Method and apparatus for aligning microbeads in order to interrogate the same

a technology of microbeads and interrogation, which is applied in the field of methods and apparatus for processing information contained on microbeads, can solve the problems of insufficient different codes, inability to withstand harsh temperature, chemical, nuclear and/or electromagnetic environments, and insufficient existing technologies such as bar codes, to achieve reliable and repeatable transportation of all beads, and low cost. , the effect of fast and effective/reliable movemen

US20100255603A9Inactive Publication Date: 2010-10-07ILLUMINA INC
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2010-10-07
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for aligning optical elements or microbeads 8, wherein each microbead has an elongated body with a code embedded therein along a longitudinal axis thereof to be read by a code reading device. The microbeads 8 are aligned with a positioning device (or cell) 500 having a plate or platform 200, 1252 with grooves 205, 1258 so the longitudinal axis of the microbeads is positioned in a fixed orientation relative to the code reading device. The microbeads 8 are typically cylindrically shaped glass beads having a diffraction grating-based code embedded in the bead 8 disposed along an axis, which requires a predetermined alignment between the incident code readout laser beam and the code readout detector in two of three rotational axes. The geometry of the grooves 205 are designed to allow for easy loading and unloading of beads from a cell, and the grooves 205 may be straight or curved. Also, the cell may be segmented into regions each associated with a different reaction or used for a different identification process / application, and may have many different geometries depending on the application.
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Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of: U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 609,583, filed Sep. 13, 2004, entitled “Improved Method and Apparatus for Aligning Microbeads in Order to Interrogate Same” (Docket No. CV-0082 PR); Ser. No. 60 / 610,910, filed Sep. 17, 2004, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Aligning Microbeads in Order to Interrogate Same” (Docket No. CV-0086 PR); and Ser. No. 60 / 610,833, filed Sep. 17, 2004, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Transporting and Kitting Microbeads” (Docket No. CV-0087 PR); and is a continuation-in-part of: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 661,836, filed Sep. 12, 2003, entitled “Method And Apparatus For Aligning Microbeads In Order To Interrogate The Same” (Docket No. CV-0042), and Ser. No. 11 / 063,665, filed Feb. 22, 2005, entitled “Multi-well Plate with Alignment Grooves for Encoded Microparticles” (Docket No. CV-0053 US), all the above of which are incorporated herein by referen...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0089]FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, steps of a microbead assay process which uses the microbead technology of the present invention. The steps of the assay process shown in FIG. 1 include a first step in which the microbeads are used in a solution; a second step in which the microbeads are aligned in a desired manner; a third step in which the code and florescence in and / or on the microbeads are read-out; and a fourth step in which the information related to the code and florescence is processed in relation to data management and bioinformatics. The present invention primarily relates to step 2 wherein the microbeads are uniquely aligned so the longitudinal axis of the microbeads is positioned in a fixed orientation relative to the code and florescence reading device, as well as relating to a lesser extent to step 3. It is important to note that the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of assay process or other process in whi...