Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090248349 | MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH INTEGRATED RESISTIVE HEATER ELECTRODES INCLUDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING AND MEASURING THE TEMPERATURES OF SUCH HEATER ELECTRODES - The invention relates to methods and devices for control of an integrated thin-film device with a plurality of microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is provided that includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and a plurality of multiplexed heater electrodes, wherein the heater electrodes are part of a multiplex circuit including a common lead connecting the heater electrodes to a power supply, each of the heater electrodes being associated with one of the microfluidic channels. The microfluidic device also includes a control system configured to regulate power applied to each heater electrode by varying a duty cycle, the control system being further configured to determine the temperature each heater electrode by determining the resistance of each heater electrode. | 10-01-2009 |
20110048547 | MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THERMAL CONTROL - The invention relates to methods and devices for control of an integrated thin-film device with a plurality of microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is provided that includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and a plurality of multiplexed resistive thermal detectors (RTDs). Each of the RTDs is associated with one of the microfluidic channels. The RTDs are connected to a power supply through individual electrodes and pairs of common electrodes. Adjacent RTDs may be driven with alternating polarities, and the current in the common electrodes may be minimized using a virtual ground circuit. The compact microfluidic device is capable of fast heating and highly precise thermal control. The compact microfluidic device is also capable using the RTDs to sense temperature without their heating capability. | 03-03-2011 |
20110056926 | MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH INTEGRATED RESISTIVE HEATER ELECTRODES INCLUDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING AND MEASURING THE TEMPERATURES OF SUCH HEATER ELECTRODES - The invention relates to methods and devices for control of an integrated thin-film device with a plurality of microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is provided that includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and a plurality of multiplexed heater electrodes, wherein the heater electrodes are part of a multiplex circuit including a common lead connecting the heater electrodes to a power supply, each of the heater electrodes being associated with one of the microfluidic channels. The microfluidic device also includes a control system configured to regulate power applied to each heater electrode by varying a duty cycle, the control system being further configured to determine the temperature of each heater electrode by determining the resistance of each heater electrode. | 03-10-2011 |
20110064628 | MICROFLUIDIC CHIP FEATURES FOR OPTICAL AND THERMAL ISOLATION - A microfluidic chip includes microfluidic channels, elements for thermally and optically isolating the microfluidic channels, and elements for enhancing the detection of optical signal emitted from the microfluidic channels. The thermal and optical isolation elements may comprise barrier channels interposed between adjacently-arranged pairs of microfluidic channels for preventing thermal and optical cross-talk between the adjacent microfluidic channels. The isolation element may alternatively comprise reflective film embedded in the microfluidic chip between the adjacent microfluidic channels. The signal enhancement elements comprise structures disposed adjacent to the microfluidic channels that reflect light passing through or emitted from the microfluidic channel in a direction toward a detector. The structures may comprise channels or a faceted surface that redirects the light by total internal reflection or reflective film material embedded in the microfluidic chip. | 03-17-2011 |
20110077897 | MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH INTEGRATED RESISTIVE HEATER ELECTRODES INCLUDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING AND MEASURING THE TEMPERATURES OF SUCH HEATER ELECTRODES - The invention relates to methods and devices for control of an integrated thin-film device with a plurality of microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is provided that includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and a plurality of multiplexed heater electrodes, wherein the heater electrodes are part of a multiplex circuit including a common lead connecting the heater electrodes to a power supply, each of the heater electrodes being associated with one of the microfluidic channels. The microfluidic device also includes a control system configured to regulate power applied to each heater electrode by varying a duty cycle, the control system being further configured to determine the temperature of each heater electrode by determining the resistance of each heater electrode. | 03-31-2011 |
20120058460 | SLUG CONTROL DURING THERMAL CYCLING - The present invention, in one aspect, provides methods and systems for controlling slugs using temperature dependent fluorescent dyes. In some embodiments, the present invention uses one or more techniques to enhance the visibility of slugs, enhance a system's ability to differentiate between slugs, and enhance a system's ability to identify the positions of slugs. | 03-08-2012 |
20120115190 | AIR COOLING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES - Systems and methods for air cooling a microfluidic device using confinement channels to isolate cooling air from exposed liquids are disclosed. The systems and methods may also thermally condition the cooling airflow for improved robustness of the microfluidic device. In one embodiment, the air cooling system includes a split-level cooling manifold including an inlet duct that directs cooling air to a microfluidic device and an outlet duct that directs air heated by the microfluidic device away from the microfluidic device. The temperature of cooling air may be measured. The cooling air may be preheated to a temperature that is higher than an expected ambient temperature. The temperature of the cooling air after being heated by a microfluidic device may be measured. | 05-10-2012 |
20120167988 | COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR IN-SYSTEM PRIMING MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES - The present invention relates to compositions and methods for in-system priming of microfluidic devices. Aspects of the present invention relate to compositions and methods for in-system priming of microfluidic devices utilizing a priming solution comprising adding and/or increasing concentrations of surfactant in a buffer solution. | 07-05-2012 |
20120178077 | THERMAL CALIBRATION - The present invention relates to the use of one or more amplicons as temperature calibrators. In some embodiments, the calibrators may be used to calibrate the temperature of a microfluidic channel in which amplification and/or melt analysis is performed. In some embodiments, the amplicons may be genomic, ultra conserved elements and/or synthetic. The amplicon(s) may have a known or expected melt temperature(s). The calibrators may be added to primers of study or may follow or lead the primers of study in the channel. The amplicon(s) may be amplified and melted, and the temperature(s) at which the amplicon(s) melted may be determined. The measured temperature(s) may be compared to the known temperature(s) at which the amplicon(s) was expected to melt. The difference(s) between the measured and expected temperatures may be used to calibrate/adjust one or more temperature control elements used to control and/or detect the temperature of the channel. | 07-12-2012 |
20130164191 | MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH INTEGRATED RESISTIVE HEATER ELECTRODES INCLUDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING AND MEASURING THE TEMPERATURES OF SUCH HEATER ELECTRODES - The invention relates to methods and devices for control of an integrated thin-film device with a plurality of microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is provided that includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and a plurality of multiplexed heater electrodes, wherein the heater electrodes are part of a multiplex circuit including a common lead connecting the heater electrodes to a power supply, each of the heater electrodes being associated with one of the microfluidic channels. The microfluidic device also includes a control system configured to regulate power applied to each heater electrode by varying a duty cycle, the control system being further configured to determine the temperature of each heater electrode by determining the resistance of each heater electrode. | 06-27-2013 |
20130218513 | MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH INTEGRATED RESISTIVE HEATER ELECTRODES INCLUDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING AND MEASURING THE TEMPERATURES OF SUCH HEATER ELECTRODES - The invention relates to methods and devices for control of an integrated thin-film device with a plurality of microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is provided that includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and a plurality of multiplexed heater electrodes, wherein the heater electrodes are part of a multiplex circuit including a common lead connecting the heater electrodes to a power supply, each of the heater electrodes being associated with one of the microfluidic channels. The microfluidic device also includes a control system configured to regulate power applied to each heater electrode by varying a duty cycle, the control system being further configured to determine the temperature of each heater electrode by determining the resistance of each heater electrode. | 08-22-2013 |