provided an optical analysis disc system including a trigger mechanism having a trigger detector adapted to detect interruptions in grooves of an optical analysis disc. A related method for triggering through interrupted grooves of an optical analysis disc includes detecting interruption in the grooves, generating an electrical reflection signal corresponding to the interruptions detected, and elaborating said reflection signal, so that to generate a trigger signal.

Claims

1. An optical bio-disc analysis system for analyzing biological samples positioned on analysis zones of a bio-disc, the analysis system comprising:

a rotation mechanism configured to support and rotate the bio-disc;

a detector configured to detect at least a current intensity of an optical signal reflected from the bio-disc;

a trigger module configured to detect interruptions in one or more grooves of the bio-disc as the bio-disc rotates;

a processing module configured to determine a current angular position of the bio-disc with reference to the detector based at least partly on the current intensity of the reflected optical signal.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a laser module configured to direct a laser beam toward said bio-disc.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflected optical signal has a first intensity value when an optical signal is reflected by one of the grooves and a second intensity value when the optical signal is reflected by an interruption of the grooves.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more interruptions of the bio-disc comprises reflective characteristics of a mirror.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein detection of one or more of the interruptions indicates that the laser beam is proximate one of the analysis zones.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the second intensity value is greater than the first intensity value.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the processing module is further configured to regenerate a clock signal based at least partly on the respective time gaps between circular grooves and interruptions on the bio-disc.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine data encoded in the interruptions of the bio-disc.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing module is further configured to perform error correction on the encoded data.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing module comprises a microprocessor.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the processing module comprises a slicer/PLL type apparatus.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the processing module comprises a counter device that counts a predetermined number of clock pulses for determining a clock pulse corresponding to a trigger signal.

13. A method of analyzing biological samples positioned on analysis zones of a bio-disc, the method comprising:

rotating a bio-disc comprising one or more analysis zones, wherein the bio-disc comprises one or more interruptions in a substantially circular groove of the bio-disc proximate each of the one or more analysis zones;

detecting at least a current intensity of an optical signal reflected from the bio-disc;

determining a current angular position of the bio-disc based at least partly on the current intensity of the reflected optical signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein an increase in the current intensity of the reflected optical signal compared to a previous intensity of the reflected optical signal indicates a position of an analysis zone.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising initiating analysis of a biological sample in an analysis zone of the bio-disc in response to determining that the current angular position of the bio-disc is such that the biological sample may be analyzed.

16. A system of analyzing biological samples positioned on analysis zones of a bio-disc, the method comprising:

means for rotating a bio-disc comprising one or more analysis zones, wherein the bio-disc comprises one or more interruptions in a substantially circular groove of the bio-disc proximate each of the one or more analysis zones;

means for detecting at least a current intensity of an optical signal reflected from the bio-disc;

means for determining a current angular position of the bio-disc based at least partly on the current intensity of the reflected optical signal.