Compact Multi-Wavelength Optical Reading and Method of Acquiring Optical Data on Clustered Assay Samples Using Differing-Wavelength Light Sources
An optical reader having an array of differing-color light sources and a controller for controlling the light sources and acquisition of optical data. The light sources are arranged, and the controller is configured, to allow rapid acquisition of optical data regarding individual sample wells of a cluster of such wells. In some embodiments, multiple ones of the differing-color light sources are illuminated simultaneously for acquiring optical data on a corresponding number of sample wells. Depending on the configuration of the array and number of differing-color light sources illuminated simultaneously, the optical reader can acquire optical data for several wavelengths in a fraction of the time of conventional optical readers. Other embodiments include one or more non-contact temperature sensors for acquiring temperature data substantially simultaneously with the optical data. The temperature data can be used, for example, to adjust the optical data or warn a user of out-of-specification temperature conditions.
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This application is a divisional of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/020,900, filed on Jan. 28, 2008, and titled “Compact Multi-Wavelength Optical Reader and Method of Acquiring Optical Data on Clustered Assay Samples Using Differing-Wavelength Light Sources,” and which application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/886,797, filed on Jan. 26, 2007, and titled “Compact, Maintenance-Free Multi-Wavelength Microplate Absorbance Reader,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/979,255, filed on Oct. 11, 2007, and titled “Compact, Maintenance-Free Multi-Wavelength Microplate Absorbance Reader.” Each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to the field of analytical light absorption measuring equipment. In particular, the present invention is directed to a compact multi-wavelength optical reader and method of acquiring optical data on clustered assay samples using differing-wavelength light sources.
BACKGROUNDMeasuring the light absorption of a chemical solution is a useful means for detecting and measuring chemicals of interest in the fields of biochemistry, medical diagnostics, and other fields of scientific research. Scientists commonly use the “microplate” as a vessel for holding an array of samples while measuring, or “reading,” their absorption. Microplates typically meet the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards developed by The Society for Biomolecular Sciences (SBS) (Danbury, Conn.). These standards describe microplate dimensions in detail including the common 3.3″ by 5″ microplate of 96 sample wells arranged in an 8 by 12 array with an on-center separation of 9.0 millimeters (mm). SBS has formalized ANSI standards for a 384-well microplate (on-center well separation of 4.5 mm) and 24-well microplates (on-center well separation of 18 mm) while other geometries such as 12-well and 48-well plates exist that may not have ANSI standards.
Scientists find it desirable to be able to perform multiple tests on a sample in the same microplate or in the same well of a microplate, for example, in screening blood samples for multiple drugs of abuse. By combining tests on the microplate, the scientist requires a smaller sample volume, consumes less chemical reagents and fewer microplates, and generates less waste. In addition, the scientist may benefit from an overall reduction in preparation time compared to the time required to prepare multiple single-test microplates. Tests can only be combined in the same well if they utilize different reading wavelengths; otherwise, different test results are indistinguishable from one another.
While microplates provide a convenient method of holding a large number of samples, generally, conventional microplate readers and methods for measuring the optical absorption of these samples have one or more shortcomings. For example, several known readers can read at only a single wavelength. Other known microplate readers can read at multiple wavelengths but they cannot perform multiple wavelength-reads simultaneously, increasing the time for each wavelength reading by approximately 100%. Further exacerbating the problem, kinetic assays, i.e., assay tests that require rapid repeated measurements, often exceed the speed capabilities of many current readers. As a result of this speed limitation, known readers are poorly suited to combine kinetic assays within the same microplate. In addition, all multi-wavelength microplate readers of which the present inventor is aware are bulky stationary units that take up large amounts of space, for example, on worktops, and are not easily movable between multiple testing locations and are not easily stored out of the way when not in use.
