# US 11,305,284 B2 · Determining a bulk concentration of a target in a sample using a digital assay with compartments having nonuniform volumes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,284 B2 - Document ID: US11305284B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/200,447 - Filed: 2018-11-26 - Published: 2020-05-28 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-26 - Assignees: Tokitae LLC - Applicants: Tokitae LLC - Inventors: Toan Huynh; Bernhard Hans Weigl; Samantha A. Byrnes; Kevin Paul Flood Nichols - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305284B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/5082: {Test tubes per se} - C12Q 1/6816: characterised by the detection means (C12Q1/6804 takes precedence) - C23C 2/51: {Computer-controlled implementation} - B01L 2200/0673: Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid - B01L 2200/18: Transport of container or devices - B01L 2300/0663: Whole sensors - B01L 2300/0832: cylindrical, tube shaped - B01L 2400/0433: vibrational forces - C12Q 1/6844: Nucleic acid amplification reactions - G01N 33/18: Water - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - 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 An embodiment of a system includes a compartment-generating device, a compartment detector, and electronic computing circuitry. The device is configured to generate compartments of a digital assay, at least one of the compartments having a respective volume that is different from a respective volume of each of at least another one of the compartments. The detector is configured to determine a number of the compartments each having a respective number of a target that is greater than a threshold number of the target. And the electronic circuitry is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to the determined number of compartments. Because such a system can be configured to estimate a bulk concentration of a target in a source from a polydisperse digital assay, the system can be portable, and lower-cost and faster, than conventional systems. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a device configured to generate compartments of a sample, at least one of the compartments having a respective volume that is different from a respective volume of each of at least another one of the compartments; a detector configured to determine a characterized number of the compartments each having a respective number of a target that is greater than a threshold number of the target and a characterized volume for each of the compartments having the target greater than the threshold number; and a microprocessor including firmware to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample by generating an estimate of the bulk concentration in response to the characterized number of the compartments having the target greater than the threshold number and the characterized volume for each of the compartments having the target greater than the threshold number, wherein the bulk concentration is determined by a digital-variable-volume-approximation (DVVA) algorithm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a container configured to generate the compartments of the sample as droplets of the sample in an oil in response to a shaking of the container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a container configured to generate the compartments of the sample as droplets of the sample in a barrier phase in response to a shaking of the container, the droplets each have a viscosity, the barrier phase having a viscosity that is greater than the viscosity of the droplets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor including firmware is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to a respective measured volume of each of the number of compartments. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor including firmware is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to a sum of a respective measured volume of each of the compartments. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor including firmware is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to a number of the compartments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor including firmware is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to a number of other compartments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor including firmware is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to a respective measured volume of each of other compartments. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor including firmware is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to a number of other compartments and a respective measured volume of each of the other compartments. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor including firmware is configured to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample in response to a probability density function of compartment volume. ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: a barrier-phase liquid; a container configured to receive the barrier-phase liquid, to receive a sample including a target, and to generate compartments of the sample suspended in the barrier-phase liquid in response to a shaking of the container, at least one of the compartments having a respective volume that is different from a respective volume of each of at least another one of the compartments; a detector configured to determine a characterized number of the compartments each having a respective number of the target that is greater than a threshold number of the target and a characterized volume for each of the compartments having the target greater than the threshold number; and a microprocessor including firmware to determine a bulk concentration of the target in a source of the sample by generating an estimate of the bulk concentration in response to the characterized number of the compartments having the target greater than the threshold number and the characterized volume for each of the compartments having the target greater than the threshold number, wherein the bulk concentration is determined by a digital-variable-volume-approximation (DVVA) algorithm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the barrier-phase liquid includes an oil. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the container includes a clear tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the detector includes an electronic detector. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the detector is configured to determine a number of the compartments. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising an apparatus configured to obtain the sample from a source including the target.