Biochip Stamp Marking for Reuse Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional biochip measuring systems fail to identify and prevent the reuse of biochips that have not been properly cleaned, leading to incorrect measurement results due to residual pollution.

Innovation Solution

A biochip measuring system with a stamp marking and identification method, where a biochip includes a substrate with a stamp marking area that is marked by a stamp marking unit after measurement, allowing the system to determine whether the biochip has been used and preventing re-use by displaying error warnings or marking the biochip accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the biochip is reused after measurement, then productivity is improved by reusing resources, but measurement precision deteriorates due to residual pollution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiochip reuseVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification of the biochip status (used or not used) before allowing measurement to proceed. The stamp marking unit marks the biochip as 'used' after measurement, and this marking is detected before subsequent measurement attempts, preventing reuse of contaminated biochips.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the stamp marking unit continuously marks the biochip status and the detection unit reads this status to control whether measurement should proceed. This closed-loop feedback ensures that used biochips are identified and excluded from further measurement, maintaining measurement precision while allowing productive reuse of clean biochips.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If the biochip is not cleaned between uses, then ease of operation is improved by simplifying the process, but reliability deteriorates due to residual pollution affecting results

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidmeasurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs self-service through automatic stamp marking and detection. The stamp marking unit automatically marks the biochip as 'used' after measurement without requiring manual intervention, and the detection unit automatically reads the stamp status before measurement, ensuring reliable identification of used biochips while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual cleaning verification with an optical/electronic detection system that reads the stamp marking on the biochip. This substitution of mechanical/manual inspection with automated optical detection improves both ease of operation and reliability by providing consistent, error-free identification of used biochips.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If a stamp marking system is added to identify used biochips, then measurement precision is improved by preventing reuse, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiochip usage identificationVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the identification function into a separate, simple stamp marking and detection mechanism. Rather than complicating the entire measurement system, only the necessary stamp marking unit and detection unit are added to provide usage identification, keeping the added complexity minimal and focused solely on the identification function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The stamp marking is applied locally to a specific area of the biochip (the stamp marking area), and the detection unit focuses only on reading this local marking. This localized approach minimizes the complexity of the detection system by concentrating on a small, specific feature rather than analyzing the entire biochip, thereby improving identification precision with minimal added complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively prevents re-use of biochips by identifying and marking them after measurement, ensuring accurate and clean measurement processes by avoiding residual pollution issues.

Implementation Method 1

Each suspend particle scatters the light when passing through a beam, and fluorescent chemicals in the each suspend particle are excited and emitting the fluorescent light having a frequency lower than the light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Implementation Method 2

Each suspend particle scatters the light when passing through a beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentUS8702009B2Biochip measuring system and biochip measuring apparatus and biochip and stamp marking and identification method

Publication Date: 2014.04.22 WISTRON CORP

AI summary

The present invention discloses a biochip measuring system. The cytometer system includes a biochip and a biochip measuring apparatus. The biochip includes a substrate, for carrying bio-molecule droplet, and a stamp marking area, for receiving or displaying a stamp for identifying whether the biochip is used. The biochip measuring apparatus includes a controller, a driver circuit, a driver interface, a light, a light detector, and a stamp marking unit, for marking the stamp on the stamp marking area of the biochip after the biochip measuring apparatus completes measurement of the biochip.