Abstract: Optical fiber-based wireless systems and related components and methods are disclosed. The systems support radio frequency (RF) communications with clients over optical fiber, including Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) communications. The systems may be provided as part of an indoor distributed antenna system (IDAS) to provide wireless communication services to clients inside a building or other facility. The communications can be distributed between a head end unit (HEU) that receives carrier signals from one or more service or carrier providers and converts the signals to RoF signals for distribution over optical fibers to end points, which may be remote antenna units (RAUs). A microprocessor-based control system or systems may also be employed.

Abstract: An optical interrogation system is described herein that can interrogate a label-independent-detection (LID) biosensor and monitor a biological event on top of the biosensor without suffering from problematical parasitic reflections and/or problematical pixelation effects. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using an oversampling/smoothing algorithm to reduce oscillations in the estimated location of an optical resonance caused by the problematical pixelation effect which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor.

Abstract: Optical fiber-based wireless systems and related components and methods are disclosed. The systems support radio frequency (RF) communications with clients over optical fiber, including Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) communications. The systems may be provided as part of an indoor distributed antenna system (IDAS) to provide wireless communication services to clients inside a building or other facility. The communications can be distributed between a head end unit (HEU) that receives carrier signals from one or more service or carrier providers and converts the signals to RoF signals for distribution over optical fibers to end points, which may be remote antenna units (RAUs). A microprocessor-based control system or systems may also be employed.

Abstract: A swept wavelength interrogation system includes a tunable light source for outputting a light beam that is tunable over a range of wavelengths and an optical reader head for distributing the light beam among a plurality of sensors and for measuring response spectra from the sensors. A wavelength-tracking device measures centroid wavelengths of the light beam. A processor calculates a centroid wavelength of the response spectra from the sensors based on the measured centroid wavelengths of the light beam.

Abstract: An optical interrogation system is described herein that can interrogate a label-independent-detection (LID) biosensor and monitor a biological event on top of the biosensor without suffering from problematical parasitic reflections and/or problematical pixelation effects.

Abstract: A multi-channel swept wavelength optical interrogation system and a method are described herein that enable the interrogation of one or more biosensors which for example could be located within the wells of a microplate. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system comprises: (a) a tunable laser that emits an optical beam which has a predetermined sequence of distinct wavelengths over a predetermined time period; (b) a distribution unit that splits the optical beam into a plurality of interrogation beams; (c) an array of optical interrogation units that receive and direct the interrogation beams towards an array of biosensors; (d) the array of optical interrogation units receive a plurality of reflected interrogation beams from the array of biosensors; (e) a data processing device that receives and processes information associated with the reflected interrogation beams to determine for example whether or not there was a biochemical interaction on anyone of the biosensors.

Abstract: An optical interrogation system is described herein that can interrogate a label-independent-detection (LID) biosensor and monitor a biological event on top of the biosensor without suffering from problematical parasitic reflections and/or problematical pixelation effects. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using a low pass filter algorithm to digitally remove problematic parasitic reflections contained in the spectrum of an optical resonance which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor. In another embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using an oversampling/smoothing algorithm to reduce oscillations in the estimated location of an optical resonance caused by the problematical pixelation effect which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor.

Abstract: An optical reader system and method are described herein that can detect a lateral and/or angular misalignment of one or more biosensors so that the biosensors can be properly re-located after being removed from and then reinserted into the optical reader system. In one embodiment, the biosensors are incorporated within the wells of a microplate.

Abstract: An optical reader system and method are described herein that can detect a lateral and/or angular misalignment of one or more biosensors so that the biosensors can be properly re-located after being removed from and then reinserted into the optical reader system. In one embodiment, the biosensors are incorporated within the wells of a microplate.

Abstract: A swept wavelength interrogation system includes a tunable light source for outputting a light beam that is tunable over a range of wavelengths and an optical reader head for distributing the light beam among a plurality of sensors and for measuring response spectra from the sensors. A wavelength-tracking device measures centroid wavelengths of the light beam. A processor calculates a centroid wavelength of the response spectra from the sensors based on the measured centroid wavelengths of the light beam.

Abstract: An optical interrogation system and method are described herein that are capable of detecting and correcting a positional misalignment of a label independent detection (LID) microplate so that the LID microplate can be properly interrogated after being removed from and then re-inserted back into a microplate holder/XY translation stage.