While many microplate readers offer the capability of thermal control of the microplates, existing readers do not offer a suitable means of testing their ability to maintain a consistent temperature across the microplate. This is particularly a problem for microplate tests such as Endotoxin tests, which are used to measure contaminants in injectable drugs, and which are highly sensitive to temperature variations. Innovative Instruments, Inc. (Wake Forest, N.C.) created their Pyro Pak test device to test for temperature control problems common to microplate readers. Their Pyro Pak device tests for temperature inconsistency across a microplate carrier area but their device is limited to an area representing a few wells of a microplate. Further, the Pyro Pak device is not made of the same material as a microplate which results in a different thermal mass which does not have the same thermal properties as a microplate filled partially or completely with samples. Even if a microplate reader is validated with this test device, there still exists no ability to test if the temperature of an actual microplate with test samples is stable and consistent. For example, a microplate of samples placed on a warm or cool countertop may quickly change temperature unevenly across the microplate, causing an unpredictable shift in the optical results, and no existing microplate reader has the capability of measuring or correcting optical errors resulting from this deviation.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREIn one implementation, the present disclosure is directed to an optical reader for acquiring optical data corresponding to each of a plurality of sample wells of a cluster of sample wells. The optical reader includes at least one light source for illuminating at least one of the plurality of sample wells during a reading operation; a detector operatively configured and located to detect light from the at least one light source; a reading region located between the at least one light source and the detector during operation of the optical reader; and at least one non-contact temperature sensor for sensing, during operation, temperature of the cluster at a plurality of locations within the cluster.
In another implementation, the present disclosure is directed to a method of acquiring and processing optical data. The method includes acquiring optical data regarding a plurality of samples located in a corresponding plurality of sample wells of a cluster of sample wells; acquiring, substantially simultaneously with the acquiring of the optical data, temperature data for the cluster; and automatically taking an action as a function of the temperature data.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:
As mentioned in the Background section above, conventional multi-wavelength microplate readers are bulky instruments that not only take up large amounts of space, but also typically take a relatively long time to acquire assay data taken at multiple differing wavelengths of source light. However, the present inventor has discovered how to read a large number of the wells of a microplate at once, which allows for reading each well with several colors, or wavelengths, of light during a single operation multiple orders of magnitude more quickly than existing methods.
The timing benefit of embodiments of the present invention can be illustrated mathematically, where “t” represents the time, in units of seconds, required to read the plate at a single wavelength. For a conventional microplate reader for an 8×12 sample well cluster (e.g., a 96 well microplate): the read time in seconds for one wavelength=t seconds, for two wavelengths=2t seconds (i.e., 100% greater than time t for a single wavelength) and for three wavelengths=3t seconds (i.e., 200% greater than time t for a single wavelength). In sharp contrast, some embodiments of a microplate reader (or more generally, optical reader) made in accordance with the present invention demonstrate the following performance for an 8×12 sample well cluster: read time in seconds for one wavelength=t seconds, for two wavelengths=1⅛t seconds (i.e., only 12.5% greater than time t for a single wavelength) and for three wavelengths=1¼t seconds (i.e., only 25% greater than time t for a single wavelength). As can be seen in this example, assuming the time t is the same for both the conventional microplate reader and an optical reader of the present invention, the inventive optical reader of this example is nearly three times quicker than the conventional reader when reading multi-wavelength assays. Using an optical reader made in accordance with the present invention, scientists can combine multiple assays with only a slight fractional increase in total reading time, creating new opportunities in research and clinical diagnostics. When used in a kinetic or high throughput screening application, this difference in performance is significant, allowing the scientist nearly three times or better daily workload throughput in batch microplate processing.
The present inventor has also discovered that this multi-wavelength operating scheme can be implemented in a uniquely small and inexpensive apparatus having a size only slightly taller and wider than the cluster of sample wells, for example on a microplate, being measured and only about four times its length to accommodate movement of the cluster. By using a removable array of multiple wavelengths of monochromatic light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources, the present inventor found that cool, long life light sources can be provided that are low in cost, required little or no filtering, are consistent with a very small footprint, and can easily be changed to provide the optical reader with different functionality. Because LEDs are not prone to consumption, i.e. failure, as are halogen lamps in conventional readers, an optical reader made in accordance with the present invention is maintenance-free in comparison.
