Obtaining analyte information
First Claim
1. A method of detecting chemicals and biomolecules comprising the operations of:
- generating light from a light source;
inputting the light into an optical sensor that outputs a narrow range of optical wavelengths when illuminated with a broad band of optical wavelengths; and
propagating the light output from the sensor to a detector with an entry surface that includes at least one layer with a laterally varying transmission property, and using the position of light output by the detector to detect the presence of an analyte.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Light, such as from an analyte-wavelength converter or other optical sensor, is propagated to a detector or transmission structure with an entry surface and with output positions such as in an exit surface. For example, the position of light output by such a detector can be used to detect presence of an analyte such as a biomolecule or chemical. Or relative quantities of photons provided at positions of the exit surface can indicate analyte information such as presence, absence, quantity, or concentration. The detector or transmission structure can have a laterally varying energy transmission function, such as with a constant gradient or a step-like gradient. At the exit surface of the transmission structure, a photosensor array or position sensor can sense transmitted light or output photons, and, in response, circuitry can provide signals indicating the analyte information.
199 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of detecting chemicals and biomolecules comprising the operations of:
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generating light from a light source; inputting the light into an optical sensor that outputs a narrow range of optical wavelengths when illuminated with a broad band of optical wavelengths; and propagating the light output from the sensor to a detector with an entry surface that includes at least one layer with a laterally varying transmission property, and using the position of light output by the detector to detect the presence of an analyte. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Apparatus comprising:
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a light source that provides a broad band of optical wavelengths; an optical sensor that outputs a narrow band of optical wavelengths when illuminated with the broad band of optical wavelengths from the light source; and a detector that includes at least one layer with laterally varying transmission properties;
when the detector receives light output by the optical sensor, the at least one layer transmitting a portion of the received light at a position of the at least one layer, the detector using the position to detect presence of an analyte. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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providing an analyte stimulus to an analyte-wavelength converter;
in response, the converter providing output light, the output light indicating analyte information;propagating the output light to a transmission structure'"'"'s entry surface;
the transmission structure having an exit surface including a set of two or more positions;
the transmission structure being a layered structure with a laterally varying energy transmission function; andtransmitting the output light through the transmission structure to the exit surface so that relative quantities of photons are provided at the set of positions;
the relative quantities indicating the analyte information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. Apparatus comprising:
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an analyte-wavelength converter that responds to an analyte stimulus by providing output light indicating analyte information; a transmission structure with entry and exit surfaces, the exit surface including a set of at least two positions;
the transmission structure being a layered structure with a laterally varying energy transmission function; anda propagation component that propagates the output light from the converter to the transmission structure'"'"'s entry surface;
in response to the output light, the transmissionstructure providing photons at the set of positions of the exit surface so that relative quantities of photons provided at the set of positions indicate the analyte information. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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providing an analyte stimulus to an analyte-wavelength converter;
in response, the converter providing output light, the output light having a distribution of photon energies that changes over time, indicating analyte information that changes over time;propagating the output light to a transmission structure'"'"'s entry surface, the output light producing a photon energy distribution on the entry surface that changes over time in accordance with change in the analyte information over time;
the transmission structure having an exit surface including a set of two or more lateral positions;
the transmission structure including, between the entry and exit surfaces, a layered structure that extends in one or more lateral directions and that transmits photon energies from the entry surface to the exit surface as a function of lateral position in the exit surface, the function of lateral position varying in at least one of the lateral directions;in response to the changing photon energy distribution on the entry surface, transmitting a changing distribution of photon energies through the transmission structure to the exit surface and providing, at the set of lateral positions, relative quantities of photons that change over time in accordance with the change in the analyte information over time; and photosensing quantities of output photons provided at the set of lateral positions of the transmission structure'"'"'s exit surface over time and using the photosensed quantities of two or more of the set of lateral positions to obtain one or more differential quantities that indicate the change in the analyte information over time. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system comprising:
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an analyte-wavelength converter that responds to an analyte stimulus by providing output light, the output light having a distribution of photon energies that changes over time, indicating analyte information that changes over time; a transmission structure with entry and exit surfaces, the exit surface including a set of at least two lateral positions;
the transmission structure including, between the entry and exit surfaces, a layered structure that extends in one or more lateral directions and that transmits photon energies from the entry surface to the exit surface as a function of lateral position in the exit surface, the function of lateral position varying in at least one of the lateral directions;a propagation component that propagates the output light from the converter to the transmission structure'"'"'s entry surface, the output light producing a photon energy distribution on the entry surface that changes over time in accordance with change in the analyte information over time;
in response to the changing photon energy distribution on the entry surface, the transmission structure transmitting a changing distribution of photon energies to the exit surface and providing, at the set of lateral positions of the exit surface, relative quantities of photons that change over time in accordance with the change in the analyte information over time;one or more photosensing components that sense quantities of photons from the set of lateral positions of the exit surface over time; and a processor that uses sensed quantities of photons from two or more of the set of lateral positions to obtain one or more differential quantities that indicate the change in the analyte information over time. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification