Applera Corporation

Applied Biosystems, LLC

Applera Cororation

Life Technologies Corporation

Dmitry M Sagatelyan

Mark F Oldham

Linda G Lee

Eric S Nordman

Richard T Reel

Steven J Boege

Tor Slettnes

Sam Lee Woo

David M Cox

A method and system for characterizing and quantifying various error and calibration components of signals associated with photo-detectors. By varying the detector operational parameters such as input light intensity and integration times, measured signals can be analyzed to separate out and quantify various components of the measured signals. The various components thus determined may be categorized according to their dependencies on the operational parameters. Such component characterization allows better understanding of the detector system and ways in which such system can be improved so as to yield an improved measurement result for which the detector is being utilized.

System and methods for improving signal/noise ratio for signal detectors

A photo-detector generated signal is measured as a sample set comprising a long signal and a short signal. The short signal is scaled to the value of the long signal if the long signal exceeds a dynamic range associated with the photo detector. In one embodiment, the short signal is obtained during a short time interval that is at the approximate middle of a long time interval such that the short and long intervals share a common median time value. Given such symmetry, an approximately linear signal yields a proportionality parameter between the long and short signals thereby allowing the short signal to be scaled. The proportionality parameter facilitates determination of an integration independent component of the photo detector signal that should be removed from the measured long and short signals before scaling. A plurality of sample sets can also be processed such that each sample set overlaps with its neighboring sample set, thereby increasing the effective number of sample sets.

System and methods for dynamic range extension using variable length integration time sampling

Growing community of inventors

Alameda, CA, United States of America

Dmitry M Sagatelyan