Because of its small size and mechanical simplicity, embodiments of an optical reader made in accordance with the present invention can be stored on its side, vertically, to conserve bench space in the laboratory. Another benefit of the compact design is that an optical reader of the present invention may be easily placed inside a biological safety hood or be incorporated in compact microplate automation platform such as the SSI Robotics Flash-6X microplate automation station from SSI Robotics (Shoreview, Minn.). Such platforms load microplates into a reader in an automated “high-throughput” application.
In addition, embodiment of an optical reader made in accordance with the present invention may optionally incorporate a new technique for measuring the temperature of the sample wells and the sample wells' contents, thereby enabling new methods of monitoring and adjusting cluster temperature, new methods of identifying temperature variations among the samples, which lead to poor results, and a means of correcting the optical readings to account for variations in the optical results due to temperature variations across the cluster of sample wells.
Referring now to the drawings,
As described below in detail, optical reader 10 is configured and programmed to provide, among other things, the unique features mentioned above, such as the rapid multi-wavelength assay and the compact, economical design. While exemplary optical reader 10 is shown as having these feature, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other embodiments may have fewer than these features in various combinations. In addition, it will also be appreciated that optical reader 10 is merely a specific example having a particular configuration convenient for explaining various concepts of the present invention. Other examples can have other configurations that differ from the configuration shown. While changes to the configuration shown are not exhaustively addressed for reasons of practicality, some potentially desirable changes are suggested below. Of course, the changes mentioned are not to be taken as exhaustive, but merely illustrative.
At a high level, optical reader 10 comprises mechanical components, optical components and electronics, as depicted in
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, LEDs are efficient solid state devices that output light in a narrow wavelength range using very little electrical power and generating very little heat. LEDs are available in various wavelengths, focal pattern, size and power from several industrial sources such as Digi-Key Corporation (Thief River Falls, Minn.). Depending on their character, LEDs may require little or no additional optical filtering when used in the described apparatus. They may have built-in lenses so that no additional focusing may be needed. Their low cost allows a plurality of individual LED light sources of different wavelengths to be positioned in one or more rows of the array to allow each well of the microplate to be measured at a plurality of wavelengths. Other embodiments may use a different type of monochromatic light source, such as one or more Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLED) (One Stop Displays, Winter Park, Fla.), lasers (Coherent, Inc., Santa Clara, Calif.) or laser diodes (Photodigm, Inc., Richardson, Tex.), and yet other embodiments may use a combination of different types of monochromatic light sources.
As shown in
Other embodiments may arrange the arrays to read differently designed microplates such as a 384-well microplate or a 60-well, 72-well, or 96-well Terasaki® microplate from manufacturers such as One Lambda Inc. (Canoga Park, Calif.). Some brands and models of microplates contain removable wells that can be separated from the adjacent wells individually or as strips of wells. An alternative optical reader 16, shown in
Referring to
LEDs can vary in spectral output (wavelength) based on their temperature, which can be manipulated by altering the electrical current or voltage across the LED. Using this characteristic, an LED may be manipulated to output light at different controlled wavelengths based on the voltage, current, or duration thereof applied to the LED. While LEDs are available in many of the wavelengths used in the art of microplate reading, alternative wavelengths may be measured by using broader spectrum LEDs and a filter 160 of optical filtering material. In this case, it is the combination of the LED and corresponding filter(s) that work in cooperation to provide a particular wavelength light source. Filter 160 may be constructed from scientific optical filter material as is available from companies such as Chroma Technology Corp. (Rockingham, Vt.) and Omega Optical, Inc (Brattleboro, Vt.). Filter 160 may be placed across one or more LEDs, one or more rows of LEDs or across one or more rows of corresponding photodiodes or in combinations of the two. The additional filtering would have the same effect as wavelength specific LED light by limiting the broader spectrum LED light to a wavelength of interest before the light reaches the photodiode light detection surface. Filter 160 may be flat or lens shaped or it may be flat and used in conjunction with a lens.
