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:
Feb. 06, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 11, 2004
Ring-ling Chien, San Jose, CA (US);
J. Wallace Parce, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Andrea W. Chow, Los Altos, CA (US);
Anne Kopf-sill, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Ring-Ling Chien, San Jose, CA (US);
J. Wallace Parce, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Andrea W. Chow, Los Altos, CA (US);
Anne Kopf-Sill, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
Improved microfluidic devices, systems, and methods allow selective transportation of fluids within microfluidic channels of a microfluidic network by applying, controlling, and varying pressures at a plurality of reservoirs. Modeling the microfluidic network as a series of nodes connected together by channel segments and determining the flow resistance characteristics of the channel segments may allow calculation of fluid flows through the channel segments resulting from a given pressure configuration at the reservoirs. To effect a desired flow within a particular channel or series of channels, reservoir pressures may be identified using the network model. Viscometers or other flow sensors may measure flow characteristics within the channels, and the measured flow characteristics can be used to calculate pressures to generate a desired flow. Multi-reservoir pressure modulator and pressure controller systems can optionally be used in conjunction with electrokinetic or other fluid transport mechanisms.