Patent · US Expired

Optical autofocus for use with microtiter plates

US6130745A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
10References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 1999
Grant dateOct 10, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B21/241
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for autofocus on a target layer contained within a microplate well is provided. The instrument is capable of optically sensing a reference point on the underside of a microplate. This reference point is then used to focus light onto a target layer within the microplate well, the target layer having a location that is in defined relation to the reference point. The reference point is either a surface of the bottom of the microplate well or is an optically detectable mark on the underside of the microplate. In an alternate embodiment, a light position sensitive detector is used to enable deterministic autofocus for a plurality of wells on a microplate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.