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:
Apr. 01, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 27, 2003
Brian L. Ganz, Carlsbad, CA (US);
John Andrew Moulds, Encinitas, CA (US);
Christopher T. Brovold, Carlsbad, CA (US);
David W. Jewell, San Diego, CA (US);
Mandel W. Mickley, Oceanside, CA (US);
John A. Adams, Escondido, CA (US);
Benjamin M. Liedblad, Carlsbad, CA (US);
James A. Benjamin, San Diego, CA (US);
Brian L. Ganz, Carlsbad, CA (US);
John Andrew Moulds, Encinitas, CA (US);
Christopher T. Brovold, Carlsbad, CA (US);
David W. Jewell, San Diego, CA (US);
Mandel W. Mickley, Oceanside, CA (US);
John A. Adams, Escondido, CA (US);
Benjamin M. Liedblad, Carlsbad, CA (US);
James A. Benjamin, San Diego, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between a storage rack and an automated machine. In a preferred embodiment, the subject matter in the trays is a plurality of micro-well plates in which microscopic crystals may be growing and the automated machine is configured to inspect and classify microscopic crystals. The automated machine has an indexing device for sequentially placing microscopic crystals in camera-view of a camera and a control computer is programmed to control the indexing device and to cause the camera to take images of the microscopic crystals and then transfer the images to a classifying processor where the images are classified. In a preferred embodiment, the microscopic crystals are protein crystals that have been grown in the wells of micro-well plates.