Batch particle sorting
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsFausto D'Apuzzo, Viktor Shkolnikov, Yang Lei
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and a method for the batch sorting of particles are provided. An example of a batch sorting system includes a microfluidic ejector, a flow channel fluidically coupled to the microfluidic ejector at one end, and a reservoir coupled to an opposite end of the flow channel from the microfluidic ejector. A counter is disposed in the flow channel upstream of the microfluidic ejector to count particles prior to ejection from the microfluidic ejector. An optical sensor is to image the flow channel. A controller is configured to locate a target particle in the flow channel based, at least in part, on the image and capture the target particle in a collection vessel based, at least in part, on a count from the counter.
Claims15
A sorting system for batch sorting of particles, comprising:
- a microfluidic ejector;
- a flow channel fluidically coupled to the microfluidic ejector at one end;
- a reservoir coupled to an opposite end of the flow channel from the microfluidic ejector;
- a counter disposed in the flow channel upstream of the microfluidic ejector to count particles prior to ejection from the microfluidic ejector;
- an optical sensor to image the flow channel;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- locate a target particle in the flow channel based, at least in part, on the image;
- and
- capture the target particle in a collection vessel based, at least in part, on a count from the counter.
A method for the batch sorting of particles, comprising:
- capturing an image of a flow channel comprising a line of particles, wherein the flow channel is coupled to a microfluidic ejector;
- processing the image to identify the particles in the flow channel;
- assigning each of the particles in the flow channel a number based, at least in part, on a location of each of the particles in the flow channel;
- firing the microfluidic ejector to eject particles while counting the particles that have been ejected;
- determining that the count of a particle in the microfluidic ejector corresponds to a target particle, and, in response to determining:
- moving a collection vessel into place under the microfluidic ejector;
- and
- firing the microfluidic ejector to eject the target particle into the collection vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.