Array with extended dynamic range and associated method

A method of quantitating the concentration of a molecule of interest by extending the dynamic range of an array, comprising:

• establishing a first test environment at a first test site of an array and a second test environment at a second test site of the array using an environment control device, each of the first and second test environments (i) including at least one first probe molecule which is identical to a probe molecule provided in the other of the first and second test environments, and (ii) associated with one of a plurality of response curves, each of the plurality of response curves different from the other of the plurality of response curves;
• identifying, for each of the first and second test sites, the associated one of the plurality of response curves, wherein each of the identified associated response curves is different from the other of the identified associated response curves;
• storing a combined response curve resulting from a summation of the identified associated response curves;
• exposing each of the first and second test sites to a sample having a concentration of the molecule of interest such that the concentration of the molecule of interest is the same at each of the plurality of first and second test sites;
• binding a first number of the molecules of interest from the sample at the first test site while the first test site is established at the first test environment;
• binding a second number of the molecules of interest from the sample at the second test site while the second test site is established at the second test environment, the second number different from the first number;
• obtaining a first quantitation signal associated with the bound first number of molecules of interest using a label reader;
• obtaining a second quantitation signal associated with the bound second number of molecules of interest using the label reader;
• summing the first and second quantitation signals;
• associating the summation of the first and second quantitation signals with the stored combined response curve;
• and
• determining the concentration of the molecule of interest in the sample based upon the association.