Patents Assigned to Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
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Patent number: 8734629Abstract: A series of microactuators for manipulating small quantities of liquids, and methods of using these for manipulating liquids, are disclosed. The microactuators are based on the phenomenon of electrowetting and contain no moving parts. The force acting on the liquid is a potential-dependent gradient of adhesion energy between the liquid and a solid insulating surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2011Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventor: Alexander Shenderov
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Publication number: 20140141460Abstract: The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2013Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventor: Allen E. Eckhardt
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Patent number: 8716015Abstract: A method of inoculating a culture medium including providing a droplet including a single cell type on a droplet actuator and inoculating a culture medium with the droplet. A method of providing a metabolically useful substance to a cell culture, including providing a droplet actuator including a cell culture droplet loaded thereon, the sample droplet including cells and a cell culture medium, and a second droplet comprising a metabolically useful substance. The method also includes conducting one or more droplet operations to combine the cell culture droplet with the second droplet on the droplet actuator. Related methods, droplet actuators, and systems are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2008Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Allen E. Eckhardt
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Patent number: 8702938Abstract: The invention provides a droplet actuator comprising a base substrate and a top substrate separated to form a gap, wherein: (a) the base substrate comprises electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations in the gap; and (b) the top substrate comprises a first portion coupled to second portion, where the second portion comprises one or more openings establishing a fluid path extending from an exterior of the droplet actuator and into the gap. The invention also provides related methods of manufacturing the droplet actuator, methods of using the droplet actuator, and methods of loading the droplet actuator.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Alexander Shenderov, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan
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Patent number: 8685344Abstract: The present invention relates to surface assisted fluid loading and droplet dispensing on a droplet micro actuator. A droplet actuator is provided and includes one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate. The droplet actuator further includes a wettable surface defining a path from a fluid reservoir into a locus which is sufficiently near to one or more of the electrodes that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation. Methods and systems are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2008Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Arjun Sudarsan, Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan
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Patent number: 8685754Abstract: Droplet actuator devices and methods for immunoassays and washing are provided. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet in contact with a surface of a super paramagnetic bead with a reduced concentration of a substance is provided and includes: (a) providing a super paramagnetic bead in contact with a droplet comprising a starting concentration and starting quantity of the substance and having a starting volume; (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with the droplet provided in step (a) to yield a combined droplet; and (c) conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the combined droplet to yield a set of droplets. The set of droplets includes: (i) a droplet in contact with the super paramagnetic bead having a decreased concentration of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and (ii) a droplet which is separated from the super paramagnetic bead.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2009Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc., Duke UniversityInventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Richard B. Fair
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Patent number: 8658111Abstract: The present invention provides droplet actuators, modified fluids and methods relating to droplet operations. An aspect includes a droplet actuator including a droplet operations substrate; an oil based filler fluid on the droplet operations substrate comprising an oil soluble additive in the filler fluid; and a droplet in contact with the oil based filler fluid. Still other aspects are provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan, Prasanna Thwar
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Patent number: 8637317Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include providing a droplet including magnetically responsive beads. The droplet may be provided within a region of a magnetic field having sufficient strength to attract the magnetically responsive beads to an edge of the droplet or towards an edge of the droplet, or otherwise regionalize or aggregate beads within the droplet. The method may also include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Ramakrishna Sista
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Patent number: 8637324Abstract: The present invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan
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Publication number: 20140014517Abstract: Droplet actuator for conducting droplet operations, such as droplet transport and droplet dispensing, is provided. In one embodiment, the droplet actuator may include an electrode that is rotationally but not reflectively symmetrical.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan, Allen E. Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20140008222Abstract: A method of loading a droplet actuator is provided. In one embodiment, the method may include, providing: a droplet actuator loaded with a filler fluid; a reservoir comprising a droplet fluid; and a fluid path extending from the reservoir into the droplet actuator; and forcing filler fluid from one locus in the droplet actuator to another locus in the droplet actuator; or out of the droplet actuator; thereby causing droplet fluid to flow through the fluid path and into the droplet actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan, Allen E. Eckhardt
