US 8,473,104 B2Granted

Methods and systems for control of microfluidic devices

AssigneeHandyLab, Inc.

InventorsKalyan Handique, Karthik Ganesan, Sundaresh N. Brahmasandra

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Abstract

The present invention provides control methods, control systems, and control software for microfluidic devices that operate by moving discrete micro-droplets through a sequence of determined configurations. Such microfluidic devices are preferably constructed in a hierarchical and modular fashion which is reflected in the preferred structure of the provided methods and systems. In particular, the methods are structured into low-level device component control functions, middle-level actuator control functions, and high-level micro-droplet control functions. Advantageously, a microfluidic device may thereby be instructed to perform an intended reaction or analysis by invoking micro-droplet control function that perform intuitive tasks like measuring, mixing, heating, and so forth. The systems are preferably programmable and capable of accommodating microfluidic devices controlled by low voltages and constructed in standardized configurations. Advantageously, a single control system can thereby control numerous different reactions in numerous different microfluidic devices simply by loading different easily understood micro-droplet programs.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system for controlling the operation of a microfluidic device comprising a substrate having a micropassage configured for holding a micro-volume of liquid having a volume between one nano-liter and one micro-liter, a reaction chamber, and one or more active components, wherein one of the one or more active components comprise a hierarchical organization of device level components, the system comprising:

a processor configured for receiving a user request for the microfluidic device to perform a reaction program;
memory comprising stored instructions corresponding to hierarchical signals configured to direct the microfluidic device to perform the user-requested reaction program the hierarchical signals corresponding to:
a component level instruction directing the generation of a control signal for an individual component of the microfluidic device;
an actuator level function corresponding to an actuator operation, wherein the actuator level function comprises a plurality of component level functions;
a microdroplet level function corresponding to an operation performed on a micro-volume of liquid contained within a microfluidic device, wherein the microdroplet level function comprises a plurality of actuator level functions;
a user level function corresponding to the reaction program, the user level function corresponding to a plurality of microdroplet level functions;
and
a programmable digital acquisition unit comprising:
a heater driver circuit;
a temperature sensor driver circuit;
and
a detection driver circuit wherein the detection driver passes signals to at least one active component configured to detect reaction products in the reaction chamber;
wherein the programmable digital acquisition unit generates control signals for the at least one active component corresponding to a component level instruction and responsive to the user-requested reaction program;
and wherein the control signals of the programmable digital acquisition unit control (i) heating the micro-volume of liquid, (ii) detecting a temperature related to the micro-volume of liquid, and (iii) detecting reaction products in the micro-volume of liquid.

11 more elements

A system configured for controlling a microfluidic device, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate comprising a micro-channel configured to contain a micro-volume of liquid having a volume between one nano-liter and one micro-liter, a reaction chamber, and an actuator comprising a grouping of active components, said active components configured for coordinated operation to achieve a desired functionality, the system comprising:

memory comprising stored instructions corresponding to a user-selected reaction program, wherein the stored instructions comprise:
a user level function corresponding to the reaction program;
a microdroplet level function corresponding to an operation performed on a micro-volume of liquid contained within a microfluidic device;
an actuator level function corresponding to an actuator operation, wherein the actuator level function comprises instructions to detect the presence or absence of the micro-volume of liquid;
and
a component level instruction directing the generation of a control signal for an individual component of the microfluidic device;
an interface configured for allowing an operator to select a desired reaction program for the microfluidic device, wherein the desired reaction program corresponds to a user level function comprising a microdroplet level function, wherein the microdroplet level function comprises an actuator level function, and the actuator level function comprises a component level function;
and
control circuitry configured for creating and transmitting the control signal responsive to a component level function for controlling the component of the microfluidic device.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/189,453Filed 22 Jul 2011 · continuation
Priority: 28 Mar 2001
Published: US 2012/0022695 A126 Jan 2012
Granted: 25 Jun 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification40 codes

B01L 7/52
Heating or cooling apparatus ; Heat insulating devices: with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different…
B01F 33/3021
The materials to be mixed flowing in the form of droplets: the components to be mixed being combined in a single independent droplet, e.g. these…
B01F 33/3033
Micromixers: using heat to mix or move the fluids
B01J 19/0093
Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus: microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors

Family

Application09/819,105Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Mar 2001
Application11/251,188Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Oct 2005
US 2012/0022695 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Jan 2012
US 7,987,022 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,010,391 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2002/0143437 A1Published application
US 2006/0036348 A1Published application
US 8,473,104 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.