# US 10,478,821 B2 · Optical density instrument and systems and methods using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,821 B2 - Document ID: US10478821B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/958,760 - Filed: 2018-04-20 - Published: 2018-10-25 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-20 - Assignees: Biomerieux - Applicants: bioMerieux, Inc. - Inventors: Perry D. Stamm; Joel Patrick Harrison; Gregory R. Maes; Jeffrey Edward Price; Jack R. Hoffmann, Jr.; John Kenneth Korte; Daniel Joseph Pingel; Walter J. Clynes; Sean Gregory Furman; Leonard H. Schleicher, Jr.; Christopher George Kocher; Brian David Peterson; Jacky S. Yam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478821B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/50853: {with covers or lids (closures for test tubes B01L3/50825)} - G01N 1/10: in the liquid or fluent state {(burettes, pipettes B01L3/02; sampling of ground water E02D1/06; metering by volume of fluids or fluent solid material G01F11/00, G01F13/00)} - G01N 15/06: Investigating concentration of particle suspensions (by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10) - G01N 21/01: Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation - G01N 21/0303: {Optical path conditioning in cuvettes, e.g. windows; adapted optical elements or systems; path modifying or adjustment (G01N21/031 - G01N21/15 take precedence)} - G01N 21/274: {Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction} - G01N 21/4738: {Diffuse reflection (precedence is given to G01N21/55 - G01N21/57 if specular component is taken into consideration), e.g. also for testing fluids, fibrous materials} - G01N 21/4785: {Standardising light scatter apparatus; Standards therefor} - G01N 21/51: inside a container, e.g. in an ampoule (G01N21/53 takes precedence) - G01N 21/5907: {Densitometers} - G01N 21/8806: {Specially adapted optical and illumination features} - G01N 21/93: Detection standards; Calibrating {baseline adjustment, drift correction} - G01N 33/487: of liquid biological material - G01N 33/48735: {Investigating suspensions of cells, e.g. measuring microbe concentration (by chemical means C12Q1/04; colony counters C12M1/34; concentration of particle suspensions in general G01N15/06)} - B01L 2200/14: Process control and prevention of errors - B01L 2300/0654: Lenses; Optical fibres - B01L 2300/0803: Disc shape - B01L 2300/12: Specific details about materials - G01N 15/075: by optical means - G01N 21/474: {Details of optical heads therefor, e.g. using optical fibres} - G01N 2021/0168: {for the measurement cycle} - G01N 2021/0389: {Windows} - G01N 2021/4769: {Fluid samples, e.g. slurries, granulates; Compressible powdery of fibrous samples} - G01N 2021/598: {Features of mounting, adjusting} - G01N 2201/126: Microprocessor processing - G01N 2201/12707: Pre-test of apparatus, e.g. dark test, sensor test - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - 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) ## Abstract Instruments, systems, and methods for measuring optical density of microbiological samples are provided. In particular, optical density instruments providing improved safety, efficiency, comfort, and convenience are provided. Such optical density instruments include a handheld portion and a base station. The optical density instruments may be used in systems and methods for measuring optical density of biological samples. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical density instrument comprising: a handheld unit having a top and a bottom and further comprising: an optical test platform having an open top and a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of a first sample tube and a bottom portion positioned within the handheld unit such that the first sample tube extends above the top of the handheld unit when inserted in the optical test platform; an emitter positioned within the handheld unit at the bottom portion of the optical test platform such that the emitter is configured to emit light into the cavity, and wherein the emitter is configured to emit light into the first sample tube when the first sample tube is inserted in the optical test platform; at least one sensor positioned in optical communication with the emitter via the cavity, such that the at least one sensor is configured to receive the emitted light from the cavity, and such that the at least one sensor is configured to receive light emitted by the emitter and passing through the first sample tube when the first sample tube is inserted in the optical test platform; and an illumination light positioned at the bottom portion of the optical test platform and configured to illuminate the cavity such that light emitted by the illumination light is configured to illuminate the first sample tube when the first sample tube is inserted in the optical test platform; and a base station having at least a handheld unit receiving portion, wherein the handheld unit is configured to operably couple to the base station both when the handheld unit engages the handheld unit receiving portion and when the handheld unit is separated from the base station. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the emitter is configured to emit a source light through a sample disposed in the first sample tube, and the at least one sensor is configured to detect a portion of the source light that is transmitted through the sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the emitter and the illumination light are configured to emit light according to a light modulation pattern. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein at least one of the emitter or the illumination light comprises a light emitting diode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least two sensors including a density sensor and a nephelometric sensor, the density sensor being positioned opposite the emitter relative to the cavity to detect source light transmitted through a sample contained in at least one of the sample tubes and the nephelometric sensor being positioned perpendicular to an axis spanning the density sensor and the emitter to detect source light reflected by a sample in the sample tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the top of the handheld unit is open to allow a user to visually inspect a sample contained in the first sample tube and illuminated by the illumination light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises a display screen, and wherein the display screen is configured to present data transmitted to the base station by the handheld unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the handheld unit comprises a substantially hourglass shape, and the top of the handheld unit is narrower than the bottom. