Computer aided design method and system for developing a microfluidic system

A method for capturing a design of a microfluidic system using a computer aided design tool, said method comprising:

• selecting a schematic having a plurality of layers;
• placing a first symbol representing a first component of a plurality of microfluidic components on said schematic, said first component comprising a first fluid channel symbol and a first control channel symbol, said first symbol having related functional information, said first fluid channel symbol and said first control channel being on different layers of said plurality of layers;
• placing on said schematic a second symbol representing a second component of said plurality of microfluidic components, said second component comprising a second fluid channel and a second control channel;
• and
• connecting said first symbol to said second symbol.

A design capture system for capturing a microfluidic circuit comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, said design capture system comprising:

• a microfluidic component library comprising functional information and symbols associated with said plurality of microfluidic components, wherein each of said symbols has associated property;
• and
• a schematic entry module used for placing and connecting said symbols;
• wherein said associated property has at least one of physical scaling, physical property, layer assignment, and functional definition and said physical property includes a physical dimension having depth information.

A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium for capturing a design of a microfluidic system using a computer aided design tool, said computer program product comprising:

• code for selecting a schematic having a plurality of layers;
• code for placing a first symbol representing a first component of a plurality of microfluidic components on a schematic, said first component comprising a first fluid channel and a first control channel;
• code for placing a first symbol representing a first component of a plurality of microfluidic components on said schematic, said first component comprising a first fluid channel symbol and a first control channel symbol, said first fluid channel symbol and said first control channel being on different layers of said plurality of layers;
• code for placing a second symbol representing a second component of said plurality of microfluidic components, on said schematic, said second component comprising a second fluid channel and a second control channel;
• and
• code for connecting said first symbol to said second symbol.

A method for synthesizing a network model of a microfluidic circuit comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, said method comprising:

• storing in a computer readable medium a synthesis program;
• selecting from a database, component models associated with said plurality of microfluidic components, said component models having layer information and channel depth information;
• and
• generating said network model by using said component models and said synthesis program, wherein said component models are connected together using said layer information and channel depth information.

A synthesis system for creating a schematic of a microfluidic circuit comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, said synthesis system comprising:

• a memory for storing synthesis code related to said schematic;
• a design library comprising a plurality of indications associated with said plurality of microfluidic components, said plurality of indications having layer information and channel depth information, wherein selected indications of said plurality of indications are selected using said synthesis code;
• and
• a synthesis module for creating said schematic by connecting said selected indications using layer information and channel depth information associated with said selected indications.

A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium for synthesizing a network model of a microfluidic circuit comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, said computer program product comprising:

• a synthesis program;
• code for selecting from a database, software component models associated with said plurality of microfluidic components, said software component models having layer information and channel depth information;
• and
• code for generating said network model by using said software component models, including said layer information and channel depth information and said synthesis program, wherein said software component models are connected together.

A method for functionally analyzing a schematic, having a control layer and a fluid layer, of a microfluidic circuit comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, said method comprising:

• selecting a functional model for a component of said plurality of microfluidic components;
• determining a logic control test sequence for said control layer of said schematic;
• and
• functionally simulating said schematic by using said functional model in said schematic and said logic control test sequence to show functional connectivity of the microfluidic circuit.

A system for functionally analyzing a schematic, having at least one control layer and at least one fluid layer, of a microfluidic circuit comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, said system comprising:

• a functional model for a component of said plurality of microfluidic components;
• a logic control test sequence for at least one control layer of said schematic;
• and
• a functional simulator for functionally simulating said schematic by using said functional model in said schematic and said logic control test sequence to show functional connectivity of the microfluidic circuit.

A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium for functionally analyzing a schematic, having at least one control layer, of a microfluidic circuit comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, said computer program product comprising:

• code for selecting a functional model for a component of said plurality of microfluidic components;
• code for determining a logic control test sequence for at least one control layer of said schematic;
• and
• code for functionally simulating said schematic by using said functional model in said schematic and said logic control test sequence to show functional connectivity of the microfluidic circuit.

A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium for designing a microfluidic circuit schematic comprising a plurality of microfluidic component symbols associated with a plurality of microfluidic components, said computer program product comprising:

• code for placing a first component symbol of said plurality of microfluidic component symbols on a schematic, wherein said first component symbol has associated property;
• code for placing a second component symbol of said plurality of microfluidic component symbols on said schematic;
• and
• code for connecting said first component symbol to said second component symbol;
• wherein said associated property has at least one of physical scaling, physical property, layer assignment, and functional definition;
• and said physical property includes a physical dimension having depth information.

A microfluidic circuit design system comprising:

• a synthesis module for synthesizing software of a design into a component level description of said design, said design comprising a plurality of microfluidic components, and said component level description comprising multilayered symbols associated with said plurality of microfluidic components;
• a design capture module, including a schematic entry tool, for placing and connecting said multilayered symbols on a schematic according to said design;
• and
• a functional analysis module for functionally simulating selected multilayered symbols of said schematic to show functional connectivity thereof.