Patents by Inventor Dominique Toppani
Dominique Toppani 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).
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Publication number: 20190217302Abstract: A thermal cycler for a microfluidic device includes a controller operable to provide a series of electrical signals, a heat sink, and a heating element in thermal communication with the heat sink and operable to receive the series of electrical signals from the controller. The thermal cycler also includes a thermal chuck in thermal communication with the heating element. The thermal chuck comprises a heating surface operable to make thermal contact with the microfluidic device. The heating surface is characterized by a temperature ramp rate between 2.5 degrees Celsius per second and 5.5 degrees Celsius per second and a temperature difference between a first portion of the heating surface supporting a first portion of the microfluidic device and a second portion of the heating surface supporting a second portion of the microfluidic device is less than 0.25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2019Publication date: July 18, 2019Inventors: Jake Kimball, Brandon Ripley, Gang Sun, Dominique Toppani, Myo Thu Maung
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Patent number: 10226770Abstract: A thermal cycler for a microfluidic device includes a controller operable to provide a series of electrical signals, a heat sink, and a heating element in thermal communication with the heat sink and operable to receive the series of electrical signals from the controller. The thermal cycler also includes a thermal chuck in thermal communication with the heating element. The thermal chuck comprises a heating surface operable to make thermal contact with the microfluidic device. The heating surface is characterized by a temperature ramp rate between 2.5 degrees Celsius per second and 5.5 degrees Celsius per second and a temperature difference between a first portion of the heating surface supporting a first portion of the microfluidic device and a second portion of the heating surface supporting a second portion of the microfluidic device is less than 0.25° C.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2015Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: Fluidigm CorporationInventors: Jake Kimball, Brandon Ripley, Gang Sun, Dominique Toppani, Myo Thu Maung
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Publication number: 20180282721Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for the generation of highly accurate nucleic acid libraries encoding for predetermined variants of a nucleic acid sequence. The degree of variation may be complete, resulting in a saturated variant library, or less than complete, resulting in a non-saturating library of variants. The variant nucleic acid libraries described herein may be designed for further processing by transcription or translation. The variant nucleic acid libraries described herein may be designed to generate variant RNA, DNA and/or protein populations. Further provided herein are method for identifying variant species with increased or decreased activities, with applications in regulating biological functions and the design of therapeutics for treatment or reduction of disease.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Anthony COX, Siyuan CHEN, Charles LEDOGAR, Dominique TOPPANI
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Patent number: 9952126Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for multiple single-cell capturing and processing utilizing microfluidics. Tools and techniques are provided for capturing, partitioning, and/or manipulating individual cells from a larger population of cells along with generating genetic information and/or reactions related to each individual cell. Different capture configurations may be utilized to capture individual cells and then processing each individual cell in a multi-chamber reaction configuration. Some embodiments may provide for specific target amplification, whole genome amplification, whole transcriptome amplification, real-time PCR preparation, copy number variation, preamplification, mRNA sequencing, and/or haplotyping of the multiple individual cells that have been partitioned from the larger population of cells. Some embodiments may provide for other applications. Some embodiments may be configured for imaging the individual cells or associated reaction products as part of the processing.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2013Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Fluidigm CorporationInventors: Brian Fowler, Jake Kimball, Myo Thu Maung, Andrew May, Michael C Norris, Dominique Toppani, Marc A. Unger, Jing Wang, Jason A. A. West
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Publication number: 20160114327Abstract: A thermal cycler for a microfluidic device includes a controller operable to provide a series of electrical signals, a heat sink, and a heating element in thermal communication with the heat sink and operable to receive the series of electrical signals from the controller. The thermal cycler also includes a thermal chuck in thermal communication with the heating element. The thermal chuck comprises a heating surface operable to make thermal contact with the microfluidic device. The heating surface is characterized by a temperature ramp rate between 2.5 degrees Celsius per second and 5.5 degrees Celsius per second and a temperature difference between a first portion of the heating surface supporting a first portion of the microfluidic device and a second portion of the heating surface supporting a second portion of the microfluidic device is less than 0.25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2015Publication date: April 28, 2016Inventors: Jake Kimball, Brandon Ripley, Gang Sun, Dominique Toppani, Myo Thu Maung