Alternatively, filtering is available in the form of wavelength specific photodiodes, such as Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Bridgewater, N.J.) S2684 monochromatic series of photodiode components. For measurement purposes, and from a scientific perspective, whether the filtering of light takes place before the sample at the LED, or after the sample at the photodiode, is irrelevant. Either method yields an equivalent result. The optical reader 10 may use a combination of these methods to measure various wavelengths. In yet other embodiments, filtering may be provided by directing LED light into a monochromator or prism, or prismatic device, to split a broader wavelength output into a narrower bandwidth wavelength of interest.
In various examples, the LEDs, such as LEDs 114, may be illuminated or pulsed all at once or they may be pulsed in a sequence relative to one another. In one particular example, the LEDs may be illuminated in alternating columns to minimize light intended for one microplate well from reaching an adjacent well's detector. In the example of
A microplate flow chart is provided in
Circuitry 1200 to control this illumination process is illustrated in the schematic,
In other embodiments of an optical reader made in accordance with the present invention, a mechanical shutter (not shown) with holes cut out for a subset of LEDs may be used and may be activated by a shutter solenoid (not shown). Various embodiments of shutters may be used to controllably mask a subset of the LEDs to prevent adjacently illuminated LEDs from interfering with unintended photodiodes. Shutters, masks and solenoids of this type are available from, for example, Brandstrom Instruments, Inc. (Ridgefield, Conn.) or may be mechanically or laser cut from opaque material such as sheet metal. Movement of a shutter may be monitored by a main circuit board (MCB) 157 using an optical sensor, such as the model number QVE11233 from Fairchild Semiconductor (South Portland, Me.). Alternatively, a solenoid may include a self-contained sensor to track the position of solenoid and shutter.
In other embodiments, rather than using a shutter to shield a subset of LEDs, the LED array may have a set of LEDs for every other column of the plate. The entire LED card may be moved by a solenoid or stepper motor. In such embodiments, all the LEDs may be illuminated at once but only every other column of the microplate is illuminated depending on the position of the LED array.
Further embodiments may utilize reference LEDs and reference photodiode pairs to further reduce variability in the measurements. The LED array may include one or more reference LEDs for each wavelength, each paired with a corresponding reference photodiode. Photodiode readings from the reference LEDs are used to adjust for LED stability in all light measurements. For example, as the light intensity of the reference LED increases due to a drift in voltage to the LED, the light intensity of the corresponding measurement LEDs increases by the same factor. The net change in output can be factored out of the sample measurement mathematically. This mathematical adjustment would take place in the programmable logic device (PLD) or microprocessors of MCB 157.
As illustrated in the block diagram of
Further detail of exemplary optical reader 10 is shown in
In exemplary optical reader 10 of
Other embodiments may use a different type of light detector in place of a photodiode or a plurality thereof, such as one or more charge coupled device (CCD) sensors (Sarnoff Imaging Systems, Princeton, N.J.) or one or more photomultiplier tubes (Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Bridgewater, N.J.) or one or more photodetector ICs (PDIC) (Atmel Corporation, San Jose Calif.).
Alternative embodiments may use an array of photodiodes of unequal number relative to the light sources in the LED array and move either the photodiodes or LEDs relative to one another, reusing the same photodiodes with different LEDs or vice-versa. Yet other embodiments may attach the photodiodes beneath the carrier and move the combined carrier-photodiode component relative to the LED array while sending the photodiode signal to the MCB via a flexible cable. The reverse could be constructed using an LED array attached to the carrier and with filtered or wavelength specific photodiodes above.
As each photodiode 179 is illuminated with LED light (
MCB 157 may be separate from photodiode array 134. On MCB 157, a programmable logic device (PLD) 1101, such as the Spartan series—XCS1500L field programmable gate array available from Xilinx Inc. (San Jose, Calif.)) may be used instead of microprocessors or with a smaller subset of microprocessors. MCB 157 may include electrical connections to carrier motor 147 (
PLD 1101 contains all control algorithms for motor 147, LED excitation 165, photodiode array 134, LCD Keypad Display 117, and internal memory 1102. Memory 1102 may be implemented with standard off-the-shelf ICs controlled by PLD 1101, microprocessors 1109 or equivalent. All processing of data from photodiodes 179 may be performed on MCB 157. MCB 157 may include embedded non-volatile memory 1102 for storage of processed data and configuration data, as shown in
In one embodiment, the voltage signal from each photodiode 179 may be amplified and filtered electronically, and then sent through an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 1105, such as the part number AD7927—8-channel, 12-Bit A/D converter from Analog Devices (Norwood, Mass.). The electrical outputs of photodiodes 179 may be multiplexed into 7 of the 8 input channels of A/D converter 1105. The digital output of A/D converter 1105 may be sent directly into PLD 1101 and stored in memory 1102 As with LED array 133, the number of signals passed between photodiodes 179 and PLD circuit 1101 or microprocessor 1109 may be minimized by multiplexing the conditioned photodiode outputs with multiplexer device 1106, such as the ADG758—CMOS 8-channel multiplexer from Analog Devices Inc. (Norwood, Mass.) before passing the signals into PLD 1101. PLD 1101 may control multiplexers 1107 such that matching pairs of LEDs 114 and photodiodes 179 are processed simultaneously. Multiplexers 1106 may alternatively be place on the photodiode array 134 and may be configured in the same manner to use the same control signals. The photodiode signals that are not being intentionally or actively measured may be ignored by the software.
The tables in the schematic diagrams illustrated in
MCB 157 (
A power supply circuit 166 may accept an external 12 VDC input via a power input port 176. This design can allow the 12 VDC input to be sourced from a variety of devices, such as an AC power adapter with 12 VDC, 14 VDC or 15 VDC output, or another 12 VDC power source, such as a car battery or a portable external 12 VDC battery for use in the field, such as when conducting water-quality or other research in remote areas. Power circuit 166 converts the input voltage into the voltages required for PLD 1101 and passive components, such as memory 1102, Photodiode array 134, multiplexers 1106 and 1107 on both the MCB 157 and LED array 133. The input voltage would also be converted into motor excitation and LED array excitation signals in the power supply section 166.
Small openings (not shown) may also be provided through enclosure 120 of optical reader 10 for data communication port 171, a combination power (on/off) switch and power input 176 and for the described in block diagram
The communication port circuit 1111 may include standard hardware driver devices (not shown) for universal serial bus (USB) communication protocols. Optical reader 10 may have the ability to communicate with an external PC with a USB cable connection or embodiments may include RS232 standard, infrared, or wireless USB communication or combinations of these formats and methods. The communication port circuitry 1111 and communication may be controlled by PLD 1101 using software algorithms. The communication port 171 may also export data and may output a data file, such as an electronic file complying with American standard code for information interchange (ASCII) standards, to a plug-in USB memory device such as a SanDisk Cruzer® Micro USB Storage device (SDCZ4-256-A10) from SanDisk Inc. (Milpitas, Calif.). In this way, the user may easily shuttle data from optical reader 10 to a PC for further analysis without connecting the PC to optical reader 10 by a cable.
Enclosure 120 may be constructed of sheet metal (aluminum or steel), but can be constructed of other opaque materials such as a metal casting or plastic, such as molded plastic. A metal enclosure has the additional benefit of providing electrical shielding to the electronics so that other devices that emit electrical interference will not affect optical reader 10 electronics within enclosure 120. Non-metallic enclosure material may be coated with a conductive paint or covered in a conductive foil to provide similar protection from electrical interference to a metal enclosure. Alternatively, within enclosure 120, the electronic circuits could be surrounded by a conductive sub-enclosure for purposes of electrical shielding.
