Optical reader system and method for monitoring and correcting lateral and angular misalignments of label independent biosensors
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsJacques Gollier, Garrett Piech, Michael Webb
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Abstract
An optical reader system and method are described herein that can detect a lateral and/or angular misalignment of one or more biosensors so that the biosensors can be properly re-located after being removed from and then reinserted into the optical reader system. In one embodiment, the biosensors are incorporated within the wells of a microplate.
Claims35
A method for detecting and correcting a misalignment of a microplate in an optical reader system, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing said microplate onto a holder;
- using a fiducial marking on said microplate to determine a first position of said microplate;
- removing said microplate from said holder;
- re-inserting said microplate back onto said holder;
- using said fiducial marking on said microplate to determine a second position of said microplate;
- comparing the first position and the second position of said microplate;
- and
- if there is a difference between the two positions, then addressing the lateral and/or angular misalignment of said microplate.
An optical reader system comprising:
- a holder for supporting a biosensor;
- a light source for creating an optical beam which is scanned across a fiducial marking associated with the biosensor;
- a detector for collecting the scanned optical beam which is reflected from the fiducial marking associated with the biosensor;
- a processor for analyzing the collected optical beam and determining a position of the biosensor;
- and
- said processor for addressing a lateral and/or an angular misalignment of the biosensor, if needed.
A microplate comprising:
- a frame including a plurality of wells formed therein, each well incorporating a biosensor that includes:
- a substrate;
- a measurement diffraction grating;
- and
- a waveguide film;
- and
- said frame further includes at least one fiducial marking located thereon which is used to help determine a position of the biosensors.
A biosensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- a biomolecular sensing diffraction grating;
- a position sensing fiducial marking;
- and
- a waveguide film, wherein said biomolecular sensing diffraction grating and said position sensing fiducial marking are located between said substrate and said waveguide film.
A non-scanning interrogation system that uses a vision system to obtain an image of a sensor plate which has one or more fiducials thereon and also uses a processor to analyze the image to look at a position of the one or more fiducials and correct if needed a lateral and/or an angular misalignment of the sensor plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.