System for performing multi-formatted assays
First Claim
1. A system for detecting two or more different optical signals emitted from each of a plurality of reaction receptacles, wherein the reaction receptacles are disposed in a fixed arrangement with respect to each other, said system comprising:
- a plurality of optical sensors, each of said optical sensors being configured to detect one of the two or more optical signals and being associated with one of the reaction receptacles so that each reaction receptacle has associated therewith one optical sensor for each optical signal to be detected, whereby said optical sensors associated with each of the plurality of reaction receptacles are arranged in a configuration that enables each optical sensor to detect the associated optical signal emitted from the associated reaction receptacle; and
a transport mechanism constructed and arranged to effect movement of each reaction receptacle to sequentially place each reaction receptacle into a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors,wherein (1) said plurality of optical sensors are arranged so that only one of the plurality of reaction receptacles at a time can be in a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors, and (2) each of said optical sensors configured to detect one of the two or more optical signals is arranged together in a group with at least one other of said optical sensors configured to detect the same optical signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated analyzer for performing multiple diagnostic assays simultaneously includes multiple stations in which discrete aspects of the assay are performed on fluid samples contained in sample vessels. The analyzer includes stations for automatically preparing a sample, incubating the sample, preforming an analyte isolation procedure, ascertaining the presence of a target analyte, and analyzing the amount of a target analyte. An automated receptacle transporting system moves the sample vessels from one station to the next. A method for performing an automated diagnostic assay includes an automated process for isolating and amplifying a target analyte, and, in one embodiment, a method for real-time monitoring of the amplification process.
434 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system for detecting two or more different optical signals emitted from each of a plurality of reaction receptacles, wherein the reaction receptacles are disposed in a fixed arrangement with respect to each other, said system comprising:
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a plurality of optical sensors, each of said optical sensors being configured to detect one of the two or more optical signals and being associated with one of the reaction receptacles so that each reaction receptacle has associated therewith one optical sensor for each optical signal to be detected, whereby said optical sensors associated with each of the plurality of reaction receptacles are arranged in a configuration that enables each optical sensor to detect the associated optical signal emitted from the associated reaction receptacle; and a transport mechanism constructed and arranged to effect movement of each reaction receptacle to sequentially place each reaction receptacle into a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors, wherein (1) said plurality of optical sensors are arranged so that only one of the plurality of reaction receptacles at a time can be in a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors, and (2) each of said optical sensors configured to detect one of the two or more optical signals is arranged together in a group with at least one other of said optical sensors configured to detect the same optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for detecting two or more different optical signals emitted from each of a plurality of reaction receptacles, wherein the reaction receptacles are disposed in a fixed arrangement with respect to each other, said system comprising:
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a plurality of optical sensors, each of said optical sensors being configured to detect one of the two or more optical signals and being associated with one of the reaction receptacles so that each reaction receptacle has associated therewith one optical sensor for each optical signal to be detected, whereby said optical sensors associated with each of the plurality of reaction receptacles are arranged in a configuration that enables each optical sensor to detect the associated optical signal emitted from the associated reaction receptacle; and a transport mechanism constructed and arranged to effect relative movement between the plurality of reaction receptacles and the optical sensors to sequentially place each reaction receptacle into a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors, wherein (1) said plurality of optical sensors are arranged so that only one of the plurality of reaction receptacles at a time can be in a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors, (2) each of said optical sensors configured to detect one of the two or more optical signals is arranged together in a group with at least one other of said optical sensors configured to detect the same optical signal, and (3) wherein the relative movement comprises changing the physical location of the optical sensors, the reaction receptacles, or both the optical sensors and the reaction receptacles, within the system.
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19. A method for detecting two or more different optical signals emitted from each of a plurality of reaction receptacles, disposed in a fixed arrangement with respect to each other using an instrument comprising optical sensors configured to detect one of two or more optical signals from each of a plurality of reaction receptacles, wherein each optical sensor is associated with one of the reaction receptacles and each reaction receptacle has associated therewith one optical sensor for each optical signal to be detected and wherein the optical sensors are arranged so that only one of the plurality of reaction receptacles at a time can be in a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors and the optical sensors are grouped so that each of the reaction receptacles is placed in a signal-detecting position with respect to an associated optical sensor configured to detect one optical signal before the reaction receptacle is placed in signal-detecting position with respect to an associated optical sensor configured to detect a different optical signal, said method comprising, for each of the two or more different optical signals to be detected the steps of:
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(a) effecting movement of the plurality of reaction receptacles to sequentially place each reaction receptacle of the fixed arrangement of reaction receptacles into a signal-detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors configured to detect one of the two or more optical signals; and (b) sequentially measuring an amount of the one optical signal emitted by the contents of each reaction receptacle as each reaction receptacle is placed in the signal detecting position with respect to its associated optical sensor configured to detect the one optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification