Automatic fluorometer and data processor for performing fluorescent immunoassays
US4295199A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 1979 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/6428
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus is disclosed for quantitating relatively small amounts of a clinically significant compound which had been fluorescently tagged. The apparatus has a transparent cell for holding a prepared liquid sample (which includes fluorescent particles). A light source generates a stable light beam that is focused on the sample in the cell so that the beam causes fluorescent emissions by the particles in the sample. The intensity of the emissions is a function of the intensity of the light beam and the concentration of the fluorescent particles in the sample. A detector in optical communication with the cell receives and senses photons defining the fluorescent emissions. The number of sensed photons is counted and the total count from the sample over a fixed time period is a measure of the number of fluorescent particles in the sample. A microcomputer system is further disclosed including a primary microprocessor which is interfaced via latches and buffers on a data bus to a system memory, system pheripherals, and major system subassemblies.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.