# US 10,371,632 B2 · Data correction method in fine particle measuring device and fine particle measuring device

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- Number: US 10,371,632 B2
- Document ID: US10371632B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/404,196
- Filed: 2013-04-03
- Published: 2015-04-23
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-06-06
- Assignees: Sony Corporation
- Applicants: Sony Corporation
- Inventors: Nao Nitta; Shingo Imanishi; Taichi Takeuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371632B2

## CPC

- G01N 21/64: Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01B 21/00: Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
- G01N 15/1429: Signal processing
- G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream}
- G01N 21/05: Flow-through cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10)
- G01N 21/21: Polarisation-affecting properties (G01N21/19 takes precedence)
- G01N 21/53: within a flowing fluid, e.g. smoke
- G01N 21/645: {Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters}
- G01N 2015/1006: {for cytology}
- G01N 2015/1415: {Control of particle position}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS

## Abstract

To provide a technique capable of highly accurately measure the intensity and the spectrum of fluorescence and scattered light by effectively correcting measurement error that occurs due to variation of flow positions of fine particles in a channel. A data correction method for a fine particle measurement device is provided, which includes an intensity detection procedure capable of detecting light generated from a fine particle by emitting light onto the fine particle flowing through a channel, and obtaining intensity information about the light, a position detection procedure capable of obtaining position information about the fine particle, and a correction procedure for correcting the intensity information on the basis of the position information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A data correction method for a fine particle measurement device, comprising:
an intensity detection procedure capable of detecting light generated from a fine particle by emitting light onto the fine particle flowing through a channel, and obtaining intensity information about the light;
a position detection procedure capable of obtaining position information about the fine particle relative to a central position within the channel at a point when the fine particle passes through the emitted light by forming an image pattern divided into a plurality of light reception areas such that the image pattern changes according to a flow position of the fine particle within the channel at the point when the fine particle passes through the emitted light wherein the position information about the fine particle is obtained in a Z axis direction as the position information, and the Z axis direction is perpendicular to an X axis direction which is an emission direction of light onto the fine particle and a Y axis direction which is a flow direction of the fine particle; and
a correction procedure for correcting the intensity information on the basis of the position information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The data correction method according to claim 1, wherein in the position detection procedure, the position information about the fine particle is obtained in the X axis direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The data correction method according to claim 2, wherein in the position detection procedure, a detection device receives light of an S polarization component which is separated from scattered light generated from the fine particle and given astigmatism, and a light reception position of the S polarization component on the detection device is obtained as the position information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The data correction method according to claim 3, wherein in the position detection procedure, a detection device of which light reception surface is divided into multiple areas is used as the detection device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The data correction method according to claim 4, wherein a detection device of which light reception surface is divided into four areas, which are an area A, an area B, an area C, and an area D, in a lattice manner is used as the detection device, and the position information about the fine particle in the Z axis direction is obtained from a difference Δ1 (A−C) of detection values in the area A and the area C which is not adjacent to the area A.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The data correction method according to claim 5, wherein in the position detection procedure, the position information about the fine particle in the X axis direction is obtained from a difference Δ2 ((A+C)−(B+D)) between a summation (A+C) of detection values in the area A and the area C and a summation (B+D) of detection values in the area B and the area D.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The data correction method according to claim 6, wherein in the correction procedure, the intensity information is corrected on the basis of at least one of the difference Δ1 or the difference Δ2.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The data correction method according to claim 7, wherein a quadrant photodiode is used as the detection device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The data correction method according to claim 6, wherein in the correction procedure, only the intensity information about the fine particle where at least one of the difference Δ1 or the difference Δ2 is within a predetermined range is extracted.

### Claim 10

A fine particle measurement device comprising:
a light illumination unit configured to emit light onto a fine particle flowing through a channel;
a light detection unit configured to detect light generated from the fine particle;
a position detection unit configured to obtain position information about the fine particle relative to a central position within the channel at a point when the fine particle passes through the emitted light, by forming an image pattern divided into a plurality of light reception areas such that the image pattern changes according to a flow position of the fine particle within the channel at the point when the fine particle passes through the emitted light, wherein the position information about the fine particle is obtained in a Z axis direction as the position information, and the Z axis direction is perpendicular to an X axis direction which is an emission direction of light onto the fine particle and a Y axis direction which is a flow direction of the fine particle; and
an arithmetic computation unit configured to correct, on the basis of the position information, intensity information about light generated from the fine particle obtained by the light detection unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 10, wherein the position detection unit includes:
a first spectral device configured to separate scattered light generated from the fine particle into an S polarization component and a P polarization component;
an S polarization detection device configured to receive light of the S polarization component; and
an astigmatism device provided between the first spectral device and the S polarization detection device to give astigmatism to the S polarization component, and
a light reception position of the S polarization component on the S polarization detection device is obtained as the position information.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 11, wherein a light reception surface of the S polarization detection device is divided into a plurality of areas.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 12, wherein the light reception surface of the S polarization detection device is divided into four areas, which are an area A, an area B, an area C, and an area D, in a lattice manner.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 13, wherein the arithmetic computation unit corrects the intensity information on the basis of at least one of:
a difference Δ1 (A−C) of detection values in the area A and the area C which is not adjacent to the area A, or a difference Δ2 ((A+C)−(B+D)) between a summation (A+C) of detection values in the area A and the area C and a summation (B+D) of detection values in the area B and the area D.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 14, wherein the S polarization detection device is a quadrant photodiode.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 15, wherein the astigmatism device is a cylindrical lens.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 16 further comprising a second spectral device configured to separate the light generated from the fine particle into the scattered light and fluorescence, and
wherein the light detection unit includes a P polarization detection device configured to detect the P polarization component and a fluorescence detection device configured to detect the fluorescence.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 17, wherein the light detection unit includes a third spectral device configured to separate the fluorescent, and
the fluorescence detection device is arranged with a plurality of independent light reception devices configured to detect the fluorescence separated by the third spectral device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The fine particle measurement device according to claim 13, wherein the arithmetic computation unit extracts only the intensity information about the fine particle where at least one of a difference Δ1 (A−C) of detection values in the area A and the area C which is not adjacent to the area A or a difference Δ2 ((A+C)−(B+D)) between a summation (A+C) of detection values in the area A and the area C and a summation (B+D) of detection values in the area B and the area D is within a predetermined range.