Drop ejection based flow sensor calibration
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsAlexander Govyadinov, Erik D Torniainen, Pavel Kornilovich, David P Markel
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Abstract
A droplet of fluid having a predetermined drop weight is ejected from a microfluidic channel. Electrical signals are received from a sensor in the microfluidic channel, wherein the electrical signals vary in response to the ejection of the droplet of fluid. The electrical signals of the sensor are calibrated to a rate of flow of fluid through the microfluidic channel based on a number of droplets ejected and the predetermined drop weight of each droplet.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a microfluidic channel;
- a sensor along the microfluidic channel to output electrical signals that vary in response to fluid flow through the microfluidic channel;
- a drop ejector having a predetermined drop weight along the microfluidic channel;
- and
- calibration electronics to calibrate the electrical signals from the sensor to flow rate based upon drop ejection by the drop ejector.
A method comprising:
- ejecting a droplet of fluid having a predetermined drop weight from a microfluidic channel;
- receiving electrical signals from a sensor in the microfluidic channel, the electrical signals varying in response to the ejection of the droplet of fluid;
- and
- calibrating electrical signals from the sensor to corresponding fluid flow rate through the microfluidic channel based upon a number of droplets ejected and the predetermined drop weight of each droplet.
An apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to direct a processor to:
- output signals to a drop ejector to eject a droplet of fluid from a microfluidic channel, the droplet having a predetermined drop weight;
- receive electrical signals from a sensor along the microfluidic channel, the signals varying in response to ejection of the droplet;
- and
- calibrate the sensor based upon a determined relationship between the received electrical signals from the sensor and a volume of fluid ejected by the drop ejector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.