Analytical system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An analytical system comprising:
- a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region on the base unit and having an adapter-base interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the base interface array when the adapter is attached to the attachment region, a sample substrate attachment region, and an adapter-sample substrate interface array having at least one interface component therein; and
a sample substrate configured to be removably attached to the sample substrate attachment region of the adapter and having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the adapter-sample substrate interface array when the sample substrate is attached to the sample substrate attachment region, wherein the sample substrate has disposed therein a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs;
wherein the base interface array includes at least one interface component selected from the group consisting of electrical power sources, analog signal connectors, digital signal connectors, energy transmission sources, and electrical/electrochemical signal detectors, pH detectors and energy emission detectors and wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and one or more of at least one of die plurality of mesoscale channels and at least one of the plurality of reservoirs of the sample substrate, through the adapter.
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Abstract
An analytical system comprised as a base unit, an adapter, and a sample substrate. The adapter is attached to an attachment region on the base unit, and the sample substrate is attached to an attachment region on the adapter. The adapter permits the base unit to be interfaced with a wide variety of different sample substrates to perform chemical and biological analytical analyses.
57 Citations
115 Claims
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1. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region on the base unit and having an adapter-base interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the base interface array when the adapter is attached to the attachment region, a sample substrate attachment region, and an adapter-sample substrate interface array having at least one interface component therein; and
a sample substrate configured to be removably attached to the sample substrate attachment region of the adapter and having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the adapter-sample substrate interface array when the sample substrate is attached to the sample substrate attachment region, wherein the sample substrate has disposed therein a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs;
wherein the base interface array includes at least one interface component selected from the group consisting of electrical power sources, analog signal connectors, digital signal connectors, energy transmission sources, and electrical/electrochemical signal detectors, pH detectors and energy emission detectors and wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and one or more of at least one of die plurality of mesoscale channels and at least one of the plurality of reservoirs of the sample substrate, through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
a sample substrate having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component therein; and
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region of the base unit and having an attachment region to removably receive the sample substrate, wherein the adapter holds the sample substrate in a fixed position relative to the base unit and provides at least one of (i) a connection path from the interface component in the base interface array to the substrate or (ii) a connection path from the interface component in the sample substrate array to the base unit;
wherein the adapter includes an energy distribution network, wherein the interface component in the base interface array is an energy source, and wherein the sample substrate array comprises a plurality of energy connectors which couple to the energy distribution network in the adapter and wherein when the system is assembled energy is transferred between the base unit and the sample substrate through the energy distribution network in the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method for configuring an analytical system, said method comprising:
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providing a base unit having an attachment region including at least one interface component therein;
removably attaching an adapter to the attachment region of the base unit so that an interface component on the adapter mates with a corresponding interface component on the base unit, wherein the adapter includes a sample substrate attachment region having at least one interface component therein; and
removably attaching a sample substrate to the sample substrate attachment region on the adapter so that an interface component on the sample substrate mates with a corresponding interface component on the adapter;
wherein the sample substrate has a plurality of channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs and flow biasing regions, positioned at at least some of the reservoirs or channels and wherein when the system is assembled the interface component on the base region is connected to the interface component on the sample substrate through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
directing flow control signals from the base unit to the adapter; and
energizing flow biasing regions the adapter in response to the flow control signals, whereby corresponding flow biasing regions on the substrate are energized to control flow through the channels and among the reservoirs.
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23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the energizing step comprises electrically biasing the flow biasing regions.
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24. A method as in claim 22, wherein the energizing step comprises acoustically driving the flow biasing regions.
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25. A method as in claim 19, wherein the adapter further comprises at least an electromagnetic radiation source, said method further comprising directing an electromagnetic radiation source control signal from the base unit to the adapter.
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26. A method as in claim 25, wherein the adapter further comprises an electromagnetic radiation detector, said method further comprising generating a signal in the adapter in response to radiation emitted from the substrate and directing said signal to the base unit.