Adhered to the top surface of enclosure 120 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) touch screen keypad display 117, such as part number MK-AOG from Amulet Technologies, (Santa Clara, Calif.) that combines the keypad and a visual user interface. Alternatively, Display F-5143NFU-FW-AA from Optrex America, Inc., (Plymouth, Mich.) could serve as a display along side a membrane keypad as available from Nelson Switch Plate (Los Angeles, Calif.) or Pannam Imaging (Cleveland, Ohio) could be attached to provide a user interface. Other types of displays, such as LED or plasma, could be used. The display may permit scrolling so a user can see the optical data on the display. The display may also offer user options, such as the commands to read microplates at various wavelengths, with the options for microplate shaking and temperature control. Other choices may include running internal diagnostics tests or exporting the data to a memory device or external computer. Other embodiments may include another type of graphic or text display, or a touch-screen display, such as an OLED display that could function as both display and keypad. Further embodiments intended for control remotely through an external computer may include a keypad only or neither keypad nor a display, with all user interaction controlled via a communication port, which may be similar to port 171 of optical reader 10, connected computer or via wireless control or by an infra-red or other external communication means.
Optical reader 10 as shown in
Alternative embodiments of an optical reader made in accordance with the present invention may include the ability to control the temperature inside.
In embodiments with one or more sensors, such as sensors 1403, (or 503 in
In another exemplary optical reader 18 shown in
The temperature manipulated within optical reader 18 of
The ability to measure temperatures on a well-to-well basis or by taking several well temperature readings across a give plate or sample-well cluster resolves an important problem not satisfied by known optical readers. It is known in the field of the invention that some chemistry reactions, such as Endotoxin measurements, and their resulting optical readings, are greatly affected by minor temperature deviations on a well-to-well basis. Such deviations are common because interior wells of a microplate heat more slowly than the edge wells of the microplate due to the thermal mass of adjacent wells.
In the art of microplate reading, microplates whose data is adversely affected by a temperature gradient must generally be discarded; however, it is nearly impossible to determine from the optical data alone if a measurable chemical reaction in the microplate wells has caused adverse data or if a temperature gradient has caused adverse data. Existing methods of microplate measurement have failed to address this problem. By using one or more integrated temperature sensors, for example, sensor 1403 on
For example, if a plurality of wells' temperatures were measured, the temperatures could be averaged and if the variation of any individual well from the average temperature were measured outside a limit value programmed into the reader memory, for example, 5% above average or 5% below the average temperature, then a message may be presented on keypad display 117 indicating that there exists an “out of tolerance temperature variation” on the microplate. A tolerance may be programmable through the keypad display 117 so that scientists could devise their own acceptance criteria. Embodiments might incorporate a more sophisticated acceptance criteria based on accepted practices of statistical analysis common to scientists skilled in the arts of microplate data analysis, for example, based on the statistical coefficient of variation (cv %) for a set of temperature measurements. Alternatively, the temperature measurements could be presented as raw data along with the optical measurements so that the scientist could make their own comparison to determine the affect of temperature on optical data and set their own acceptance criteria for temperature variations.
For example, the temperature of all of the wells could be measured and averaged mathematically. Each well temperature could then be compared to the average and the optical reading factored up or down based on the individual well temperature relative to the average. That is, if a well is 10% warmer than average, and the chemistry is known to increase its optical density as a result of increased temperature, the scientist might reduce the optical reading by 10% as a temperature-based correction. It is likely that different temperature sensitive experiments would have unique mathematical corrections based on the effect of well-specific temperature. Those skilled in the art of research using microplates could determine this correction factor or relationship experimentally and then deploy the correction to the measured optical data.