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Patent number: 8613889Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based washing. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet in contact with a surface with a reduced concentration of a substance is provided, wherein the method includes: (a) providing a surface in contact with a droplet comprising a starting concentration and starting quantity of the substance and having a starting volume; (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with the droplet provided in step (a) to yield a combined droplet; and (c) conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the combined droplet to yield a set of droplets comprising: (i) a droplet in contact with the surface having a decreased concentration of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and (ii) a droplet which is separated from the surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2006Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc., Duke UniversityInventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Richard B. Fair
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Patent number: 8591830Abstract: A droplet actuator comprising: (a) a base substrate comprising electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations on a droplet operations surface thereof; (b) a droplet comprising one or more beads situated on the droplet operations surface; (c) a barrier arranged in relation to the droplet and the electrodes such that a droplet may be transported away from the beads using one or more droplet operations mediated by one or more of the electrodes while transport of the beads is restrained by a barrier. Related methods and kits are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2008Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Arjun Sudarsan, Michael G. Pollack, Prasanna Thwar, Dwayne Allen
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Patent number: 8592217Abstract: The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2013Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventor: Allen E. Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20130293246Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide methods of measuring capacitance, detecting a droplet at a position, determining a thickness of an oil film and determining temperature in a droplet actuator. Specifically, the capacitance detection method may be used as a real-time verification tool in order to detect the absence, presence, and/or partial presence of a droplet at an electrode, analyze droplet properties, measure droplet size or volume, optimize the speed of droplet operation and detect air bubbles.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2011Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Ryan A. Sturmer, Philip Y. Paik, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan
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Patent number: 8562807Abstract: Droplet actuators for conducting droplet operations, such as droplet transport and droplet dispensing, are provided. In one embodiment, the droplet actuator may include a substrate including, droplet operations electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; and reference electrodes associated with the droplet operations electrodes and extending above the surface of the substrate. Other embodiments of droplet actuators and methods of loading and using such droplet actuators are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2008Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan, Allen E. Eckhardt, Vamsee K. Pamula
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Publication number: 20130264010Abstract: Alternative approaches to fabricating printed circuit boards for use in droplet actuator operations are provided. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a droplet actuator for conducting droplet operations includes positioning a dielectric material between a first metal layer configured to include an electrode and a second metal layer configured to include an interconnect pad. The method additionally includes forming a connection between the first and second metal layers. Droplet actuators and methods of fabricating and supporting printed circuit boards of droplet actuators are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: October 10, 2013Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic IncInventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack
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Publication number: 20130252262Abstract: A method of detecting a target analyte in a sample, including executing electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby: combining one or more immunoassay reagent droplets comprising magnetically-responsive beads having affinity for the target analyte with one or more sample droplets potentially comprising the target analyte to yield a first combined droplet; beginning with the combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a first washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; and combining the droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads with a droplet comprising a reporter molecule having affinity for target analyte captured on the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second combined droplet; beginning with the second combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsiveType: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack, Richard B. Fair
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Patent number: 8541176Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based surface modification and washing. According to one embodiment, a method of modifying a surface on a droplet microactuator is provided, wherein the method includes executing one or more droplet operations to bring a droplet comprising a surface-modifying agent into contact with the surface. According to another embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes a sample or reagent immobilized on a surface thereof and arranged such that a droplet on the droplet microactuator may contact the surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2008Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc., Duke UniversityInventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Allen E. Eckhardt, Michael G. Pollack, Richard B. Fair
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Publication number: 20130233712Abstract: A method of manipulating a droplet comprising providing a substrate comprising a surface; an elongated transport electrode disposed on the substrate surface, the elongated transport electrode having a first and a second end and configured to impart a gradient force to the droplet; and one or more wires for providing power to the transport electrode; and providing power to the one or more wires to effect the gradient force and thereby transport the droplet along the length of the elongated transport electrode from the first end to the second end.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.Inventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack, Vijay Srinivasan, Philip Paik