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27. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region of the base unit and having an adapter-base interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the base interface array when the adapter is attached to the attachment region, a sample substrate attachment region, and an adapter-sample substrate interface array having at least one interface component therein; and
a sample substrate configured to be removably attached to the sample substrate attachment region of the adapter and having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the adapter-sample substrate interface array when the sample substrate is attached to the sample substrate attachment region, wherein the sample substrate has a top side, a bottom side, and an interior region therebetween, wherein the interior region has a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs;
wherein the adapter-sample substrate array includes at least one interface component selected from the group consisting of electrical power sources, analog signal connectors, digital signal connectors, energy transmission sources, pH detectors, energy emission detectors, and electrical/electrochemical signal detectors and wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and the sample substrate through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
a sample substrate comprising a top side, a bottom side, and an interior region therebetween, wherein the interior region has a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs, the sample substrate having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component therein; and
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region of the base unit and having an attachment region to removably receive the sample substrate, wherein the adapter holds the sample substrate in a fixed position relative to the base unit and provides at least one of (i) a connection path from the interface component in the base interface array to at least one of the plurality of mesoscale channels or at least one of the plurality of reservoirs of the substrate of (ii) a connection path from the interface component in the sample substrate array to the base unit;
wherein the base interface array includes an energy emission detector, wherein the sample substrate array includes and energy transmission region, and wherein the adapter aligns the energy emission detector with the energy transmission region when the adapter is mounted on the attachment region of the base unit and the sample substrate is mounted on the attachment region of the adapter and wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and the sample substrate through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A method for configuring an analytical system, said method comprising:
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providing a base unit having an attachment region including at least one interface component therein;
removably attaching an adapter to the attachment region of the base unit so that an interface component on the adapter mates with a corresponding interface component on the base unit, wherein the adapter includes a sample substrate attachment region having at least one interface component therein; and
removably attaching a sample substrate to the sample substrate attachment region on the adapter so that an interface component on the sample substrate mates with a corresponding interface component on the adapter wherein the sample substrate has a plurality of channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs and flow biasing regions, positioned at at least some of the reservoirs or channels;
wherein the adapter further comprises at least an electromagnetic radiation source, said method further comprising directing an electromagnetic radiation source control signal from the base unit to the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
directing flow control signals from the base unit to the adapter; and
energizing flow biasing regions the adapter in response to the flow control signals, whereby corresponding flow biasing regions on the substrate are energized to control flow through the channels and among the reservoirs.
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49. A method as in claim 48, wherein the energizing step comprises electrically biasing the flow biasing regions.
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50. A method as in claim 49, wherein the energizing step comprises acoustically driving the flow biasing regions.
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51. A method as in claim 45, wherein the adapter further comprises an electromagnetic radiation detector, said method further comprising generating a signal in the adapter in response to radiation emitted from the substrate and directing said signal to the base unit.
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52. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein, wherein the base unit comprises a digital processor;
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region of the base unit and having an adapter-base interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the base interface array when the adapter is attached to the attachment region, a sample substrate attachment region, and an adapter-sample substrate interface array having at least one interface component therein; and
a sample substrate, the sample substrate having disposed therein a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs, the sample substrate being configured to be removably attached to the sample substrate attachment region of the adapter and having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the adapter-sample substrate interface array when the sample substrate is attached to die sample substrate attachment region, wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and at least one of the plurality of mesoscale channels or at least one of the plurality of reservoirs in the sample substrate, through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region of the base unit and having an adapter-base interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the base interface array when the adapter is attached to the attachment region, a sample substrate attachment region, and an adapter-sample substrate interface array having at least one interface component therein; and
a sample substrate, the sample substrate having disposed therein a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs and being configured to be removably attached to the sample substrate attachment region of the adapter and having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the adapter-sample substrate interface array when the sample substrate is attached to the sample substrate attachment region;
wherein the base interface array comprises at least electrical power electrodes disposed to mate with electrical power electrodes on the adapter-base interface array of the adapter and at least electrical signal electrodes disposed to mate with electrical signal electrodes on the adapter-base interface array of the adapter, wherein said power electrodes provide electrical power to the adapter and said signal electrodes provide data transmission between the base unit and the adapter and wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and at least one of the plurality of mesoscale channels or at least one of the plurality of reservoirs in the sample substrate through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region and having an adapter-base interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the base interface array when the adapter is attached to the attachment region, a sample substrate attachment region, and an adapter-sample substrate interface array having at least one interface component therein; and
a sample substrate configured to be removably attached to the sample substrate attachment region of the adapter and having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the adapter-sample substrate interface array when the sample substrate is attached to the sample substrate attachment region;
wherein the sample substrate has a top side, a bottom side, and an interior region therebetween, wherein the interior region has a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs and wherein the flow biasing elements comprise electrode terminals exposed on an exterior surface of the substrate and/or access points on the substrate which permit probe penetration and wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and the sample substrate through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
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100. An analytical system comprising:
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a base unit having an attachment region with a base interface array including at least one interface component therein;
an adapter configured to be removably attached to the attachment region and having an adapter-base interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the base interface array when the adapter is attached to the attachment region, a sample substrate attachment region, and an adapter-sample substrate interface array having at least one interface component therein; and
a sample substrate, the sample substrate having disposed therein a plurality of mesoscale channels connecting a plurality of reservoirs and being configured to be removably attached to the sample substrate attachment region of the adapter and having a sample substrate interface array including at least one interface component disposed to mate with a corresponding interface component in the adapter-sample substrate interface array when the sample substrate is attached to the sample substrate attachment region;
wherein the attachment region on the adapter comprises a receptacle formed in a surface of the adapter, said receptacle having peripheral dimensions which correspond to outer peripheral dimensions of the sample substrate and wherein when the system is assembled the adapter is connected between the attachment region on the base unit and the sample substrate interface array on the sample substrate so that power, signal, or energy will be transferred between the base unit and at least one of the plurality of mesoscale channels or at least one of the plurality of reservoirs in the sample substrate through the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115)
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Specification