Devices, systems, and methods for performing optical and electrochemical assays

Inventors

Low, Michael Louie • Bass, Barry • Gershtein, Sergey

Assignees

Abbott Point of Care Inc

Abstract

This present invention relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for performing optical and electrochemical assays and, more particularly, to devices and systems having universal channel circuitry configured to perform optical and electrochemical assays, and methods of performing the optical and electrochemical assays using the universal channel circuitry. The universal channel circuitry is circuitry that has electronic switching capabilities such that any contact pin, and thus any sensor contact pad in a testing device, can be connected to one or more channels capable of taking on one or more measurement modes or configurations (e.g., an amperometric measurement mode or a current drive mode).

Core Innovation

The disclosure describes a point-of-care sample analysis system that performs multiple assays on a biological sample using an analyzer in combination with one or more disposable test cartridges. The analyzer includes a cartridge port, a multi-terminal connector, a processor, memory coupled to the processor, and universal channel circuitry with a plurality of channels. The universal channel circuitry includes switches that configure the channels into measurement modes based on which test cartridge is inserted into the cartridge port.

A first test cartridge provides a light emitter and a light detector connected to respective cartridge contacts, while a second test cartridge provides an amperometric electrode and a reference electrode connected to respective cartridge contacts. When the first test cartridge is inserted, the universal channel circuitry is arranged so that one channel is configured in a current driver mode and another channel is configured in a current measurement mode for the light-based measurement. When the second test cartridge is inserted, the universal channel circuitry configures the channels in an amperometric measurement mode and a reference measurement mode.

The processor converts an output signal received from the test cartridge into an analyte signal and determines a qualitative, semi-quantitative, or quantitative value proportional to an amount of a target analyte in the biological sample based on the analyte signal. The disclosed system further includes cartridge optical structures and electrochemical structures, enabling optical and electrochemical assay execution within a unified universal channel circuitry framework. Cartridge identification is provided via measured resistance or barcode lookup, and assay execution is associated with cartridge-type-dependent operation.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims (two total) define a universal-channel analyzer/cartridge system in which multiple assay modes are selected by cartridge insertion and electrically switch-configured measurement channels. Across the independent claims, the inventive features include cartridge-contact pin mapping to universal channels and switch-arranged circuitry configured for current driver/measurement and amperometric/reference measurement modes.

Overall, the independent claims cover analyzers that provide universal channel circuitry with electrically switch-configured measurement modes selected by cartridge type and mapped via multi-terminal connector pin connections, together with processor functionality that converts cartridge signals into an analyte signal and then into a qualitative, semi-quantitative, or quantitative analyte value proportional to the target analyte amount.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications