# US 8,465,638 B2 · Matrix electrode-controlling device and digital platform using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,638 B2 - Document ID: US8465638B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/908,274 - Filed: 2010-10-20 - Published: 2011-02-24 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-21 - Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute - Applicants: Chun-Han Wang - Inventors: Chun-Han Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465638B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/502792: {for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension} - F04B 19/006: {Micropumps (F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence)} - B01L 2200/12: Specific details about manufacturing devices - B01L 2300/0819: Microarrays; Biochips - B01L 2300/089: Virtual walls for guiding liquids - B01L 2400/0415: electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic - B01L 2400/0427: Electrowetting - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) ## Abstract A matrix electrode-controlling device for driving a droplet according to this aspect of the present invention comprises a substrate, a dielectric layer positioned on the substrate, a plurality of control electrodes positioned in the dielectric layer in a matrix manner, and a ground electrode positioned at a predetermined position around the control electrodes without generating electromagnetic shielding effect. The control electrodes in the same row are electrically connected to form a plurality of lateral controlling rows and the control electrodes in the same column are electrically connected to form a plurality of longitudinal controlling columns, and the droplet is driven to move on or above the dielectric layer by biasing the ground electrode to the ground voltage and applying a predetermined voltage to one of the controlling rows and/or to one of the controlling columns to undergo the predetermined assaying operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A matrix electrode-controlling device for driving a droplet, the matrix electrode-controlling device comprising: a substrate; a dielectric layer positioned on said substrate; a plurality of control electrodes positioned inside said dielectric layer in a matrix manner, each control electrode having a first conductive region and a second conductive region, wherein each first conductive region of the control electrodes in a same row are electrically connected to form a plurality of controlling rows, and wherein each second conductive region of the control electrodes in a same column are electrically connected to form a plurality of controlling columns; and a ground electrode positioned at a predetermined position around the control electrodes without generating an electromagnetic shielding effect; wherein the droplet is driven to move on or above said dielectric layer by applying a predetermined voltage to one of the controlling rows or to one of the controlling columns; and wherein the first and second conductive regions of the control electrode are driven independently. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer has a rough surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 1, further comprising: a hydrophobic layer positioned on said dielectric layer, said droplet being movable on a surface of said hydrophobic layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 1, further comprising: a circuit layer positioned on said substrate, said circuit layer comprising a plurality of connecting wires electrically connected to the control electrodes of the controlling rows and the control electrodes of the controlling columns for applying the predetermined voltage thereto. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 4, wherein the connecting wires of said circuit layer connect the control electrodes substantially in a vertical manner. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 1, wherein each of the first conductive regions and each of the second conductive regions are positioned on the same plane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 1, wherein the control electrodes have an edge of a sawtoothed or irregular shape. ### Claim 8 A matrix electrode-controlling device for driving a droplet, the matrix electrode-controlling device comprising: a substrate; a dielectric layer positioned on said substrate; a plurality of control electrodes positioned inside said dielectric layer in a matrix manner, each control electrode having a first conductive region and a second conductive region, wherein each first conductive region of the control electrodes in a same row are electrically connected to form a plurality of controlling rows, and wherein each second conductive region of the control electrodes in a same column are electrically connected to form a plurality of controlling columns; and a ground electrode positioned at a predetermined position around the control electrodes without generating an electromagnetic shielding effect; wherein the droplet is driven to move on or above said dielectric layer by applying a predetermined voltage to one of the controlling rows or to one of the controlling columns; wherein the first and second conductive regions of the control electrode are driven independently; and wherein each of the first conductive regions and each of the second conductive regions substantially surround one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 8, wherein said dielectric layer has a rough surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 8, further comprising: a hydrophobic layer positioned on said dielectric layer, said droplet being movable on a surface of said hydrophobic layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 8, further comprising: a circuit layer positioned on said substrate, said circuit layer comprising a plurality of connecting wires electrically connected to the control electrodes of the controlling rows and the control electrodes of the controlling columns for applying the predetermined voltage thereto. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 11, wherein the connecting wires of said circuit layer connect the control electrodes substantially in a vertical manner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 8, wherein each of the first conductive regions and each of the second conductive regions are positioned on the same plane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The matrix electrode-controlling device of claim 8, wherein the control electrodes have an edge of a sawtoothed or irregular shape.