Interrogating multi-featured arrays

A method comprising:

• (a) scanning an interrogating light across multiple sites on an array package including an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• (b) detecting signals from respective scanned sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• and
• (c) altering the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan based on location of the first site;
• wherein the interrogating light power is reduced based on location of the first site.

A method comprising:

• (a) scanning an interrogating light across multiple sites on an array package including an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• (b) detecting signals from respective scanned sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• and
• (c) altering the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan based on location of the first site or on a determination that the emitted signal from the first site will be outside a predetermined range absent the altering;
• the method additionally comprising, prior to steps (a) through (c), performing a pre-scan which includes:
• scanning an interrogating light across multiple sites on the array package using a lower sensitivity than that used in step (a);
• and
• detecting signals from respective scanned sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• wherein the interrogating light power is altered based on the determination that the emitted signal from the first site will be outside a predetermined range, which is based on the emitted signal obtained from the first site during the pre-scan.

A method comprising:

• (a) scanning an interrogating light across multiple sites on an array package including an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• (b) detecting signals from respective scanned sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• and
• (c) altering the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan based on location of the first site or on a determination that the emitted signal from the first site will be outside a predetermined range absent the altering;
• wherein the interrogating light power is reduced based on a determination that the emitted signal from the first site will exceed a predetermined value;
• and wherein the first site is not an array feature.

An apparatus for interrogating an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, comprising:

• (a) a light source and a variable optical attenuator through which light from the source passes to provide an interrogating light, and which optical attenuator is responsive to a control signal to alter the power of the interrogating light;
• (b) a scanning system which scans the interrogating light across the addressable array;
• (c) a signal detector to detect signals from respective features emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• (b) a power detector to detect the power of the interrogating light from the variable optical attenuator;
• and
• (c) a system controller which adjusts the optical attenuator control signal to alter interrogating light power, based on the detected power.

An apparatus for interrogating an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, carried by an array package, comprising:

• (a) a light system which provides an interrogating light of variable power in response to a control signal;
• (b) a scanning system which scans the interrogating light across multiple sites on the array package, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• (c) a signal detector which detects signals from respective sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• and
• (d) a system controller which adjusts the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan based on location of the first site.

An apparatus for interrogating an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, carried by an array package, comprising:

• (a) a light system which provides an interrogating light of variable power in response to a control signal;
• (b) a scanning system which scans the interrogating light across multiple sites on the array package, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• (c) a signal detector which detects signals from respective sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• and
• (d) a system controller which adjusts the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan based on location of the first site or on a determination that the emitted signal from the first site will be outside a predetermined range absent alteration;
• wherein adjustment is based on the determination by the system controller, which is based on the emitted signal detected from the first site;
• and wherein the system controller, prior to the array scan, additionally causes the apparatus to execute a pre-scan which includes:
• scanning the interrogating light across multiple sites on the array package using a lower sensitivity than that used in step (a);
• and
• detecting at the detector, signals from respective scanned sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• wherein the determination made by the system controller that the emitted signal from the first site during a scan is outside a predetermined range, is based on the emitted signal obtained from the first site during the pre-scan.

An apparatus for interrogating an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, carried by an array package, comprising:

• (a) a light system which provides an interrogating light of variable power in response to a control signal characteristic;
• (b) a scanning system which scans the interrogating light across multiple sites on the array package, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• (c) a signal detector which detects signals from respective sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• and
• (d) a system controller which calibrates interrogating light power in response to the control signal characteristic, and which adjusts the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan using the calibration, based on location of the first site or on a determination that the emitted signal from the first site will be outside a predetermined range;
• wherein the controller repeats the calibration prior to each scanning of an array package.

An apparatus for interrogating an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, carried by an array package, comprising:

• (a) a light system which provides an interrogating light of variable power in response to a control signal characteristic;
• (b) a scanning system which scans the interrogating light across multiple sites on the array package, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• (c) a signal detector which detects signals from respective sites emitted in response to the interrogating light;
• and
• (d) a system controller which calibrates interrogating light power in response to the control signal characteristic, and which adjusts the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan using the calibration, based on location of the first site.

A computer program product for use on an apparatus for interrogating an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties by means of an interrogating light generated from a variable optical attenuator through which light from a light source has passed, and which optical attenuator is responsive to a control signal to alter the power of the interrogating light, the program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which, when loaded into a computer of the apparatus performs the steps of:
• (a) causing the interrogating light to scan across the addressable array;
• (b) receiving an indication of interrogating light power from the variable optical attenuator;
• and
• (d) adjusting the attenuator control signal to alter interrogating light power, based on the detected power.

A computer program product for use on an apparatus for interrogating an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties by means of an interrogating light generated from a light system which provides an interrogating light of variable power in response to a control signal, the program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which, when loaded into a computer of the apparatus performs the steps of:
• (a) causing the interrogating light to scan across multiple sites on an array package including an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, which scanned sites include multiple features of the array;
• and
• (b) adjusting the control signal to alter the interrogating light power for a first site on the array package during the array scan, based on location of the first site or on a determination that the emitted signal from the first site will be outside a predetermined range.