Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Company

Richard D Pering

Richard J Pittaro

Frederick A Stawitcke

David A King

Edward D Verdonk

Shahida Rana

James M Lindauer

J Fleming Dias

Mohan Gurunathan

Henry E Karrer

Don Goodnature

Don Alden

Douglas Michael Baney

Frank W Ingle

Michael Greenstein

Bogdan Szafraniec

Ganapati R Mauze

Ian Bennett

Richard A Baumgartner

John N Dukes

Vladimir J Drbal

William Ian McAlexander

Olaf Soerensen

Rick Pittaro

Klaus Stefan Drese

Eric D Helfenbein

George A Fisher

Hans-Joachim Hartmann

Ed Verdonk

A method and miniature analytical device with thermal regulation of reactant using a localized heat source capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation, such as light emitting diodes ('LED's) and vertical cavity surface emitting lasers ('VCSEL's), generating internal heat, such as resistive, inductive and Peltier heaters, or external heating. The miniature analytical device comprises of array of temperature-controlled zones to restrict the volume heated and localize the heating by having the localized heat source comprise an array of emitters or heaters.

Thermal regulation of fluidic samples within a diagnostic cartridge

An optical fiber device with reduced thermal sensitivity comprises a first optical fiber arm having a first composite coefficient of thermal expansion and a first length and a second optical fiber arm having a second composite coefficient of thermal expansion and a second length. A ratio of the first and second lengths inversely matches a ratio of the first and second composite coefficients of thermal expansion to minimize thermal sensitivity in the device.

Systems and methods for fiber optic devices with reduced thermal sensitivity

A phase-diverse coherent optical spectrum analyzer is presented. An optical receiver receives a first input signal and a second input signal, and produces at least a first output signal, a second output signal, and a third output signal based on mixing the first input signal and the second input signal. A processing unit isolates heterodyne components from the first output signal, the second output signal and the third output signal, wherein the heterodyne components comprise a first signal and a second signal that represent the phase-diverse nature of the optical mixing process. Phase diversity of the heterodyning between the first input signal and the second input signal is achieved by the coherent optical spectrum analyzer.

Phase-diverse coherent optical spectrum analyzer

The disclosure is directed toward an optical excitation/detection device that includes an arrayed plurality of photodetectors and separately formed photoemitters, as well as a method for making such a device. A CMOS fabricated photodetector array including a plurality of individual photoreceptors is selectively etched back between photoreceptor locations to reveal a plurality of recessed regions having a certain geographic profile. A plurality of semiconductor blocks, each having light emitting capability and each having a certain geometric profile that is complementary in size and shape to the certain geometric profile of the recessed regions, are separately fabricated. These blocks are included within a fluid to form a slurry. The slurry is then flowed over the CMOS fabricated photodetector array in accordance with a fluidic self-assembly technique, and the included semiconductor blocks are individually deposited within each of the plurality of recessed regions in the CMOS fabricated photodetector array. The deposited blocks are then attached within the recessed regions to form the optical excitation/detection device from an arrayed plurality of photodetectors and separately formed photoemitters.

Optical excitation/detection device and method for making same using fluidic self-assembly techniques

The disclosure is directed toward an optical excitation/detection device that includes an arrayed plurality of photodetectors and discrete photoemitters, as well as a method for making such a device. A CMOS fabricated photodetector array includes an arrayed plurality of photoreceptor areas and photoemitter areas, wherein each photoreceptor area includes a CMOS integrated photoreceptor and each photoemitter area includes at least two buried electric contact pads. The CMOS array is selectively etched back at the locations of the photoemitter areas for regions to reveal the buried contact pads. A plurality of discrete semiconductor photoemitter devices (such as, for example, light emitting diodes) are inserted into, and mechanically retained within, the regions of the CMOS fabricated photodetector array. The inserted discrete semiconductor photoemitter devices make electrical contact with the buried electric contact pads that are revealed within each of the regions to form the optical excitation/detection device from an arrayed plurality of photodetectors and discrete semiconductor photoemitters.

Optical excitation/detection device and method for making same using discrete photoemitter devices

A biochemical assay device optically scans individual biological sample containing wells in an assay plate. The device includes an imaging system overlaying the assay plate wherein a scanning light propagates by total internal reflection within an optical waveguide. The waveguide includes a plurality of pixel locations, each aligned with a well in the assay plate, at which total internal reflection is selectively frustrated to output an incident beam of light. That light illuminates the well and causes generation of an emission beam of light that is detected by a photoreceptor. The device further includes a driver circuit that controls the selective frustration of total internal reflection at each pixel location in order to scan each well in the assay plate. A processor is also included in the device to process the detected emission beams of light generated by the scanned wells for purposes of assaying the biological sample contained in each scanned well.

