Patent ID: 9714443
Date: 2017-07-25
CPC Classifications: B01L,B81B,B81C,C12Q,F15C,F16K,Y10T

Claim:
1. A microfabricated structure comprising: (a) parallel horizontal flow channels; (b) parallel vertical flow channels that are orthogonal to the horizontal flow channels; (c) a plurality of individually addressable storage locations, each of which is located where one of the horizontal flow channels crosses one of the vertical flow channels; (d) a network of compartmentalization control lines forming valves that surround the storage locations so that each storage location can be fluidically isolated; (e) a row multiplexor containing a plurality of parallel vertical control lines that cross the horizontal flow channels, such that each of the vertical control lines forms valves that control several but not all of the horizontal flow channels, the vertical control lines being configured so that the row multiplexor can allow fluid to flow through any one of the horizontal flow channels while preventing flow through the other horizontal flow channels; and (f) a column multiplexor containing a plurality of parallel horizontal control lines that cross the vertical flow channels, such that each of the horizontal control lines forms valves that control several but not all of the vertical flow channels, the horizontal control lines being configured so that the column multiplexor can allow fluid to flow through any one of the vertical flow channels while preventing flow through the other vertical flow channels; wherein the control lines for the row multiplexor are formed in a separate layer of the microfluidic device from the control lines for the column multiplexor such that the row multiplexor and the column multiplexor operate independently.