VOLTAGE UPCONVERTER

• US 20180021776A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Giri, Manish, Valencia, Melinda M., Smith, Matthew David, Lu, Sirena, Yu, Joshua M, Bengali, Sadig
• Granted Patent: US 10,953,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0647 Handling flowable solids, e.g. microscopic beads, cells, particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/023 Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/024 Storing results with means integrated into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/027 Digital display, e.g. LCD, LED
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0663 Whole sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/088 Channel loops
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/046 Chemical or electrochemical formation of bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0475 specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
• 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: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48714 for determining substances foreign to the organism, e.g. drugs or heavy metals drugs by chemical analysis G01N33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only

Abstract

A system may comprise a voltage upconverter, a universal serial bus (USB) connector to receive an input voltage from a USB port on a computing device, and a microfluidic diagnostic chip communication link to electrically couple the voltage upconverter to a microfluidic diagnostic chip wherein the voltage upconverter is to convert the input voltage to be received by the USB connector to an output voltage sufficient to drive a pump on the microfluidic diagnostic chip. A diagnostic system may comprise a microfluidic diagnostic chip comprising a pump and a voltage upconverter to receive an input voltage from a universal serial bus (USB) port of a computing device and to convert the input voltage into an output voltage that powers activation of the pump.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a voltage upconverter;

a universal serial bus (USB) connector to receive an input voltage from a USB port on a computing device; and

a microfluidic diagnostic chip communication link to electrically couple the voltage upconverter to a microfluidic diagnostic chip,

wherein the voltage upconverter is to convert the input voltage to be received by the USB connector to an output voltage sufficient to drive a pump on the microfluidic diagnostic chip.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage upconverter is to further provide a lower output voltage relative to the voltage sufficient to drive the pump to the microfluidic diagnostic chip, the lower output voltage to power a component of the microfluidic diagnostic chip separate from the pump.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output voltage is to be the sole power provided to the microfluidic device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the output voltage is 5-30 volts.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage upconverter is to further convert the input voltage to second output voltage sufficient to power a sensor on the microfluidic chip.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the USB port complies with a USB 1.x, a USB 2.0, or a USB 3.x standard.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage upconverter comprises a voltage divider comprising two resistors and wherein resistances of the two resistors defines a feedback voltage upon which the output voltage is based on.

8. A diagnostic system, comprising:

a microfluidic diagnostic chip comprising a pump; and

a voltage upconverter to receive an input voltage from a universal serial bus (USB) port of a computing device and to convert the input voltage into an output voltage that powers activation of the pump.

9. The diagnostic system of claim 8, wherein the microfluidic diagnostic chip further comprises a number of sensors and wherein the output voltage is to power both the pump as well as all the sensor.

10. The diagnostic system of claim 8, wherein the USB connector complies with a USB 1.x, a USB 2.0, or a USB 3.x standard.

11. The diagnostic system of claim 8, wherein the output voltage is to be the sole power provided to the microfluidic device.

12. A method of powering a microfluidic diagnostic chip, comprising:

receiving electrical power from a universal serial bus (USB) port;

converting an input voltage of the electrical power to a output voltage with a voltage upconverter; and

activating a pump on the microfluidic diagnostic chip using the output voltage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrical power received from the USB device is the sole electrical power provided to the microfluidic diagnostic chip.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the input voltage is 5 volts and the voltage upconverter converts the input voltage of 5 volts to the output voltage of 10 volts.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein converting the input voltage of the electrical power to the output voltage with a voltage upconverter further comprises converting the input voltage into a first voltage and a second different voltage wherein the first voltage activates a pump on the microfluidic diagnostic chip and the second voltage powers a number of sensors on the microfluidic diagnostic chip.