PCR Well Heating Sheet Resistance Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing PCR testing devices face challenges in accurately sensing the temperature of the PCR mixture during thermal cycling, leading to inefficiencies and potential false negatives due to inadequate temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A device with a well and control portion that monitors the resistance of a heating sheet to determine its temperature, applying a correction model to achieve precise temperature control within the PCR well, allowing for pulse-controlled amplification and rapid thermal cycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If temperature sensing is performed using existing methods, then the device structure is simple, but the temperature measurement precision is insufficient leading to inaccurate temperature control
Solution Approach 1:
The heating sheet serves dual functions: it heats the PCR mixture and simultaneously acts as the temperature sensor through its own resistance changes. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate temperature sensors, improving measurement precision while avoiding increased device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/physical temperature sensors with an electrical resistance-based sensing method. The heating sheet's electrical resistance is measured to determine temperature, substituting complex sensing hardware with a simpler electrical measurement system that provides more precise temperature data
2Productivity
If thermal cycling is performed at standard speeds, then temperature control accuracy is maintained, but the testing time is prolonged reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the heating sheet's resistance to detect real-time temperature changes and uses this feedback to adjust power delivery dynamically. This feedback mechanism enables rapid thermal cycling while maintaining temperature control accuracy, as the system can respond immediately to temperature deviations even at higher speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic temperature control by continuously adjusting power delivery based on real-time resistance measurements. The system transitions from static temperature control to dynamic adjustment, enabling faster thermal cycling rates while maintaining accuracy through adaptive power modulation
3Measurement precision
If a correction model is applied to improve temperature determination accuracy, then the temperature control precision improves, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent corrects temperature determination by adjusting electrical parameters (resistance measurements) rather than adding complex computational models. By changing how resistance is measured and interpreted through correction factors, the system improves temperature accuracy while keeping the computational burden minimal
Solution Approach 2:
The correction model acts as an intermediary layer between the raw resistance measurement and the final temperature determination. This intermediary processing step refines the temperature calculation using the heating sheet's known thermal and electrical characteristics, improving accuracy without requiring complex external sensing systems
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
This approach enhances the accuracy and speed of PCR testing by ensuring precise temperature control, reducing the time required for thermal cycles, and improving the reliability of the test results.
Implementation Method 1
a first wall (110) defining a side of the interior (109), the first wall (110) comprising a heating first sheet (122)
Implementation Method 2
sensing a temperature of the first sheet (122) based on a resistance of the first sheet (122)
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a well and a control portion. The well is to receive a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mixture within an interior partially defined by a first wall, which comprise a heating first sheet. The control portion is to determine a first temperature of a first portion of the first sheet exposed to the interior, based on monitoring a resistance of the first sheet and based on a correction model, the correction model representing a thermal behavior of at least one structure which further defines the well and which is in thermal relation with at least a second portion the first sheet. The control portion is also, based on the determined first temperature, to apply a first electrical signal to the heating first sheet to heat the PCR mixture, at a selectable temperature, within a thermal cycling zone within the interior in close thermal proximity to the first wall.