Analytic device
Inventors
DeJohn, Marc Dominic • vanWestrienen, Jesse Wilson • Maksutovic, Maximilian
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9579655-B2
Publication Date
2017-02-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
An analytic device comprising a device housing, a dock to receive a camera enabled mobile electronic device, such as a smartphone and other smart devices, and a processing device to communicate with the mobile electronic device and to control a condition of the assay tube, such as temperature. In another example, the analytic device comprises a device housing and a circuit board. A processing device, a heating block defining a recess to support assay tube, and a resistive heater are surface mounted to the circuit board. A light source and a fan are also provided. A dock may be provided to support a mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device communicates with the processing device to cause the application of reaction conditions to the assay tube, to perform a PCR procedure, for example. Methods are also disclosed.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an analytic device that docks a camera enabled mobile electronic device so that a camera of the mobile device can capture images of an assay tube. The analytic device includes a device housing and a controllable assay chamber arranged to expose at least a portion of the assay tube to excitation light while providing an imaging passage through openings in the dock and housing and through an opening in the surface mountable heating block.
The device provides assay reaction condition control using a controllable heating block with a surface mountable resistive heater in thermal contact with the heating block, and a fan for cooling. The heating block defines a recess configured to receive the assay tube, and the resistive heater heats the heating block under the control of a processing device. The fan moves air with respect to the heating block under the control of the processing device to cool the heating block.
The invention further provides excitation light exposure to contents of the assay tube using a light source positioned to expose the contents to excitation light through the opening. In some implementations, optical wavelength selection elements such as excitation/emission filters and a light pipe constrain light delivery and fluorescence detection by the mobile camera. Communication between a processing device and the mobile electronic device is described as app-driven, with the mobile electronic device providing information and instructions for operating assay conditions, including thermal cycling.
Claims Coverage
The partial content contains one independent claim (clm-00001). The inventive features focus on an analytic device with a docked camera-enabled mobile device for imaging an assay tube, coupled with a surface mountable heating block, resistive heating, fan cooling, and a light source for excitation light exposure, under control of a processing device.
Docked camera imaging through housing passages and heating block openings
A dock on the housing configured to support a camera enabled mobile electronic device, wherein at least one of the dock and the housing define a passage through the dock and the housing, and a camera on the mobile electronic device is positioned to allow image capture of at least a portion of the assay through the passage and a second opening in the surface mountable heating block while the mobile device is placed in the dock.
Surface mountable heating block for receiving assay tubes with controlled resistive heating and cooling
A surface mountable heating block defining a recess configured to receive an assay tube and an opening through the surface mountable heating block to the recess, with a surface mountable resistive heater in thermal contact with the surface mountable heating block to heat the heating block under control of the processing device, and a fan positioned on or within the device housing to move air with respect to the heating block for cooling under control of the processing device.
Excitation light exposure to assay tube contents under processing control
A light source positioned to expose contents of the assay tube to excitation light through the opening, under the control of the processing device.
Surface-mounted processing device integrated with circuit board
A circuit board within the device housing and a processing device surface mounted to the circuit board.
Across the independent claim, the core inventive coverage combines docked camera-enabled mobile imaging through dock/housing passages and heating-block openings, a surface mountable heating block receiving the assay tube with resistive heating and fan cooling under processing control, and a light source providing excitation light through the heating-block opening for imaging of assay contents.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Pathogen detection, including qPCR/probes and DNA tags/DNA reader use, as part of described broader assay applications.
PCR-related condition control with time and temperature scheduling described as thermal cycling in the context of the analytic workflow.
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