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:
Jan. 23, 2018
Filed:
Oct. 22, 2012
Qiagen Gaithersburg, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD (US);
Bradley Scott Thomas, Timonium, MD (US);
Qiagen Gaithersburg, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD (US);
Abstract
An ultrasonic sample evaluation process in which a vial containing a liquid medium is placed on a receptacle and a ultrasonic source signal is propagated upwards in the vertical direction through the liquid medium. A number of reflected ultrasonic signals is received at the bottom of the sample vial and evaluated to identify a pattern characteristic of a reflection off the meniscus, and the presence of a pattern characteristic of a collection implement located in the liquid medium. An estimate of the amount of liquid medium contained in the sample vial is generated based on a time characteristic of the pattern characteristic of a reflection off the meniscus, and a signal indicating the presence of a collection implement in the liquid medium is generated upon identifying such a pattern.