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the handheld unit comprises a plurality of non-skid feet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, further comprising processing circuitry configured to: control operations of at least the emitter, the illumination light, and the at least one sensor to generate raw light data; convert the raw light data into optical density data; and communicate the optical density data to a display screen in real time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the handheld unit further comprises a spring defining a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first leg and the second leg are configured to apply a force on a sample tube towards a point between the first leg and the second leg. ### Claim 12 A system for measuring optical density of a sample, the system comprising: an optical density instrument, the optical density instrument comprising: a handheld unit having a top and a bottom and further comprising: an optical test platform having an open top configured to receive a first sample tube and a bottom portion positioned within the handheld unit such that the first sample tube extends above the top of the handheld unit when inserted in the optical test platform; an emitter positioned within the handheld unit at the bottom portion of the optical test platform such that the emitter is configured to emit light into the cavity, and wherein the emitter is configured to emit light into the first sample tube when the first sample tube is inserted in the optical test platform; at least one sensor positioned in optical communication with the emitter via the cavity, such that the at least one sensor is configured to receive the emitted light from the cavity, and such that the at least one sensor is configured to receive light emitted by the emitter and passing through the first sample tube when the first sample tube is inserted in the optical test platform; and an illumination light positioned at the bottom portion of the optical test platform and configured to illuminate the cavity such that light emitted by the illumination light is configured to illuminate the first sample tube when the first sample tube is inserted in the optical test platform; and a base station having at least a handheld unit receiving portion, wherein the handheld unit is configured to operably couple to the base station both when the handheld unit engages the handheld unit receiving portion and when the handheld unit is separated from the base station; and a computing device comprising a user interface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the optical density instrument comprises processing circuitry configured to: control operations of at least the emitter, the illumination light, and the at least one sensor to generate raw light data; convert the raw light data into optical density data; communicate the optical density data to a display screen in real time; and communicate the optical density data to the user interface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to continuously communicate the optical density data to the user interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the emitter is configured to emit a source light through a sample disposed in the first sample tube, and the at least one sensor is configured to detects a portion of the source light that is transmitted through the sample. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the emitter and the illumination light are configured to emit light according to a light modulation pattern. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the emitter or the illumination light comprises a light emitting diode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least two sensors including a density sensor and a nephelometric sensor, the density sensor being positioned opposite the emitter relative to the cavity to detect source light transmitted through a sample contained in at least one of the sample tubes and the nephelometric sensor being positioned perpendicular to an axis spanning the density sensor and the emitter to detect source light reflected by a sample in the sample tube. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the top of the handheld unit is open to allow a user to visually inspect a sample contained in the first sample tube and illuminated by the illumination light. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the base station further comprises a display screen in communication with the handheld unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the base station further comprises a display screen, and wherein the display screen is configured to present data transmitted to the base station by the handheld unit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the bottom of the handheld unit comprises a plurality of non-skid feet. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the open top of the optical test platform is further configured to receive a second sample tube. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the first sample tube is affixed to the second sample tube. ### Claim 25 A method for measuring optical density of a sample, the method comprising: receiving a first sample tube, the first sample tube containing the sample; illuminating the sample in the first sample tube with light emitted by an illumination light for visual inspection by a user according to a light modulation pattern; emitting a source light with an emitter through the sample in the first sample tube according to the light modulation pattern, wherein the light modulation pattern comprises emitting the light from the illumination light to illuminate the sample and emitting the source light with the emitter at different times; detecting a portion of the source light transmitted through or reflected by the sample to generate raw light data; and converting the raw light data into optical density data. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising continuously communicating the optical density data to a user interface during operation. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein illuminating the sample occurs concurrently with at least emitting the source light or detecting the source light. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the portion of the source light transmitted through or reflected by the sample is detected during a period that the illumination light is not emitting the light. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the light modulation pattern comprises an off cycle of the illumination light that is less than 16.66 ms, such that the illumination is configured to appear substantially constant to the user. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the first sample tube is received in a cavity of a handheld unit, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting at least one of the raw light data and the optical density data to a base station in an instance in which the base station is physically separated from the handheld unit. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the light emitted by the illumination light and the source light emitted by the emitter are emitted in different directions. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the first sample tube is received in a cavity of an optical density instrument, wherein illuminating the sample comprises emitting an illumination light at least partially towards an open end of the cavity. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the light emitted by the illumination light is emitted perpendicular to the source light emitted by the emitter. ### Claim 34 A method for measuring optical density of a sample, the method comprising: receiving a first sample tube in a cavity of a handheld unit, the first sample tube containing the sample; illuminating the sample in the first sample tube with light emitted by an illumination light for visual inspection by a user according to a light modulation pattern; emitting a source light with an emitter through the sample in the first sample tube according to the light modulation pattern; detecting a portion of the source light transmitted through or reflected by the sample to generate raw light data; converting the raw light data into optical density data; and transmitting at least one of the raw light data and the optical density data to a base station in an instance in which the base station is physically separated from the handheld unit.