Systems and methods for detecting a liquid level
AssigneeElbit Systems of America / Kmc Systems, Inc.
InventorFrank Pawlowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for detecting a liquid surface of a liquid sample with a pipetting tip, the method includes receiving an indication of a capacitance of the pipetting tip, and determining, based on a rate of change of the indication of the capacitance rising above a first preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has come into contact with the liquid surface. The method also includes determining, based on the rate of change of the indication of the capacitance falling below a second preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has lost contact with the liquid surface.
Claims6
A method for detecting a liquid surface of a liquid sample with a pipetting tip coupled to a positive-displacement pump having a pump chamber, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a signal processor coupled to the positive-displacement pump, an indication of a vacuum of the pump chamber;
- beginning an aspiration cycle prior to the pipetting tip contacting the liquid surface;
- determining, by the signal processor based on a rate of change of the indication of vacuum rising above a first preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has come into contact with the liquid surface;
- and
- determining, by the signal processor based on the rate of change of the indication of vacuum falling below a second preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has lost contact with the liquid surface.
A system for detecting a liquid surface of a liquid sample comprising:
- a positive-displacement pump having a pump chamber;
- a pipetting tip coupled to the positive-displacement pump;
- and
- a signal processor coupled to the positive-displacement pump, the signal processor configured to:
- receive an indication of a vacuum of the pump chamber;
- begin an aspiration cycle prior to the pipetting tip contacting the liquid surface;
- determine, based on a rate of change of the indication of vacuum rising above a first preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has come into contact with the liquid surface;
- and
- determine, based on the rate of change of the indication of vacuum falling below a second preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has lost contact with the liquid surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.