Palo Alto Research Center Inc.

Markus Beck

Peter Kiesel

Michael Bassler

Noble Marshall Johnson

Joerg Martini

Marshall Bern

Alex N Hegyi

Malte Huck

Tobias Buergel

Philipp Helmut Schmaelzle

Konrad Bellmann

Tobias Burgel

A sensing device includes an aperture structure having an aperture and imaging optics configured to direct polychromatic light toward the aperture. The imaging optics separates the light according to spectral range longitudinally along a first axis The aperture substantially transmits a spectral range of the light and substantially blocks other spectral ranges of the light. An optical detector is arranged to receive the spectral range of the light that is transmitted through the aperture. The optical detector generate an electrical output that corresponds to a centroid of the spectral range of the light.

Chromatic confocal sensor

A filter arrangement can transmit and/or reflect light emanating from a moving object so that the emanating light has time variation, and the time variation can include information about the object, such as its type. For example, emanating light from segments of a path can be transmitted/reflected through positions of a filter assembly, and the transmission functions of the positions can be sufficiently different that time variation occurs in the emanating light between segments. Or emanating light from a segment can be transmitted/reflected through a filter component in which simpler transmission functions are superimposed, so that time variation occurs in the emanating light in accordance with superposition of two simpler non-uniform transmission functions. Many filter arrangements could be used, e.g. the filter component could include the filter assembly, which can have one of the simpler non-uniform transmission functions. Time-varying waveforms from sensing results can be compared to obtain spectral differences. The filter arrangement, in a practical commercial embodiment, can be manufactured to be disposable, and used in a point-of-care device for use practically anywhere, at low cost, and can also be implemented in an in-line monitoring system.

Analyzers with time variation based on color-coded spatial modulation

A filter arrangement can transmit and/or reflect light emanating from a moving object so that the emanating light has time variation, and the time variation can include information about the object, such as its type. For example, emanating light from segments of a path can be transmitted/reflected through positions of a filter assembly, and the transmission functions of the positions can be sufficiently different that time variation occurs in the emanating light between segments. Or emanating light from a segment can be transmitted/reflected through a filter component in which simpler transmission functions are superimposed, so that time variation occurs in the emanating light in accordance with superposition of two simpler non-uniform transmission functions. Many filter arrangements could be used, e.g. the filter component could include the filter assembly, which can have one of the simpler non-uniform transmission functions. Time-varying waveforms from sensing results can be compared to obtain spectral differences.

A filter arrangement can transmit and/or reflect light emanating from a moving object so that the emanating light has time variation, and the time variation can include information about the object, such as its type. For example, emanating light from segments of a path can be transmitted/reflected through positions of a filter assembly, and the transmission functions of the positions can be sufficiently different that time variation occurs in the emanating light between segments. Or emanating light from a segment can be transmitted/reflected through a filter component in which simpler transmission functions are superimposed, so that time variation occurs in the emanating light in accordance with superposition of two simpler non-uniform transmission functions. One or more mask arrangements can be configured to receive the emanating light and in response provide encoded emanating light.

Transmitting/reflecting emanating light with time variation

Sensors can be used to obtain encoded sensing results from objects that have nonuniform relative motion. A photosensor or impedance-based sensor, for example, can obtain sensing results from objects that have relative motion within a sensing region relative to the sensor, with the relative motion being, for example, periodically varying, randomly varying, chirp-varying, or modulated relative motion that completes at least one modulation cycle within the sensing region. Relative motion can be caused by varying objects' speed and/or direction or by controlling flow of fluid carrying objects, movement of a channel, movement of a support structure, movement of a sensor, and/or pattern movement. A fluidic implementation can include shaped channel wall parts and/or a displacement component causing time-varying lateral displacement. A support structure implementation can include a scanner device and a rotary device that respectively control scanning and rotating movement of a movable support structure or of a sensor.

Causing relative motion

An encoder/sensor can obtain sensing results from objects in an encoding/sensing region; a trigger detector can respond to objects in a trigger detection region, providing respective trigger signals; and a relative motion component can cause relative motion of objects into the trigger detection region, from it into the encoding/sensing region, and within the encoding/sensing region. In response to an object's trigger signal, control circuitry can cause the encoder/sensor and/or the relative motion component to operate so that the encoder/sensor obtains sensing results indicating a time-varying waveform and processing circuitry can obtain data from the sensing results indicating a time-varying waveform. The time-varying waveform can include information resulting from the relative motion within the encoding/sensing region. The encoder/sensor and trigger detector can be implemented, for example, with discrete components or as sets of cells in a photosensing array on an integrated circuit.

Obtaining sensing results and/or data in response to object detection

In response to objects having relative motion within an encoding/sensing region relative to an encoder/sensor that, e.g., photosenses emanating light or performs impedance-based sensing, sensing results can indicate sensed time-varying waveforms with information about the objects, about their relative motion, about excitation characteristics, about environmental characteristics, and so forth. An encoder/sensor can include, for example, a non-periodic arrangement of sensing elements; a longitudinal sequence of sensing elements with a combined sensing pattern that approximates a superposition or scaled superposition of simpler sensing patterns; and/or IC-implemented sensing elements that include photosensing arrays on ICs and readout/combine circuitry that reads out photosensed quantities from cells in groups in accordance with cell-group sensing patterns and combines the readout photosensed quantities to obtain the sensing results. Objects can move fluidically as in flow cytometry, through scanning movement as in document scanning, or in other ways.

Obtaining sensing results indicating time variation

A transmissive and/or reflective optical filter can receive input light, which can emanate from objects traveling along paths past the filter, e.g. from biological cells, viruses, colored spots or other markings on documents, and so forth. In response, the filter can provide output light in accordance with a combined transmission function that is approximately equal to a superposition or scaled superposition of a set of simpler transmission functions. The set can include two or more non-uniform transmission functions, a subset of which can be different from each other and positioned relative to each other so that the output light has time variation in accordance with each of the functions in the subset. The subset could include, for example, a random function and a periodic function, a chirp function and a periodic function, or any other suitable combination of two or more simpler functions.

Producing filters with combined transmission and/or reflection functions

An embodiment is a fluidic channel to enhance light-target interaction. A first channel portion receives a first excitation light, an analyte flow, and a sheath flow. The analyte flow and the first excitation light are separated while in the first channel portion. The sheath flow flows on two sides or surrounds the analyte flow. A second channel portion has a first redirection structure to redirect the analyte flow by the sheath flow into the first excitation light at a first detection area.

Flow schemes for enhanced light-target interaction in fluidic channels

An excitation component or arrangement can provide excitation to a moving object so that information is encoded in time variation of light emanating from the object. For example, in each of a sequence of segments, it can provide a respective non-binary excitation spectrum, and the spectra can be different with a non-interference-like transition between them; because the object emanates light differently in response to the different spectra, photosensing results can be obtained that include encoded information about the object. The non-binary spectra could be different intermediate intensities, such as different gray levels or different intensities of one color or could be different colors. The excitation can be provided in a pattern with non-interference-like transitions between regions, and object motion can also be controlled. In another approach, a trigger signal can cause a time-varying excitation in a region, with non-interference-like transitions between intervals of excitation, such as black/white, multiple colors, or gray levels.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Markus Beck