Patents by Inventor Caicai Wu

Caicai Wu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6582963
    Abstract: A reference T-sensor system is provided for detecting the presence and/or measuring the concentration of analyte particles in a sample stream. The system includes: a) a laminar flow channel; b) three or more inlets in fluid connection with the laminar flow channel for respectively conducting into the laminar flow channel (1) an indicator stream which may include an indicator substance which indicates the presence of analyte particles by a detectable change in property when contacted with the analyte particles, (2) the sample stream, and (3) a reference stream, which can be a control stream and/or an internal standard stream; c) wherein the laminar flow channel has a depth and/or width sufficiently small to allow laminar flow of the streams and a length sufficient to allow particles of the analyte to diffuse into the indicator stream to form a detection area; and (d) an outlet for conducting the streams out of the laminar flow channel preferably to form a single mixed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Bernhard H. Weigl, Mark R. Holl, Diane Zebert, Margaret Kenny, Caicai Wu
  • Patent number: 6454945
    Abstract: This invention provides microfabricated systems for extraction of desired particles from a sample stream containing desired and undesired particles. The sample stream is placed in laminar flow contact with an extraction stream under conditions in which inertial effects are negligible. The contact between the two streams is maintained for a sufficient period of time to allow differential transport of the desired particles from the sample stream into the extraction stream. In a preferred embodiment the differential transport mechanism is diffusion. The extraction system of this invention coupled to a microfabricated diffusion-based mixing device and/or sensing means allows picoliter quantities of fluid to be processed or analyzed on devices no larger than silicon wafers. Such diffusion-based mixing or sensing devices are preferably channel cell systems for detecting the presence and/or measuring the quantity of analyte particles in a sample stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Bernhard H. Weigl, Paul Yager, James P. Brody, Mark R. Holl, Fred K. Forster, Eric Altendorf, Paul C. Galambos, Margaret Kenny, David Schutte, Gregory Hixson, Diane Zebert, Andrew Kamholz, Caicai Wu
  • Publication number: 20020006670
    Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting the presence of analyte particles in a sample fluid also comprising larger particles, particularly blood. It exploits diffusion to provide simultaneous filtering of the larger particles and reaction of the analyte particles. A sample stream and a reagent stream join on the upstream end of a laminar flow reaction channel and flow in adjacent laminar streams. The reagents can be in solution or immobilized on a bead. The analyte particles diffuse from the sample stream into the reagent stream, leaving behind the larger particles in the residual sample stream. In the reagent stream the analyte particles react with reagent particles and form product particles, thereby creating a product stream. At the downstream end of the reaction channel, the residual sample stream and the product stream are divided. The product particles are then detected, preferably optically, in the product stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventors: Caicai Wu, Bernhard Weigl, Margaret A. Kenny, Paul Yager
  • Patent number: 6297061
    Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting the presence of analyte particles in a sample fluid also comprising larger particles, particularly blood. It exploits diffusion to provide simultaneous filtering of the larger particles and reaction of the analyte particles. A sample stream and a reagent stream join on the upstream end of a laminar flow reaction channel and flow in adjacent laminar streams. The reagents can be in solution or immobilized on a bead. The analyte particles diffuse from the sample stream into the reagent stream, leaving behind the larger particles in the residual sample stream. In the reagent stream the analyte particles react with reagent particles and form product particles, thereby creating a product stream. At the downstream end of the reaction channel, the residual sample stream and the product stream are divided. The product particles are then detected, preferably optically, in the product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Caicai Wu, Bernhard Weigl, Margaret A. Kenny, Paul Yager
  • Patent number: 6221677
    Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting the presence of analyte particles in a sample fluid also comprising larger particles, particularly blood. It exploits diffusion to provide simultaneous filtering of the larger particles and reaction of the analyte particles. A sample stream and a reagent stream join on the upstream end of a laminar flow reaction channel and flow in adjacent laminar streams. The reagents can be in solution or immobilized on a bead. The analyte particles diffuse from the sample stream into the reagent stream, leaving behind the larger particles in the residual sample stream. In the reagent stream the analyte particles react with reagent particles and form product particles, thereby creating a product stream. At the downstream end of the reaction channel, the residual sample stream and the product stream are divided. The product particles are then detected, preferably optically, in the product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Caicai Wu, Bernhard Weigl, Margaret A. Kenny, Paul Yager
  • Patent number: 6171865
    Abstract: A reference sensor system is provided for detecting the presence and/or measuring the concentration of analyte particles in a sample stream. The system includes: a) a laminar flow channel; b) three or more inlet means in fluid connection with the laminar flow channel for respectively conducting into the laminar flow channel (1) an indicator stream which may include an indicator substance which indicates the presence of the analyte particles, (2) the sample stream, and (3) a reference stream, which can be a control stream and/or internal standard stream; and, c) wherein the laminar flow channel has a depth and/or width sufficiently small to allow laminar flow of said streams and a length sufficient to allow particles of the analyte to diffuse into the indicator stream to form a detection area. Branching channels may be provided as outlet means for conducting the streams out of the laminar flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Bernhard H. Weigl, Mark R. Holl, Diane Zebert, Margaret Kenny, Caicai Wu
  • Patent number: 5972710
    Abstract: A channel-cell system is provided for detecting the presence and/or measuring the presence of analyte particles in a sample stream comprising: a) a laminar flow channel; b) two inlets in fluid connection with the laminar flow channel for respectively conducting into the laminar flow channel (1) an indicator stream which may comprise an indicator substance which indicates the presence of the analyte particles by a detectable change in property when contacted with the analyte particles, and (2) the sample stream; c) wherein the laminar flow channel has a depth sufficiently small to allow laminar flow of the streams and a length sufficient to allow particles of the analyte to diffuse into the indicator stream to the substantial exclusion of the larger particles in the sample stream to form a detection area; and d) an outlet for conducting the streams out of the laminar flow channel to form a single mixed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Bernhard H. Weigl, Paul Yager, James P. Brody, Mark R. Holl, Margaret Kenny, David Schutte, Gregory Hixson, M. Diane Zebert, Andrew Kamholz, Caicai Wu, Eric Altendorf
  • Patent number: 5948684
    Abstract: A reference T-sensor system is provided for detecting the presence and/or measuring the concentration of analyte particles in a sample stream. The system includes: a) a laminar flow channel; b) three or more inlet means in fluid connection with the laminar flow channel for respectively conducting into the laminar flow channel (1) an indicator stream which may include an indicator substance which indicates the presence of the analyte particles, (2) the sample stream, and (3) a reference stream, which can be a control stream and/or internal standard stream; c) wherein the laminar flow channel has a depth and/or width sufficiently small to allow laminar flow of the streams and a length sufficient to allow particles of the analyte to diffuse into the indicator stream to form a detection area; and d) outlet means for conducting the streams out of the laminar flow channel preferably to form a single mixed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Bernhard H. Weigl, Mark R. Holl, Diane Zebert, Margaret Kenny, Caicai Wu