Microfluidic flow sensor
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsAlexander Govyadinov, Erik D Torniainen, Pavel Kornilovich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a microfluidic channel and a flow sensor along the microfluidic channel. The flow sensor includes a heat emitting resistor for connection to an electric current source, analytical parameter sensor and electronics. The heat emitting resistor has a resistance that varies in response to temperature. The electrical parameter sensor is to sense an electrical parameter of the heat emitting resistor that is based on the resistance of the heat emitting resistor. The electronics determine a flow based on the sensed electrical parameter.
Claims15
An apparatus comprising:
- a microfluidic channel;
- and
- a flow sensor along the microfluidic channel, the flow sensor comprising:
- a heat emitting resistor for connection to an electric current source, the heat emitting resistor having a resistance that varies in response to temperature;
- an electrical parameter sensor to sense an electrical parameter of the heat emitting resistor that is based on the resistance of the heat emitting resistor;
- and
- electronics that determine a flow based on the sensed electrical parameter.
A method comprising:
- moving fluid through a microfluidic channel;
- transmitting electrical current through a heat emitting resistor extending within the microfluidic channel;
- sensing changes in flow of the electrical current through the heat emitting resistor, wherein the changes correspond to the rate at which heat is drawn from the heat emitting resistor by flow of the fluid across the heat emitting resistor;
- and
- determining a rate of flow of fluid across the heat emitting resistor based upon the sensed changes in the flow of the electrical current through the heat emitting resistor.
An apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to direct a processor to:
- transmit electrical current through a heat emitting resistor extending within a microfluidic channel;
- receive signals indicating flow of the electrical current through the heat emitting resistor, wherein the changes in electrical current flow correspond to the rate at which heat is drawn from the heat emitting resistor by flow of the fluid across the heat emitting resistor;
- and
- determine a rate of flow of fluid across the heat emitting resistor based upon the sensed changes in the flow of the electrical current through the heat emitting resistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.