Patents by Inventor Joseph W. Barco

Joseph W. Barco 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: 9506914
    Abstract: A microfluidic device includes a plurality of first flow channels and a plurality of second flow channels, each such second flow channel intersecting multiple of the first flow channels to define intersecting volumes and a plurality of looped flow channels that each include segments of the flow channels between the intersecting volumes to define a closed loop. The microfluidic device also includes a plurality of control valves each such control valve having a control channel and a deformable segment disposed to restrict flow through a respective one of the first and second flow channels in response to an actuation force applied to the control channel to deflect the deformable segment. The microfluidic device further includes a pump operatively disposed to regulate flow through one of the looped flow channels to regulate flow by the recirculating pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Ian D. Manger, Joseph W. Barco, Hany R. Nassef
  • Publication number: 20150168385
    Abstract: A microfluidic device includes a plurality of first flow channels and a plurality of second flow channels, each such second flow channel intersecting multiple of the first flow channels to define intersecting volumes and a plurality of looped flow channels that each include segments of the flow channels between the intersecting volumes to define a closed loop. The microfluidic device also includes a plurality of control valves each such control valve having a control channel and a deformable segment disposed to restrict flow through a respective one of the first and second flow channels in response to an actuation force applied to the control channel to deflect the deformable segment. The microfluidic device further includes a pump operatively disposed to regulate flow through one of the looped flow channels to regulate flow by the recirculating pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Ian D. Manger, Joseph W. Barco, Hany R. Nassef
  • Patent number: 8883092
    Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of microfluidic devices and methods for conducting assays and syntheses. The devices include a solid substrate layer having a surface that is capable of attaching ligand and or anti-ligand, and an elastomeric layer attached to said surface. Preferred embodiments have deflectable membrane valves and pumps, for example, rotary pumps associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Ian D. Manger, Joseph W. Barco, Hany R. Nassef
  • Publication number: 20130089874
    Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of microfluidic devices and methods for conducting assays and syntheses. The devices include a solid substrate layer having a surface that is capable of attaching ligand and or anti-ligand, and an elastomeric layer attached to said surface. Preferred embodiments have deflectable membrane valves and pumps, for example, rotary pumps associated therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Ian David Manger, Joseph W. Barco, Hany Ramez Nassef
  • Patent number: 8168139
    Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of microfluidic devices and methods for conducting assays and syntheses. The devices include a solid substrate layer having a surface that is capable of attaching ligand and or anti-ligand, and an elastomeric layer attached to said surface. Preferred embodiments have deflectable membrane valves and pumps, for example, rotary pumps associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Ian David Manger, Joseph W. Barco, Hany Ramez Nassef
  • Patent number: 7661013
    Abstract: An automated laboratory device that comprises a mechanism that performs operations on laboratory samples, a scheduler that causes the mechanism to process laboratory samples in accordance with programmed processes, logic that detects an error occurring in a process controlled by the scheduler, logic that accepts a user-defined error handling routine for the error, and logic that executes the error handling routine when the error is encountered. Also described is an embodiment of the invention directed to a laboratory automation system, a method of laboratory automation, a computer implemented software program product, a method of doing business, and a laboratory automation network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Berman, Giles Biddison, Felix Chuang, David K. Matsumoto, Joseph W. Barco
  • Patent number: 7555672
    Abstract: An automated laboratory device that comprises a mechanism that performs operations on laboratory samples, a scheduler that causes the mechanism to process laboratory samples in accordance with programmed processes, logic that detects an error occurring in a process controlled by the scheduler, logic that accepts a user-defined error handling routine for the error, and logic that executes the error handling routine when the error is encountered. Also described is an embodiment of the invention directed to a laboratory automation system, a method of laboratory automation, a computer implemented software program product, a method of doing business, and a laboratory automation network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Berman, Giles Biddison, Felix Chuang, David K. Matsumoto, Joseph W. Barco
  • Patent number: 7279146
    Abstract: High throughput screening of crystallization of a target material is accomplished by simultaneously introducing a solution of the target material into a plurality of chambers of a microfabricated fluidic device. The microfabricated fluidic device is then manipulated to vary the solution condition in the chambers, thereby simultaneously providing a large number of crystallization environments. Control over changed solution conditions may result from a variety of techniques, including but not limited to metering volumes of crystallizing agent into the chamber by volume exclusion, by entrapment of volumes of crystallizing agent determined by the dimensions of the microfabricated structure, or by cross-channel injection of sample and crystallizing agent into an array of junctions defined by intersecting orthogonal flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Hany Ramez Nassef, Geoffrey Facer, Joseph W. Barco
  • Publication number: 20040180377
    Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of microfluidic devices and methods for conducting assays and syntheses. The devices include a solid substrate layer having a surface that is capable of attaching ligand and or anti-ligand, and an elastomeric layer attached to said surface. Preferred embodiments have deflectable membrane valves and pumps, for example, rotary pumps associated therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Applicant: Fluidigm
    Inventors: Ian David Manger, Joseph W. Barco, Hany Ramez Nassef