The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 03, 1999
Joseph M. Chiapperi, Rochester, NY (US);
Donald M. Josephson, Rochester, NY (US);
Stuart G. MacDonald, Pultneyville, NY (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method of detecting an optical change in a series of test assays producing detectable results at varying efficiencies, the method comprising the steps of: a) selecting a test assay from the series, the selected assay having a known end-point photoresponse efficiency and a known filter center wavelength; b) providing a variable-intensity flash lamp illuminator comprising a lamp, a set of multiple filters with pre-selected center wavelengths assigned to particular assays, and a circuit for activating the lamp and comprising a capacitor, a power source, and a variable output voltage converter connected to the source and having its variable voltage output connected across the capacitor, the lamp and the filters providing a known level of system efficiency as a function of the center wavelength of the filter; c) providing a predetermined relationship of levels of illuminating intensities from the lamp as a function of photoresponse efficiencies of the assays and the system efficiencies, in which the photoresponse efficiencies of the assays are inversely proportional to the lamp intensities and the intensities are proportional to the square of the voltages applied to the lamp; d) selecting from the relationship a voltage applied to the lamp, and hence an intensity of the lamp, that corresponds to the known photoresponse efficiency of the assay selected in step (a) and its system efficiency based upon the filter center wavelength for the assay; and e) thereafter exposing the assay to the selected illuminating intensity.