Abstract: A multi-channel swept wavelength optical interrogation system and a method are described herein that enable the interrogation of one or more biosensors which for example could be located within the wells of a microplate. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system comprises: (a) a tunable laser that emits an optical beam which has a predetermined sequence of distinct wavelengths over a predetermined time period; (b) a distribution unit that splits the optical beam into a plurality of interrogation beams; (c) an array of optical interrogation units that receive and direct the interrogation beams towards an array of biosensors; (d) the array of optical interrogation units receive a plurality of reflected interrogation beams from the array of biosensors; (e) a data processing device that receives and processes information associated with the reflected interrogation beams to determine for example whether or not there was a biochemical interaction on anyone of the biosensors.

Abstract: A typical use of linear or two dimensional spectrometers is to expose the detector area, and then shift the photo-electric charges out of the device in a serial fashion. If the illuminating signal is spatially narrow relative to the size of the array, this will drive down the percent of the detector that is utilized, as only a relatively small number of pixels are used to detect the beam. The present invention proposes a method which capitalizes on this spatial under-utilization, and alters the clocking scheme to maximize the read-out speed of the pixels containing signal information. This type of clocking scheme raises the optical power saturation level of the spectrometer. Such an improvement in optical power handling is beneficial for spectrometer based detection of resonant waveguide grating biochemical binding, since in such systems the performance is frequently limited by spectrometer saturation.

Abstract: An optical reader system and method are described herein that can detect a lateral and/or angular misalignment of one or more biosensors so that the biosensors can be properly re-located after being removed from and then reinserted into the optical reader system. In one embodiment, the biosensors are incorporated within the wells of a microplate.

Abstract: An optical reader system is described herein that uses a scanned optical beam to interrogate a biosensor to determine if a biomolecular binding event occurred on a surface of the biosensor. In one embodiment, the optical reader system includes a light source, a detector and a processor (e.g., computer, DSP). The light source outputs an optical beam which is scanned across a moving biosensor and while this is happening the detector collects the optical beam which is reflected from the biosensor. The computer processes the collected optical beam and records the resulting raw spectral or angle data which is a function of a position (and possibly time) on the biosensor. The processor can then analyze the raw data to create a spatial map of resonant wavelength (peak position) or resonant angle which indicates whether or not a biomolecular binding event occurred on the biosensor. Several other uses of the raw data are also described herein.

Abstract: An optical interrogation system is described herein that can interrogate a label-independent-detection (LID) biosensor and monitor a biological event on top of the biosensor without suffering from problematical parasitic reflections and/or problematical pixelation effects. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using a low pass filter algorithm to digitally remove problematic parasitic reflections contained in the spectrum of an optical resonance which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor. In another embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using an oversampling/smoothing algorithm to reduce oscillations in the estimated location of an optical resonance caused by the problematical pixelation effect which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor.

Abstract: An optical interrogation system is described herein that can interrogate a label-independent-detection (LID) biosensor and monitor a biological event on top of the biosensor without suffering from problematical parasitic reflections and/or problematical pixelation effects. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using a low pass filter algorithm to digitally remove problematic parasitic reflections contained in the spectrum of an optical resonance which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor. In another embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using an oversampling/smoothing algorithm to reduce oscillations in the estimated location of an optical resonance caused by the problematical pixelation effect which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor.

Abstract: An optical interrogation system and method are described herein that are capable of detecting and correcting a positional misalignment of a label independent detection (LID) microplate so that the LID microplate can be properly interrogated after being removed from and then re-inserted back into a microplate holder/XY translation stage.

Abstract: A method is described herein that can use any one of a number of deposition techniques to create a reference region and a sample region on a single biosensor which in the preferred embodiment is located within a single well of a microplate. The deposition techniques that can be used to help create the reference region and the sample region on a surface of the biosensor include: (1) the printing/stamping of a deactivating agent on a reactive surface of the biosensor; (2) the printing/stamping of a target molecule (target protein) on a reactive surface of the biosensor; or (3) the printing/stamping of a reactive agent on an otherwise unreactive surface of the biosensor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a roll nip tool for making nip width measurements within a high temperature roll nip. The tool includes a first thin section for inserting into the high temperature roll nip. The first thin section includes a first surface that has a first portion of an electrical circuit formed thereon. The first thin section also includes a second thin member that has a second surface and a second portion of the electrical circuit formed thereon. The first thin member and the second thin member are attached together to form a pocket, and are arranged together such that the first and the second portions of the electrical circuit can be brought together into circuit closing contact within the pocket. The first thin section of the tool further includes a mechanism or suitable means such as pressurized air within the pocket for normally keeping the electrical circuit open by controllably separating the first and the second portions of the electrical circuit.