Single source multi-site photometric measurement system
AssigneeMolecular Devices, LLC
InventorsCalvin Y. H. Chow, Gillian M. Humphries, Viola T. Kung, Michael M. Lacy, Paul Hayter
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Abstract
A multibeam photometric measuring device includes a single light source along with a filter assembly for passing only a desired band of wavelengths and an optical system for suitably focusing light from the light source. Light is transmitted individually to each of a plurality of sites disposed on a multi-well sample plate. Enhancement of color distribution is provided by automatic agitation of the reacting agents within the sample wells before a reading is taken at each of the sampling intervals of a kinetic measurement sequence.
Claims30
A multibeam photometric measurement device for measuring optical density of samples contained in a plurality of sample sites disposed on a multi-site assay plate, said device comprising:
- a single light source adapted through coupling means to be selectively applied, according to a predetermined sequence, through selected ones of a plurality of light transmitting means to selected ones of said samples sites:
- a plurality of photodetector means disposed on a detector board and positioned in relation to said assay plate in such a way that light transmitted through each of said sites is received by a corresponding photodetector;
- means for simultaneously imparting mixing movement to said samples comprising means for imparting movement to said assay plate for a predetermined time before a reading is performed on a sample site;
- and
- means for analyzing the output of said photodetector means to determine and indicate the optical density of said sites.
A photometric measurement device for measuring optical density of samples contained in a plurality of sample sites disposed on a multi-site assay plate, said device comprising:
- a light source for applying light to selected ones of said sample sites;
- photodetector means positioned in relation to said assay plate in such a way that light transmitted through each of said sites is received by said photodetector;
- means for simultaneously imparting mixing movement to said samples comprising means for imparting movement to said assay plate for a predetermined time before a reading is performed on a sample site;
- and
- means for analyzing the output of said photodetector means to determine and indicate the optical density of said sites, said means for analyzing comprising:
- means for sequentially selecting the analog output signals of desired photodetectors for analysis;
- mean for converting said analog signals to their corresponding digital values;
- means for amplifying said analog signals in such a way as to utilize a substantial portion of the dynamic range of said analog to digital conversion means;
- means for storing precalculated values corresponding to said digitized values, accepting said digitized values and retrieving the corresponding stored precalculated value in response to each of said digital values;
- and
- means for processing said retrieved values in order to calculate the optical density of said samples.
A photometric measurement device for measuring optical density of samples contained in a plurality of sample sites disposed on a multi-site assay plate, said device comprising:
- a light source for applying light to selected ones of said sample sites;
- photodetector means positioned in relation to said assay plate in such a way that light transmitted through each of said sites is received by said photodetector;
- means for simultaneously imparting mixing movement to said samples comprising means for imparting movement to said assay plate for a predetermined time before a reading is performed on a sample site;
- and
- means for analyzing the output of said photodetector means to determine and indicate the optical density of said sites,
- wherein said photodetectors are divided into blocks, each consisting of a plurality of photodetectors, in such a way that photodetectors in said blocks are spaced substantially apart on said detector board, and the outputs of the photodetectors of each said block are connected together to yield a common output signal, whereby the output of a selected photodetector can be analyzed by selecting the common output signal for the block in which the photodetector lies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.