Life Technologies Corporation

Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Hitachi-lg Data Storage Korea, Inc.

Ljl Biosystems, Inc.

Craig S Barker

Thomas Michael Baer

Brian W Donovan

Alan E Wessel

George M Dawson

Michael A Smith

Michael G Youngquist

Norbert Leclerc

Walter L Jimison

Marc R Bunyard

Norbert H Leclerc

Douglas N Modlin

Michael T Taylor

Artem Mishin

Glenn R Edwards

Samuel Ascher Marquiss

Price B Terzis

Amer El-Hage

Christopher Montgomery Carpenter

Rick V Stellmacher

Philip A Granieri, Jr

Michael Youngquist

Brian Hale Nelson

Lorne B Bechtel

Robert M Lembi, Sr

Gordon E Bell

Michael Smith

Systems and methods for automated laser microdissection are disclosed including automatic slide detection, position detection of cutting and capture lasers, focus optimization for cutting and capture lasers, energy and duration optimization for cutting and capture lasers, inspection and second phase capture and/or ablation in a quality control station and tracking information for linking substrate carrier or output microdissected regions with input sample or slide.

Automated microdissection instrument and method for processing a biological sample

Automated microdissection instrument using tracking information

Automated microdissection instrument with controlled focusing during movement of a laser beam across a tissue sample

Automated microdissection instrument for determining a location of a laser beam projection on a worksurface area

Automated microdissection instrument

Embodiments provide methods and systems for handling optical discs in a media library appliance and for replacing optical drives in the field. In one embodiment, the media library appliance comprises optical disc handling robotics developed for slim form factor slot load drives in a vertical orientation located on both sides of the robotics within a 19 inch rackable appliance. On the system level, the optical disc storage system provides modularity and scalability. The drives reside in field replaceable units ('FRUs') that are oriented vertically on a horizontal backplane. The disc handling robotics access discs on each side stored in horizontal stacks within large disc cartridges. A small disc shuttle cartridge attaches to a large disc cartridge to provide a means to import and export a smaller number of discs from the disc cartridge.

Optical disc storage system

A high-throughput light detection instrument and method are described. In some embodiments, switch mechanisms and optical relay structures permit different light sources and/or detectors to be selected for different applications. In other embodiments, switch mechanisms and optical paths permit top/bottom illumination and/or top/bottom detection, or combinations thereof.

Light detection device having an optical-path switching mechanism

Parameters for controlling a drug infusion pump (10) are selected by scrolling through sets of predefined values. A value for either a rate and/or a volume of a fluid to be infused (VTBI) is displayed by pressing a quickset key (38) on a control panel (18) of the pump. Each time that the quickset key is depressed, the value appearing on a display (22) changes to the next value in the corresponding predefined set of values. It is also contemplated that holding the quickset key depressed for at least a predetermined time will cause the display to continuously scroll through successive values from the set of predefined values. The predefined values are selected in the set because they represent the most common values for the parameters used by the pump. An operator can 'fine tune' the displayed value to a desired value that is not in the set of predefined values by pressing either a down arrow key (50) or an up arrow control key (52). Using this method and system, the values of the parameters are rapidly entered with minimal chance of error.

Parameter input for drug delivery pump

A method and apparatus for determining leakage, particularly of valves, in a pump assembly. A pump assembly (20) includes a primary valve (34) and a secondary valve (36), which may be selectively activated to control the source of fluid input to the pump assembly. The pump assembly also includes an inlet valve (42) and an outlet valve (50) disposed on each side of the pumping chamber (46). Downstream of the outlet valve is disposed a pressure sensor (54), which produces a signal indicative of the pressure of fluid within the pump assembly at that point. Leakage in the inlet or outlet valves is detected in the inlet or outlet valves by filling the pumping chamber with fluid, closing the inlet and outlet valves, and equalizing the pressure in the pump assembly distal to the inlet valve. After the pressure has been equalized, the outlet valve is opened and a reference pulse is determined as a function of the signal produced by the pressure sensor. The outlet valve is then closed and at least a partial pumping cycle is effected to pressurize fluid in the pumping chamber. The outlet valve is opened and a pressure pulse should propagate down the delivery passage from the pumping chamber. If the difference between the magnitude of the pressure pulse and that of the reference pulse is less than a predetermined value, either the inlet or outlet valve has leaked. The primary and secondary valves are checked for leakage in much the same manner.

Method and apparatus to test for valve leakage in a pump assembly

Risk of hydrodynamic pressure noise interference with a valve leakage test conducted upon a plurality of valves within a pump assembly is minimized. A pressure sensor within the pump assembly produces a signal indicative of hydrodynamic pressure in fluid distal of an outlet valve of the pump. The signal produced by the pressure sensor is input to a microcontroller that controls the pump assembly. Prior to conducting the valve leakage test, the hydrodynamic pressure level of the fluid is sampled at a frequency that is at least twice that of the hydrodynamic noise. The microcontroller determines if a maximum of the samples of the hydrodynamic pressure level taken during a data interval is above a predetermined threshold. If so, the valve leakage test is suppressed until the maximum pressure level is below the predetermined threshold during a successive data interval. If the hydrodynamic pressure noise level fails to fall below the predetermined threshold within several data intervals, an alarm alerts an operator of a noise fault condition.

Method and apparatus for minimizing hydrodynamic pressure noise

Growing community of inventors

San Carlos, CA, United States of America

Craig S Barker