Returning to
As shown in
By holding microplate 25 on its corners, a mechanical microplate gripping and positioning device has access to the long or short sides 143 of microplate 25 allowing for compatibility with various brands of microplate handling robotic devices, such as the Flash-6X SSI Robotics model (Shoreview, Minn.) or the Twister II Plate Handler from Caliper Life Sciences (Hopkinton, Mass.). Another capability facilitated by the open sides 143 of carrier 124 would be the ability to use a hand-held barcode scanner (not shown) to read barcode labels (not shown) on a side of microplate 25 or to add a small barcode scanner to optical reader 10 to allow reading of a barcode label adhered on any of the four sides of microplate 25 to identify a particular microplate relative to other microplates. In another embodiment, a different identity reading device, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader (not shown) may be used. Scientist familiar with the art of microplate reading will also be familiar with the techniques and methods of identifying and monitoring a series of microplates using barcode scanners and labels.
In the exemplary optical reader 10 (
In the example of optical reader 10 of
In alternative embodiments, optical readers made in accordance with the present invention move a microplate (or other sample-well cluster) between an array of light sources and a detector, take readings in a single pass, and eject the microplate out a second door at the other end of the optical reader, for example, conveyor belt style, similar to a pizza in an automated commercial pizza oven.
Other alternative optical readers, such as optical reader 16 of
Similarly, a second exemplary LED array 1733B shown in
Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, omissions and additions may be made to that which is specifically disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An optical reader for acquiring optical data corresponding to each of a plurality of sample wells of a cluster of sample wells, the optical reader comprising:
- at least one light source for illuminating at least one of the plurality of sample wells during a reading operation;
- a detector operatively configured and located to detect light from said at least one light source;
- a reading region located between said at least one light source and said detector during operation of the optical reader; and
- at least one non-contact temperature sensor for sensing, during operation, temperature of the cluster at a plurality of locations within the cluster.
2. An optical reader according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a first array of light sources for illuminating ones of the plurality of sample wells; and
- a second array of non-contact temperature sensors distributed among said first array of light sources, said second array of non-contact temperature sensors for acquiring temperature data in conjunction with acquisition of optical data using said first array of light sources.
3. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein said at least one non-contact temperature sensor is an infrared temperature sensor integrated with said at least one light source.
4. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein the optical reader is configured to read a microplate having a pair of spaced edges and a central region, said at least one non-contact temperature sensor locatable during use to enable the optical reader to acquire multiple temperature readings at differing points proximate each of the pair of spaced edges and in the central region.
5. A method of acquiring and processing optical data, comprising:
- acquiring optical data regarding a plurality of samples located in a corresponding plurality of sample wells of a cluster of sample wells;
- acquiring, substantially simultaneously with said acquiring of the optical data, temperature data for the cluster; and
- automatically taking an action as a function of the temperature data.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said acquiring of the optical data includes acquiring the optical data using an array of light sources so as to acquire optical data simultaneously from a plurality of the sample wells.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said acquiring of the optical data includes acquiring the optical data using a plurality of differing-wavelength light sources so as to acquire optical data for a plurality of differing wavelength tests simultaneously from a plurality of the sample wells.
8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said acquiring of the temperature data includes acquiring temperature data using an array of non-contact temperature sensors.
9. A method according to claim 5, wherein said acquiring of the temperature data includes acquiring temperature data for all of the plurality of sample wells.
10. A method according to claim 5, wherein said adjusting of the optical data includes adjusting optical data to account for well-to-well temperature variation at the time of said acquiring of the optical data.
11. A method according to claim 5, wherein said automatic taking of the action as a function of the temperature data includes automatically adjusting the optical data as a function of the temperature data.
12. A method according to claim 5, wherein said automatic taking of the action as a function of the temperature data includes automatically signaling a user of the occurrence of an out-of-specification temperature event.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 23, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 23, 2010
Applicant: REVOLUTION OPTICS, LLC (Burlington, VT)
Inventor: Lyle C. Johnson (Burlington, VT)
Application Number: 12/765,975
International Classification: G01J 1/56 (20060101);