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US 10,473,605 B2Granted
Fluid testing system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSirena C. Lu, Melinda M. Valencia, Jeremy Sells, Manish Giri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid testing system comprises controlling hardware that serves to control an electric sensor on a fluid testing cassette. In one implementation, the controlling hardware is part of a cassette interface. In another implementation, the controlling hardware is part of the portable electronic device. In one implementation, the fluid testing system applies two different frequencies of alternating current are applied to two different electric sensors.
Claims15
A fluid testing system comprising:
- at least one microfluidic channel;
- a first electric sensor within a microfluidic channel to form a first electrical field within the microfluidic channel and to output a first base signal indicating an impedance of the first electrical field;
- and
- a second electric sensor within the microfluidic channel to form a second electrical field within the microfluidic channel and to output a second base signal indicating an impedance of the second electrical field;
- a frequency source;
- a controller to output control signals controlling the frequency source to selectively apply a first nonzero frequency of alternating current to the first electric sensor and a second, different nonzero frequency of alternating current to the second electric sensor;
- a cassette comprising the at least one microfluidic channel, the first electric sensor and the second electric sensor;
- and
- a cassette interface comprising controlling hardware serving as part of the controller to control the first electric sensor and the second electric sensor, the cassette interface being releasably connected to the cassette and to be releasably connected to a portable electronic device.
6 more elements
A fluid testing system comprising:
- controlling hardware to communicate between an application programming interface on a portable electronic device and at least one electric sensor on a fluid testing cassette, the controlling hardware comprising a printed circuit board comprising:
- at least one frequency source to apply a nonzero frequency of alternating current to the at least one electric sensor;
- a frequency source controller to control the at least one frequency source;
- a first impedance extractor to receive base signals from the at least one electric sensor and to extract impedance signals from the base signals;
- a buffer to store the impedance signals as impedance signals are being transmitted to the application programming interface;
- and
- a cassette interface to releasably connect to the fluid testing cassette and to releasably connect to a portable electronic device, the cassette interface comprising the printed circuit board.
4 more elements
A cassette interface comprising:
- a first electrical connector to releasably electrically connect directly to electrical connectors of a microfluidic cassette that includes a microfluidic channel and an electric sensor at the microfluidic channel;
- a second electrical connector to releasably electrically connect directly to electrical connectors of a portable electronic device that includes a user interface, a power source, and an application programming interface;
- a circuit electrically connected to the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector, the circuit to communicate power and signals between the microfluidic cassette and the portable electronic device, the circuit including firmware to carry out a test of a fluid sample in the microfluidic channel of the microfluidic cassette, the firmware to:
- apply a nonzero frequency of alternating current to the electric sensor of the microfluidic cassette based on instructions originating from the application programming interface of the portable electronic device;
- receive base signals from the electric sensor of the microfluidic cassette and extract impedance signals from the base signals;
- buffer extracted impedance signals as buffered impedance signals;
- and
- communicate the buffered impedance signals to the application programming interface of the portable electronic device.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.