Patents by Inventor Robert Andrew Porter

Robert Andrew Porter 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).

  • Publication number: 20170059519
    Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus and a system for effecting testing on a sample, such as for medical testing. The apparatus includes a sample chip (30) provided with at least two chambers (48,50) within which analyte and a sample to be tested can be located, one chamber being a mixing chamber (48) and the other a detection chamber (50), the latter being provided with a sensor or means to enable sensing of one or more parameters pertaining to the sample. A detector unit (70, 170) includes a slot (76) for holding a sample carrier (30), drive means (94) for moving parts of a sample from the mixing chamber (48) to the detection chamber (50), such as by electromagnetic force, sensing means (60) for sensing the one or more parameters, a diagnostic unit (84) for analysing the sensed parameters and a display unit (72) for displaying the results of the test to a user. The test unit (70, 170) is preferably handheld, which the sample carrier (30) is preferably in the form of a disposable chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventor: Robert Andrew Porter
  • Patent number: 8927299
    Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus and a system for effecting testing on a sample, such as for medical testing. The apparatus includes a sample chip (30) provided with at least two chambers (48, 50) within which analyte and a sample to be tested can be located, one chamber being a mixing chamber (48) and the other a detection chamber (50), the latter being provided with a sensor or means to enable sensing of one or more parameters pertaining to the sample. A detector unit (70, 170) includes a slot (76) for holding a sample carrier (30), drive means (94) for moving parts of a sample from the mixing chamber (48) to the detection chamber (50), such as by electromagnetic force, sensing means (60) for sensing the one or more parameters, a diagnostic unit (84) for analyzing the sensed parameters and a display unit (72) for displaying the results of the test to a user. The test unit (70, 170) is preferably handheld, which the sample carrier (30) is preferably in the form of a disposable chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills of Her Majesty's Britannic Government
    Inventor: Robert Andrew Porter
  • Publication number: 20140251832
    Abstract: An electrochemical assay uses paramagnetic particles (10) including a coating of electroactive material (12) in order to detect or measure an analyte (30) of interest. The analyte is brought within the vicinity of an electrode (42) along with the coated paramagnetic particles (10). Application of a potential converts the electroactive coating (12) on the paramagnetic particles (10) into ions that can be measured using, for example, anodic stripping voltammetry. The level of ions corresponds to the amount of analyte of interest in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: Robert Andrew Porter
  • Patent number: 8617907
    Abstract: A method for determining the presence or amount of a metal-labelled species in a sample may include causing the metal of the metal-labelled species in the sample to form a soluble electrochemically-active complex which is stable relative to moieties present or potentially present in the sample which will form an insoluble and/or electrochemically-inactive complex with the metal, and electrochemically measuring the formed complex to provide an indication of the presence or amount of the metal-labelled species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Alere Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Brian Jeffrey Birch, Camilla Sofia Forssten, Alena Kabil, Robert Andrew Porter
  • Patent number: 8337692
    Abstract: A method for determining the presence or amount of a metal-labelled analyte (12) in a sample is described. The method comprises the steps of adding a release agent (20) to the metal labelled analyte (12) to release the metal label (18) from the analyte (12), the release agent (20) forming a charged stable species (22) with the metal label (18), applying a potential to bring the charged stable species (22) to an electrode (22), dissolving the charged stable species (22) under a positive potential to form metal ions (26), and carrying out a quantitative determination procedure such as anodic stripping voltammetry to determine the presence or amount of the metal-labelled analyte (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills of Her Majesty's Britannic Government
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Porter, Mateusz Szymanski
  • Publication number: 20120034708
    Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus and a system for effecting testing on a sample, such as for medical testing. The apparatus includes a sample chip (30) provided with at least two chambers (48, 50) within which analyte and a sample to be tested can be located, one chamber being a mixing chamber (48) and the other a detection chamber (50), the latter being provided with a sensor or means to enable sensing of one or more parameters pertaining to the sample. A detector unit (70, 170) includes a slot (76) for holding a sample carrier (30), drive means (94) for moving parts of a sample from the mixing chamber (48) to the detection chamber (50), such as by electromagnetic force, sensing means (60) for sensing the one or more parameters, a diagnostic unit (84) for analysing the sensed parameters and a display unit (72) for displaying the results of the test to a user. The test unit (70, 170) is preferably handheld, which the sample carrier (30) is preferably in the form of a disposable chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Andrew Porter
  • Publication number: 20110171735
    Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus and a system for effecting testing on a sample, such as for medical testing. The apparatus includes a sample chip (30) provided with at least two chambers (48,50) within which analyte and a sample to be tested can be located, one chamber being a mixing chamber (48) and the other a detection chamber (50), the latter being provided with a sensor or means to enable sensing of one or more parameters pertaining to the sample. A detector unit (70, 170) includes a slot (76) for holding a sample carrier (30), drive means (94) for moving parts of a sample from the mixing chamber (48) to the detection chamber (50), such as by electromagnetic force, sensing means (60) for sensing the one or more parameters, a diagnostic unit (84) for analysing the sensed parameters and a display unit (72) for displaying the results of the test to a user. The test unit (70, 170) is preferably handheld, which the sample carrier (30) is preferably in the form of a disposable chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventor: Robert Andrew Porter
  • Publication number: 20100320092
    Abstract: A method for determining the presence or amount of a metal-labelled analyte (12) in a sample is described. The method comprises the steps of adding a release agent (20) to the metal labelled analyte (12) to release the metal label (18) from the analyte (12), the release agent (20) forming a charged stable species (22) with the metal label (18), applying a potential to bring the charged stable species (22) to an electrode (22), dissolving the charged stable species (22) under a positive potential to form metal ions (26), and carrying out a quantitative determination procedure such as anodic stripping voltammetry to determine the presence or amount of the metal-labelled analyte (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Porter, Mateusz Szymanski
  • Publication number: 20090098662
    Abstract: A method for determining the presence or amount of a metal-labelled species in a sample may include causing the metal of the metal-labelled species in the sample to form a soluble electrochemically-active complex which is stable relative to moieties present or potentially present in the sample which will form an insoluble and/or electrochemically-inactive complex with the metal, and electrochemically measuring the formed complex to provide an indication of the presence or amount of the metal-labelled species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Brian Jeffrey Birch, Camilla Sofia Forssten, Alena Kabil, Robert Andrew Porter
  • Patent number: 7437913
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices comprising magnetic particles for detecting or monitoring the coagulation state of a sample are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Inverness Medical Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Nasr-Eddine Djennati, Jonathan Andrew Fuller, Robert Andrew Porter, David Scott
  • Patent number: 7198708
    Abstract: An electrochemical biosensor for quantifying one or more redox species in a liquid sample comprising a background electrochemical activity, wherein said biosensor comprises: (i) an electrode system; (ii) a filter means comprising a sample loading position; and (iii) a charge transfer surface between said filter means and said electrode system; wherein said filter means separates said sample loading position from said charge transfer surface by an amount of filter material capable of providing a tangential peak height for said background electrochemical activity of less than 30% of the tangential peak height for said redox species; and said biosensor comprises an intermediate layer between said filter means and said charge transfer surface, wherein said intermediate layer has a lower energy requirement to transfer said liquid sample to said charge transfer surface than said filter material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Anne Louise Atkinson, Brian Jeffrey Birch, Robert Andrew Porter
  • Publication number: 20040026266
    Abstract: An electrochemical biosensor for quantifying one or more redox species in a liquid sample comprising a background electrochemical activity, wherein said biosensor comprises:
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Anne Louise Atkinson, Brian Jeffrey Birch, Robert Andrew Porter
  • Publication number: 20040020791
    Abstract: Disclosed is a component for a device for detecting the presence of an analyte of interest in a sample, the component comprising an electrically conducting solid support having immobilised thereon a chemical moiety, said chemical moiety comprising an electroactive portion with an electrochemical property capable of being directly modulated in a detectable manner by the binding thereto of a binding partner having a specific binding activity for the electroactive portion, together with apparatus comprising the component, and a method of detecting the presence of an analyte of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Porter, Robert Andrew Badley
  • Patent number: 6551495
    Abstract: Disclosed is a component for a device for detecting the presence of an analyte of interest in a sample, the component comprising an electrically conducting solid support having immobilized thereon a chemical moiety, said chemical moiety comprising an electroactive portion with an electrochemical property capable of being directly modulated in a detectable manner by the binding thereto of a binding partner having a specific binding activity for the electroactive portion, together with apparatus comprising the component, and a method of detecting the presence of an analyte of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Inverness Medical Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Porter, Robert Andrew Badley