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Patent number: 9168531Abstract: A thermal cycler for a microfluidic device includes a controller operable to provide a series of electrical signals, a heat sink, and a heating element in thermal communication with the heat sink and operable to receive the series of electrical signals from the controller. The thermal cycler also includes a thermal chuck in thermal communication with the heating element. The thermal chuck comprises a heating surface operable to make thermal contact with the microfluidic device. The heating surface is characterized by a temperature ramp rate between 2.5 degrees Celsius per second and 5.5 degrees Celsius per second and a temperature difference between a first portion of the heating surface supporting a first portion of the microfluidic device and a second portion of the heating surface supporting a second portion of the microfluidic device is less than 0.25° C.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: FLUIDIGM CORPORATIONInventors: Jake Kimball, Brandon Ripley, Gang Sun, Dominique Toppani, Myo Thu Maung
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Patent number: 8794517Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for modulating card information between a card reader and a user device. One of the methods includes receiving, from a read head of the card reader, card information associated with a card. The card information is encoded in a first format to be sent to the user device at a first data rate. The card information is encoded in a second format to be sent to the user device at a second data rate lower than the first data rate. The card information is sent to the user device encoded in the first format and the second format.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2013Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Templeton, Daniel Jeffrey Post, Dominique Toppani, Alex Sutton
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Publication number: 20130078610Abstract: A thermal cycler for a microfluidic device includes a controller operable to provide a series of electrical signals, a heat sink, and a heating element in thermal communication with the heat sink and operable to receive the series of electrical signals from the controller. The thermal cycler also includes a thermal chuck in thermal communication with the heating element. The thermal chuck comprises a heating surface operable to make thermal contact with the microfluidic device. The heating surface is characterized by a temperature ramp rate between 2.5 degrees Celsius per second and 5.5 degrees Celsius per second and a temperature difference between a first portion of the heating surface supporting a first portion of the microfluidic device and a second portion of the heating surface supporting a second portion of the microfluidic device is less than 0.25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2012Publication date: March 28, 2013Applicant: Fluidigm CorporationInventors: Jake Kimball, Brandon Ripley, Gang Sun, Dominique Toppani, Myo Thu Maung
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Patent number: 7292263Abstract: A robotic CCD microscope and procedures to automate crystal recognition. The robotic CCD microscope and procedures enables more accurate crystal recognition, leading to fewer false negative and fewer false positives, and enable detection of smaller crystals compared to other methods available today.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2006Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Brent W. Segelke, Dominique Toppani
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Patent number: 7227983Abstract: An automated macromolecular method and system for detecting crystals in two-dimensional images, such as light microscopy images obtained from an array of crystallization screens. Edges are detected from the images by identifying local maxima of a phase congruency-based function associated with each image. The detected edges are segmented into discrete line segments, which are subsequently geometrically evaluated with respect to each other to identify any crystal-like qualities such as, for example, parallel lines, facing each other, similarity in length, and relative proximity. And from the evaluation a determination is made as to whether crystals are present in each image.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2003Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Allen T. Christian, Brent Segelke, Bernard Rupp, Dominique Toppani
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Publication number: 20070122025Abstract: An automated macromolecular method and system for detecting crystals in two-dimensional images, such as light microscopy images obtained from an array of crystallization screens. Edges are detected from the images by identifying local maxima of a phase congruency-based function associated with each image. The detected edges are segmented into discrete line segments, which are subsequently geometrically evaluated with respect to each other to identify any crystal-like qualities such as, for example, parallel lines, facing each other, similarity in length, and relative proximity. And from the evaluation a determination is made as to whether crystals are present in each image.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2003Publication date: May 31, 2007Inventors: Allen Christian, Brent Segelke, Bernard Rupp, Dominique Toppani
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Publication number: 20060207066Abstract: A robotic CCD microscope and procedures to automate crystal recognition. The robotic CCD microscope and procedures enables more accurate crystal recognition, leading to fewer false negative and fewer false positives, and enable detection of smaller crystals compared to other methods available today.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2006Publication date: September 21, 2006Inventors: Brent Segelke, Dominique Toppani
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Publication number: 20060150896Abstract: A system for crystallization of a protein sample comprising a first mixing cell, a reagent cocktail that is adapted to be added to the first mixing cell, a second mixing cell with the protein sample adapted to be added to the second mixing cell, and a transfer device between the first mixing cell and the second mixing cell. The transfer device comprises structure that allows the reagent cocktail in the first mixing cell to flow into the second mixing cell and mix with the protein sample and allows the protein sample in the second mixing cell to flow into the first mixing cell and mix with the reagent cocktail. The mixture of the reagent cocktail and the protein sample are allowed to incubate to produce protein crystals.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2005Publication date: July 13, 2006Inventors: Brent Segelke, Timothy Lekin, Dominique Toppani