# US 10,502,730 B2 · Automated imaging and analysis of the hemagglutination inhibition assay (HAI) > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,730 B2 - Document ID: US10502730B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/002,305 - Filed: 2018-06-07 - Published: 2018-10-11 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-28 - Assignees: Sanofi Pasteur Vaxdesign Corporation - Applicants: Sanofi Pasteur VaxDesign Corporation - Inventors: Michael Nguyen; Robert Parkhill - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502730B2 ## CPC - G01N 33/543: with an insoluble carrier for immobilising immunochemicals - B01L 9/52: {Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips} - B01L 9/523: {for multisample carriers, e.g. used for microtitration plates} - G01N 33/5304: {Reaction vessels, e.g. agglutination plates (for solid-phase systems G01N33/543)} - G01N 35/025: {having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes} - G01N 35/028: {having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates} - G01N 2333/11: Orthomyxoviridae, e.g. influenza virus - G01N 2469/10: Detection of antigens from microorganism in sample from host - 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) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract A system and method provide for high through put determination of agglutination states. The system includes a rotating table and multiple plate tilting stations. The system also includes one or more optical paths positioned to image entire plate arrays in tilted and/or untitled configurations. The system preferably includes image analysis software to analyze an image of an array of test wells and determine an agglutination state of each well based on the image analysis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining functional binding activity of an antibody, comprising: (a) preparing a sample consisting of an agglutinating factor and said antibody in at least one well of a plate comprising an array of test wells; (b) adding a target object to said sample of (a) under conditions permitting agglutination of said target object by said agglutinating factor; (c) preparing an image of said sample of (b) with said target object added using a system comprising: (i) an optical path, the optical path comprising: a camera, a lens, and a mirror; (ii) a rotating table comprising a plurality of plate holding stations and a table motor for rotating the rotating table to move any of the plate holding stations into alignment with the optical path, each plate holding station of the plurality of plate holding stations comprising: a plate holder for holding a plate comprising an array of test wells, and a tilt motor for adjusting a tilt angle of the plate holder; and (iii) a controller for controlling the table motor, the tilt motor, and the camera to acquire at least one image of at least one plate, wherein the plate comprising the sample in the at least one well is disposed in the plate holder; and (d) processing said image in a programmed processing device to determine agglutination of said target object and thereby determining functional binding activity of the antibody. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 1, wherein said plate is a culture plate having an array of test wells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 1, wherein said image includes image data for each of the wells containing sample and target object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 1, wherein in step (c) said plate is tilted at an angle and said plate is illuminated with a light source prior to preparing the image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 4, wherein the angle is about 0 degrees or about 70 degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 4, wherein the angle is between about 0 degrees to about 70 degrees. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of plates each having a respective plurality of wells are independently imaged and processed automatically. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 2, wherein a plurality of plates each having a respective plurality of wells are independently imaged and processed automatically. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 3, wherein a plurality of plates each having a respective plurality of wells are independently imaged and processed automatically. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 4, wherein a plurality of plates each having a respective plurality of wells are independently imaged and processed automatically. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 5, wherein a plurality of plates each having a respective plurality of wells are independently imaged and processed automatically. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 7, wherein up to six plates are tilted simultaneously. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 1, wherein the plates are imaged from the bottom-up. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 1, wherein the optical path of the system comprises a telecentric lens. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 10, wherein up to 100 plates per hour in a tilted configuration are independently imaged and processed automatically. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 7, wherein where up to 300 plates per hour in a non-tilted configuration are independently imaged and processed automatically. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 1, wherein the system used in the image preparation step (c) is integrated into an automation line and accessible by automated plate handlers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 17, wherein the automated plate handler is a robotic arm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 17, wherein the automated plate handler is a stacker. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method for determining functional binding activity of the antibody recited in claim 17, wherein the automated plate handler is a crane.