Biochemical assay device using frustrated total internal reflection modulator with an imaging optical waveguide

Heterodyne based optical spectrum analysis (OSA) involves mixing an input signal with a swept local oscillator signal to generate a heterodyne beat signal and then stretching the heterodyne beat signal before the signal is sampled. A system for optical spectrum analysis includes a local oscillator source, an optical coupler, a heterodyne receiver, and a processor. A circuit for stretching the heterodyne beat signal is included in the heterodyne receiver and may include a diode in series with a capacitor and a resistor or a diode in series with a capacitor and a switch. Stretching the heterodyne beat signal involves extending the duration of the signal so that the signal can be detected with fewer samples per unit of time than an unstretched signal. Another embodiment of an OSA includes a first data acquisition unit for obtaining low resolution data and a second data acquisition unit for obtaining high resolution data.

Heterodyne based optical spectrum analysis with reduced data acquisition requirement

A method is provided for fabricating an annular ring transducers for determining the velocity of a fluid flow. A novel and accurate flow measurement system is fabricated for measuring transit time of a fluid flow using chirp signals, and a pneumotachometer with annular ring transducers is also disclosed.

Method for fabricating an annular ring transducer

Optical excitation/detection device using discrete photoemitter devices

The present invention is directed to a micromirror optical multiplexer for directing light to an array of sensors. The micromirror optical multiplexer directs light from one or more sources onto multiple, coplanar sensors for the purpose of exciting fluorescence. The micromirror optical multiplexer includes at least one light source and a micromirror array having a top face and up to four side faces. Pivotable mirrors of the micromirror array are arranged in a multiple row, multiple column format on the top face. In addition, each of the side faces of the micromirror array has at least one row of pivotable mirrors. By pivoting one side face mirror and one top face mirror, a light source entering at one corner of the micromirror array can be directed to exit near normal incidence anywhere on the bottom of the device.

Micromirror optical multiplexer and method for directing light towards an array of sensors

A sensor array is bonded to or molded together with a micro-lens array to form a sensor cartridge. The micro-lenses of the micro-lens array are configured to focus light incident on the sensors, into the sensors. An alignment structure has a mating profile that receives and engages one or more micro-lenses from the micro-lens array to laterally align the cartridge to enable repeatable precise positioning of the cartridge.

Self aligning sensor array system

An accurate and reliable pneumotachometer with annular ring transducers for determining the velocity of a fluid flow is provided. A novel and accurate flow measurement system for measuring transit time of a fluid flow using chirp signals and a pneumotachometer with annular ring transducers is also disclosed.

Pneumotachometer having annular ring transducers

During sampling, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter separates a composite signal into two components, non-cardiac physiological phenomena and cardiac artifacts. The length of the filter window dynamically varies to produce an output signal in which the cardiac frequency and any associated harmonics are suppressed with a fixed delay. The FIR filter is applied to the patient signal and lags the patient signal by at least one interval between triggering events. When the present interval between triggering events passes by the filter window, the window length is gradually adjusted to have the same length as the next period such that the window length is centered between two adjacent triggering events. The difference between the present interval and the next interval is evenly distributed or subtracted across the filter window between centerings.

Real-time artifact removal from waveforms using a dynamic filter having

During sampling, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter separates a composite signal into two components, non-cardiac physiological phenomena and cardiac artifacts. The length of the filter window dynamically varies to produce an output signal in which the cardiac frequency and any associated harmonics are suppressed. The FIR filter is applied to the patient signal and lags the patient signal by at least one interval between triggering events. When the present interval between triggering events passes by the filter window, the window length is gradually adjusted to have the same length as the next period such that the triggering events are synchronized with the endpoints of the filter window at the start of each interval. The difference between the present interval and the next interval is evenly distributed or subtracted across the filter window between synchronizations.

Dynamic filter for real-time artifact removal from waveforms

A computer system comprises a computer, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and an instrumentation system. The instrumentation system is coupled to a patient to gather data about a patient over time. The data is arranged in a flowsheet, only a portion of which can be displayed at one time. Indicators are used to indicate the presence of data off-display meeting a preselected criterion. This criterion can be the existence of a value entry or the existence of a value entry exceeding a threshold, for example. Upon activation of an indicator, the display scrolls to the next flowsheet neighborhood containing an entry meeting the criterion. In this way, a physician or other operator can navigate efficiently and rapidly through a large flowsheet. The invention allows an operator to skip large quantities of empty cells and uninteresting data when the flowsheet is sparsely filled.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Richard D Pering